The Elks Head (Northumberland)

“Some of the finest shooting in the country can be enjoyed on our very own estate…Our countryside hotel is the perfect traditional setting for a shooting party…After a day’s shooting on the Whitfield Estate retreat to The Elks Head after for an evening of fantastic dining, real cask ales and wine.” Part of the Whitworth Estate, the focus of the Elks Head is clearly on attracting customers who want to spend the day blowing birds out of the air in what would otherwise be a stunning location: “The estate is located in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.” Amidst all the death, hilariously the Elks website has a section titled ‘Go Green’ which states that “Whether it’s through joining our Green Team, helping in our gardens or simply learning the importance of environmental consideration, all of our team members are actively encouraged to ‘Go Green’!” How that is supposed to sit with killing wild birds, the raptor persecution endemic to the shooting industry, or the wholesale trapping of native predators on shooting estates like Whitworth isn’t explained…