Award-winning Hampshire publican launches private catering service

09-Mar-2015 - Last updated on 09-Mar-2015 at 16:21 GMT

Lucy Townsend: bespoke catering service offers "as much or as little as you wish"

Lucy Townsend, chef and owner of Michelin Pub of the Year 2014 the Greyhound on the Test, in Stockbridge, Hampshire, has announced the launch of Wilds, a new company catering to private parties and events.

Townsend said: “We were getting lots of requests for catering – I’ve been working with the fishing and shooting parties, going out with them and I think a lot of it grew from that.

“We do everything, as much or as little as you wish, from the invitation stage to marquees to flowers to catering.

“We’ve had a huge amount of interest – we have 40 events we’re working on at the moment including a wedding every Saturday in June and July.”

As well as working on Wilds, Townsend is having further accommodation built at the Greyhound on the Test and moving her office into the pub to ensure she still has time to oversee pub operations on a day-to-day basis.

She added: “I think the thing is to just be organised and make sure you don’t overstretch your resources.

“It’s tempting to say yes to everything, but if I went too mad it would put too much strain on the Greyhound.”

Townsend said by October the team could be looking for a new external kitchen and a chef to take charge of outside catering.