Winning insights: Sawday's pub guide awards 2014
Pubs with Rooms Winners The Wheatsheaf, Brigsteer, Kendal, Cumbria www.thewheatsheafbrigsteer.co.uk www.lumleyfeebunkhouse.co.uk Owner: Freehold the Wheatsheaf is the sixth pub acquired by Individual Inns, which won Best Accommodation Operator in the Publican Awards 2014 Licensees: Nicki Higgs and Tom Roberts Rooms: Having worked in hospitality for many years, Nicki Higgs and fiancé Tom Roberts are now running their first pub together. Refurbished nine months ago, the Wheatsheaf’s innovative self-catering Lumley Fee Bunkhouse helps to attract tourists, business people and locals. Each of five en-suite rooms, priced at £70 to £120 per room, accommodates four guests, often including wedding and hen parties and cycling and walking groups. The diverse offer is evolving by listening closely to what locals want and includes live folk music, supplying salads with flatbreads for art workshops and soup and sandwiches for Open Garden schemes, and a villagers’ Christmas party. The menu features Cumbrian delicacies and hand-made pizzas. Oak Planks, served as a sharing starter or a generous portion for one, include the Fell Man: pâté, pork pie, hand-carved roast Cumbrian ham, local cheeses, pickles & chutney (£11.95). Future plans: Partnership with new Lottery-funded village hall to run events; attracting corporate trade to the bunkhouse. The Gunton Arms, Thorpe Market, Norwich, Norfolk www.theguntonarms.co.uk Owner: Art dealer Ivor Braka bought this freehold in 2009. It is operated by husband-and-wife team Stuart Tattersall and Simone Baker. Rooms: Set in a historic north Norfolk park, the Gunton Arms opened in 2011. The eight rooms, styled by interior designer Robert Kime, are designed to suit “a changing market of travellers looking for five-star quality accommodation within a laid-back, country pub environment”. Innovations: Guest kitchenettes and individual sitting-room areas give the pub a private-house feel. The team is committed to providing facilities on an affordable scale, with prices ranging from £95 to £300 Monday to Thursday for a small standard double room to £99 to £340 per weekend night for a superior double suite, all including breakfast. The high-quality menu specialises in venison from the pub’s own estate; seafood, mussels and Cromer crab caught by local fishermen, and beef cooked over an open fire. Last year the business as a whole grossed £1.4m, from a wet:dry: accommodation split of 30:50:20; overall business was 2.5% up on the previous year. Future plans: To add an estimated 10 rooms within 12 to 18 months. The Royal Oak, Tetbury, Gloucestershire www.theroyaloaktetbury.co.uk Owners: Chris York and Kate Lewis have owned this freehold since 2013. Licensee is Sebastian Bell. Rooms: Six en-suite guest bedrooms accommodating a total of 17 guests are spread over two floors opposite the pub and its courtyard (£75-£130 mid-week; £95-£160 weekends, including breakfast). Rooms include the Oak Lodge, with oak mezzanine, twin beds and wood-burner. Between 5pm and 6.30pm in the bar a hearty, tasty home-cooked “Workers’ Pot” of stew is offered for £6 per portion and comes with hunks of bread or a bowl of short-grain brown rice. The breakfast menu features a DIY Bloody Mary bar. A fortnightly themed quiz includes opportunities to introduce themed tapas. Innovations: With the pub’s attractive garden and boules pitch now in use, the owners are awaiting the arrival of a restored Airstream trailer for serving a freshly prepared, fun and healthy summer menu. Future plans: Oak Events & Hire will be launched post-summer to bring great beers, good food and music for at-home party bookings or special occasions.
Newcomer Award Winners The Shipwright’s Arms, Helford, Helston, Cornwall www.shipwrightshelford.co.uk Freehold owners and licensees: Hairy and Vicky Harford What’s on offer: The Harfords have run this “arty, foodie, thatched” freehold on Cornwall’s Helford estuary for two years, since deciding to reopen the pub to support the local community and their three businesses — bakery, shop and holiday let — in Vicky’s native Cornish village. In their first foray into the licensed trade they took on the Shipwright’s Arms with a business partner who funded its £400,000 refurb after the pub had been left empty for eight months.The couple specialise in seafood delivered daily to their slipway and turn fresh belly strips of shark into fishcakes. Lobster can be ordered in advance, steak is popular, one vegetarian option is always on offer, and current mains include crab risotto, Parmesan, lemon oil (£12.50). A recently installed £400 smoker has quickly paid for itself, the deliberately short menu includes outdoor pizzas and barbecue food, and live music Future plans: Children’s summer puppet shows and mini-pizzas; a sail shelter for the outdoor terrace. The Glynne Arms, Hawarden, Flintshire www.theglynnearms.co.uk Freehold: owned by the Gladstone family Licensee/head chef: Martin Hurt What’s on offer: After being stripped back to a shell 19 months ago, the pub’s refurbishment included a new kitchen, a bigger cellar and new banquettes. Six cask ales are rotated from local suppliers within a 60-mile radius. With 80% of food coming from the estate’s farm shop, the menu includes a Hawarden platter of traditional pork pie and warm steak & ale pie, mashed potato or chips with rich onion gravy £9.95). Children are very welcome — two children’s courses such as hand- Future plans: Work starts on developing an adjoining microbrewery in 2016. Plans are also in place to extend the outside catering service and develop bed-and-breakfast accommodation in nearby barns. Created by and featuring singer and musician Cerys Matthews, in partnership with Charlie and Caroline Gladstone, The Good Life Festival on 20 September 2014 will focus on ‘culture, food and the great outdoors’, including sausage-making; rabbit-skinning; and campfire cooking with Tom Herbert of Channel 4’s The Fabulous Baker Brothers. The White Hart, Somerton, Somerset Owners: Draco Pub Company. Natalie Patrick is general manager. What’s on offer: This freehold, the second pub in Draco Pub Company’s portfolio and sister to the Swan, in Wedmore, Somerset, opened a year ago. Future plans: Draco’s third pub, Timbrell’s Yard, opens in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, in November. Authentic Pub Award Winners The Sun Inn, Leintwardine, Shropshire, www.suninn-leintwardine.co.uk Owners: Since 2009 this freehold has been owned by Nick Davis of Hobsons Brewery, Cleobury, Worcestershire (with Gary Seymour until 2014). What’s on offer: The front parlour of this stone and brick-built Grade-II listed pub is nationally famous and the building features in CAMRA’s national inventory of historic pub interiors. There is a strong commitment to offering free live traditional entertainment, including folk evenings and clog dancing, an open mic night attracting an audience of up to 180, and spontaneous renditions on the honky-tonk piano. Food is available at lunchtimes in the red-brick bar and is all locally sourced: beef sandwiches, Scotch eggs, and stew are favourites. Buffets for groups such as walking parties can be booked in advance, and the pub’s weekend summer barbecues are popular. Future plans: The Sun Inn’s annual beer festival, now in its ninth year, attracts increasing numbers of ale fans — Davis hopes 1,000 customers will attend this year and is looking forward to developing the range of music on offer all year round. The Boat Inn, Ashleworth, Gloucestershire www.boat-inn.co.uk Owners: The Boat Inn has been owned by the Jelf family for more than 350 years, including sisters Elisabeth Anthony and Louise Beer, who inherited it, leased it for the past three years and are currently seeking a new tenant. What’s on offer: This tiny destination pub, on the banks of the Severn, has a well-established reputation for speciality ales from small local brewers, served straight from the cask, an extensive cider range, and annual beer and cider festivals in aid of local causes. Simple, fresh food at lunchtimes includes a range of filled rolls served with home-made chutney, sometimes from a brick building in the front garden. The three public rooms include the front parlour, well known for its ‘living-room’ style, featuring a traditional cooking range. The wet:dry split is approximately 85:15. Leased for the past three years, the Boat Inn is temporarily closed for a refurb and a change of tenant. Future plans: To refurbish, find a new tenant, re-open this amenity for villagers, walkers and cyclists and increase food sales. The owners will use a recent £5,000 Government grant to strengthen the flood defences provided by the Environment Agency. The Broadfield Ale House, Sheffield, South Yorkshire www.thebroadfield.co.uk Owner: Forum Café Bars has owned this freehold since 2011 Licensee: Miles Kehoe What’s on offer: The Broadfield Ale House has been refurbished in a style that recalls its Victorian roots, featuring comfortable tap-room booths, antique furniture and pictures of the original building and owners. Since re-opening in 2011 the pub has become an increasingly popular eating and drinking destination, providing home-made food and a wide variety of cask and keg beers. The team sees upwards of 1,000 covers weekly and specialises in award-winning pies. Last summer the Broadfield’s craft-beer festival kick-started its now-thriving keg trade. With three constantly rotating lines, the pub focuses on stocking interesting and hard-to-source beers. Currently trading at 16% up year-on-year in both food and drink, it maintains a 65:35 wet:dry split. Future plans: Another craft-beer festival is planned for the August bank holiday weekend, with around 500 extra customers expected to attend. The next series of sell-out whisky tastings, showcasing the Broadfield’s extensive, high quality selection, will begin this autumn.
Community Pubs Award Winners Eagle & Child, Ramsbottom, Lancashire www.eagle-and-child.com Owner: Thwaites leasehold Licensee/tenant: Glen Duckett Community focus: This profitable, multi-award-winning pub, run as a social enterprise, has gained rapid recognition in the two-and-a-half years since horticulturalist and ex-probation worker Glen Duckett arrived. Staffing includes an apprenticeship scheme employing six youngsters aged 16-25 for six months, extended by up to a year for apprentices with learning difficulties. The pub’s Incredible Edible Beer Garden was the focus for the business’s Autumn Fair 2013, a partnership initiative supported by Incredible Edible Ramsbottom and Co-Op funding, enabling horticultural workshops and foraging to be offered free at the point of delivery. Wet sales rose by about 25% during a recent local election when the pub became a polling station on the day. Future plans: Duckett is one of four Ramsbottom representatives for the Britain in Bloom 2014 competition, which he hopes will help to further highlight the Eagle & Child nationally. Ring o’ Bells, Compton Martin, near Bristol www.ringobellscomptonmartin.co.uk Owners: Four private owners, two of whom live in the village, bought the freehold lease from local brewery Butcombe in 2012. Manager is Phil Underwood. Community focus: Once at the heart of village life, the pub had declined over the past few years. The new owners restored the enormous inglenook fireplace, put in oak floorboards, refurbished the interior and ensured that staff were trained up. The large garden was recently landscaped. A modern British menu of freshly prepared, locally sourced, seasonal ingredients replaces the previous pre-prepared pub grub. An Allotment Amnesty allows villagers to trade off produce by bartering, and for each burger sold, 35p goes to the village hall. An annual Cider & Cheese Fayre raises generous funds for local charities. Other community events include live music nights for local talent, free fireworks displays and guest-chef fine dining. Future plans: To open a farm shop and smoke-house, and grow vegetables. The George at Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex www.georgeatburpham.co.uk Owners: Fourteen local families responded to an initiative by three local businessmen to buy the pub in April 2013. Trading as Burpham & Warningcamp Pub Company, it now has three directors. The pub manager is Martin Bear. Community focus: This 17th-century inn, saved from dereliction last year by locals who invested in its significant refurbishment, offers seasonal Michelin-recommended British food with a modern twist, from bar snacks to full meals, plus fine wines and ales. The new owners strongly support local suppliers, including ales from Arundel Brewery, gin from Blackdown Spirits, mineral water from South Downs Water Company, and Sussex ice cream from Caroline’s Dairy. While well-known brands are also stocked, sales of locally produced drinks have seen a particular increase in the past year. Events such as the Arundel Festival and fundraising activities are heartily supported, including adding 50p to each bill on behalf of The Chestnut Tree Hospice. The pub is a popular venue for wedding receptions, and its drop-down screen keeps customers up-to-date with allthe latest sport. Future plans: As corporate vice-president of the local cricket club, the pub is putting together 11 players and planning to take on a Hove pub in September.
Champions of Local, Seasonal and Organic Produce The Three Daggers, Edington, Westbury, Wiltshire www.threedaggers.co.uk, which is owned by the Three Daggers Operating Company. General manager is Jackie Cosens. On the menu: Freehold the Three Daggers features three B&B rooms; the Edington Farm Shop and Store; Three Daggers Brewery and bar, serving ales such as Daggers Blonde 3.6% ABV (£3.25) and Daggers Ale 4.1% ABV (£3.40); and Priory Farm, which supplies the pub’s vegetables and fruit, plus trout from its pond. All meat comes from local farmers and producers and meals are also available to take away. The food offering also includes breakfasts and the main menu features starters such as pork rillette, Priory Farm apple jelly, caper berries, warmed rosemary & goats’ cheese fougasse (£6.50). The team aims to offer a community-focused event every day, including cooking demonstrations for the Women’s Institute, May Ball, summer fête and scarecrow trail. Turnover (ex-VAT) for 2013 was £550,000. Future plans: Nine more B&B rooms are due to be completed early next year. This will allow the pub to cater for larger groups wishing to combine comfortable stays with shooting, fishing, mountain-biking and gliding. The Jolly Waggoner, Church Farm, Ardeley, Stevenage, Herts www.thejollywaggoner.co.uk Freehold owner: Adrian Jenkins What’s on offer: Adrian Jenkins became chef-patron of this freehold almost three years ago. His family also owns and runs the ecological Church Farm opposite the pub, which supplies the pub with free-range meat and as much fruit, vegetable and herbs as possible. On the menu: Jenkins anticipated a really tough first quarter but is pleased to report 15% to 20% growth. Offering larger groups exclusive use of the restaurant or rear garden has helped to boost profits. Highest food sales are from hand-made burgers (£10.50 plus toppings), closely followed by slow-roasted rare-breed pork belly (£13.50). When strawberries are abundant at the farm, seasonal desserts include strawberry parfait and strawberries and cream (£5.75 each). A recent function buffet included beetroot & apple soup; slow-cooked pork belly on wholegrain mustard mash with pan-fried greens and a spiced jus; and Church Farm strawberry Pavlova (two courses £19.95; three for £24.95) Future plans: The pub’s third annual craft-beer festival and several charity fundraisers featuring guest landlords are scheduled in for the next few months. The Pointer, Brill, Buckinghamshire www.thepointerbrill.com Freehold owners: David & Fiona Howden On the menu: The Pointer encompasses a country pub, restaurant and butchery business, focusing on simple, fresh, seasonal food and drink. The team cook what is best on the day, using seasonal produce from their kitchen garden or obtained from local markets and suppliers. Meat comes from their own livestock herds and neighbouring farms and the pub serves up to 70 covers on Sundays. The Pointer beer (3.8% ABV) is brewed by local XT Brewing Company, and the Howdens use the leftover grains and yeast to feed their Longhorn cattle. From Wednesday to Saturday customers can purchase meat and charcuterie from the Pointer Butcher and freshly baked bread from the delicatessen. The pub showed 245% growth between October 2011 and 2013, while the Future plans: To consolidate business and engage with the local community through quality food, drink and events.
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