An iconic wedding and conference venue hosted a wake attended by David Beckham and Ryan Giggs just weeks after a new company took it over following a liquidation.
Bertie's in Elland was heading for closure in January this year, before Calderdale businesswoman Katie Cowling followed her dream and stepped in to take over a venue she loved.
Less than two months later the Brook Street building was hosting the wake of former Manchester United coach Eric Harrison, which was attended by a host of famous football faces.
Katie, who has worked in events and catering in Calderdale for the last 19 years, recalled how she fell in love with the more than 30-year-old wedding venue.
She said: "It was the place to go, the place to have events and parties. That's what Bertie's has always been about and it just needed to get back to that."
Katie, 35, was working for Caravan Guard insurers when she heard that Bertie's was facing liquidation.
She quickly put a plan together to save the business and asked her Caravan Guard colleague Helen Jowett if she would join her in the challenge.
"It didn't close for a day," Katie said.
"I had a conversation with Helen and said an opportunity had come up and asked if she wanted to come with me to Bertie's.
"I spoke to our managing director at Caravan Guard and told him we were going. They were really supportive. I had worked for them for 11 years and they knew I was following my dream and catering is my passion."
Helen, 33, joined the rejuvenated Bertie's as an events coordinator.
"It was too good an opportunity to turn down," she said.
"My background is in bridal and events and I had managed some of the Bertie's outside catering functions over the Christmas period of 2018."
Soon after taking over, Katie and her team got a request for a wake.
Katie recalled: "It was a completely normal booking until I got a phone call from the Sergeant of Halifax Police and he asked what security measures we had in place for a high profile wake. I didn’t believe it until they were stood in front of me; Sir Alex thanked us and said our venue was stunning."
Katie said the plan for Bertie's now is "to keep doing what we do well". There are no plans to reopen the tea rooms set up by the previous owner, instead the business will focus on events and outside catering.
In the more distant future Katie has her eye on refurbishing No1 Brook Street - an event room that is part of Bertie's but in a separate building.
Katie put the success of her plan in large part down to the hard work of her dedicated team.
"I'm a big believer in everything happens for a reason," she added.
"I just knew that it couldn't close, it’s an amazing venue and the Ballroom is just stunning, I knew what it needed.'
"We are busier than anticipated and the positive feedback we are receiving is incredible. The support from old and new customers has been overwhelming."
