For 89 years, York College for Girls was a much-respected private school in Low Petergate. But after its closure in 1997, the building fell to into disrepair. In 2004, it underwent an award-winning (and sensitively completed) renovation process, and emerged transformed as the stunning La Vecchia Scuola, in December 2005.

The pillars in the hallway - and the listed staircase with its double-twist rails - have been carefully preserved; while the lavish restaurant area, beautifully decorated with a marble floor and chandeliers, features a magnificent glass conservatory. The photographs around the restaurant include ex-pupils.