Clarence House was one of those places you would go to once, maybe twice, a year as a 'special treat'.

And it's no secret that for most of us, its designation as a rarity was basically down to the price.

You'd be hard-pressed to have a meal for two at Clarence House without spending in excess of £100.

So when I heard about the venue being transformed into a more relaxed, informal spot one of the first things I was keen to take a closer look at wasn't the interior, it was the price.

If I'm honest, I was expecting it to be pretty much the same as it used to be, with perhaps a few new chairs and lamps, a more modern menu and at a similar cost to Clarence House.

But that couldn't be further from the truth.

The moment we walked in, I headed to the area which used to be the 'cosy bar' with the open fire.

And I was immediately taken aback by the new gift shop. But that label doesn't do it justice in the slightest.

This isn't a tiny little corner shop-sized store. It takes up around half of the groundfloor and I was torn between heading for the bistro or spending an hour or so examining all the homeware trinkets, ornaments and oddities.

An impatient and "starving" four-year-old quickly made that decision for the both of us and we went up to the bar/counter next to the orangery.

I did instantly identify one slight problem. When a venue completely overhauls its menu, interior, business model, atmosphere, format and focus, as with the Clarence House-Valley View transformation.

It can take time and a few second glances to get used to the 'new way' of dining at this Skelgate venue.

For instance, a couple of times I instinctively looked up to catch someone's eye, so I could order another drink or ask for the bill.

In my head, at Clarence House that was of course the norm, but in the Bistro I hesitated and wasn't sure if the same applied.

Its more relaxed, cafe-style interior suggests it's more the type of place where you would go up to the counter instead of relying on waitress service. But I wasn't certain.

Despite any confusion, I'm certain that even if it wasn't the 'done thing' any more the staff wouldn't have blinked an eye if I had called them over, so it really isn't a big deal.

We were told we could simply pick somewhere to sit and then order our food at the bar.

I chose a ham and pickle sandwich (£5.95), with a side of fries (£3), while Abigail had pizza (which was more of a homemade baguette-style pizza bread) served with chips and beans (£5.95).

Our bill came to £29 which included a glass of white wine (£4.95), a Fruit Shoot (£1.25) and a chocolate eclair to share £2.95).

For lunch, I suppose on the face of it to some that might seem at the top end of what you would spend, but given that we were at Valley View for well over two hours (and not through waiting - the service was faultless) it isn't actually bad at all.

As well as spending a leisurely hour eating, resting and (for Abigail) making a pretend den under the large, comfy chairs we also spend the same amount of time browsing the gift store.

Looking at pictures of some of the items for sale I was expecting quite steep prices but I was pleasantly surprised that I saw little over £20 and picked up a lovely marble glass pear ornament for my dad for £12.95.

Our meal at Valley View wasn't just a meal. It was an afternoon out and is perfect for ladies who lunch.

Food 5

Value 5

Service 4

Atmosphere 5

Pros

The gift shop surroundings

Top-notch food

Relaxing atmosphere

Cons

Can get very busy

Somewhat limited menu