South East

Countryman Inn

Shipley, West Sussex

Food has been an essential aspect of the Countryman Inn from the moment Alan Vaughan bought the freehold 21 years ago.

Alan says: "I have always taken the view that you can't be in the hospitality business if you're not hospitable. You have to have a good food offering. Providing something a bit extra really helps to attract people to the Countryman.

"We actively encourage our regulars to invite guests by offering introductory vouchers and complimentary wine with meals."

Alan has gradually extended the pub to accommodate more tables. The Countryman had 16 covers when he bought it; now the 54 available can be increased to 68 for large banquets. On Sundays the pub averages 100 to 110 covers, with all tables being fully booked from 12 noon until 4pm.

Signature dishes include roasted monkfish tail wrapped in Serrano ham, served on a bed of creamed leeks with new potatoes and baby carrots (£13.99) and game pie (£11.95).

Keeping it local

Alan organises monthly brainstorming sessions with the four full-time chefs and four waitresses, who together come up with new menu ideas. The aim is always to keep the menu "rural, rustic, and local".

Daily trips to local suppliers and farmers' markets are undertaken in the quest to buy as much produce as possible from nearby sources.

Waitresses are trained to talk to their customers about how they like their food to be cooked. They also have the authority to reject a meal if they think it isn't up to scratch or has been prepared differently from the way a customer had asked for it to be cooked.

Jazz and burgers

Summer treats for customers are barbecues and spit roasts in the garden to the sounds of Dixieland jazz.

Last year, Alan reinvested £35,000 from retained profits to refurbish the kitchen and add new equipment. This has increased productivity and efficiency in the kitchen and helped food sales rise by 26% over the previous year's takings.