Shit Capitalists

Ellie & Josh // Paradise Tap & Taco, Harrogate

“We love grafters who do their own thing. We love when people put quality over quantity.”

I'm Lovin It...

Finally made it up to see the finished place and fill my face with tacos. What a triumph in hard work and independence in a sea of sameness. They’re open Wednesday to Sunday so if and when you’re in North Yorkshire get yourself a taste of Paradise.

Ellie and Josh are shit capitalists. They launched their craft beer and top notch taco bar in Harrogate, North Yorkshire against all the odds back in the uncertain days of the pandemic. And it worked, despite being subject to the constantly changing rules of whether and even how they could be open. They made money, bought a car and a motorcycle, then threw it all away!

They shut down, simply because it wasn’t their own space. They were based in part of someone else’s bar, it was a bit too mainstream, too commercialised, too successful! They needed to make their mark in their own place, somewhere their friends and loyal regulars could get down to partying with the best booze and Mexican themed finger food around.

So they quit their jobs, took on temporary work and got on with making their dream place a reality. Ellie was prepping food at home then running pop up taco/burrito joints in venues and at events. Josh went to work cutting and finishing stone hearths and work tops, learning this trade from scratch.

They’ve now secured an old stone built warehouse in the middle of town, have quit their jobs again and pressed the ‘fully commit’ button. They’ve gutted the building and are doing a full refit including new floors, walls, heating and toilets, never mind a kitchen, bar and all the seating areas. And they’re doing it all mostly themselves, with the occasional specialist builder parachuting in to keep them doing it right and to observe all the relevant building regulations. To make it all even more ridiculous they don’t even own the building!

We were kindly allowed into the building site, as it’s already a sexy photoshoot location, to shoot our new tie dye stuff and Cragg / Vale Smocks.

We love grafters who do their own thing. We love when people put quality over quantity. And we love people who know how to have a good time. Support the independents! Death before dullness!

www.paradisetapandtaco.co.uk

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