There’s no denying that the Great British pub is currently under threat, with reportedly one closing every day. But among all the gloom, there’s more than a glimmer of hope for gastropubs, which have continued to evolve since first emerging in the late 80s and early 90s.
Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks is busy restoring and reopening pubs in Yorkshire with his recently launched Jeopardy Hospitality group, while in London, The Public House Group is bringing a new level of style to gastropubs. London’s Desi pub tradition, first started by Indian immigrants in the 70s, has been updated for the 21st century by chef Prince Durairaj’s Tamil Prince and Tamil Crown pubs.
Around the country, young independent operators, like Angus Davies at The Swan Inn in Fittleworth and Ben and Priya Watson at The Golden Ball in Henley-on-Thames, are bringing their experiences in high-end restaurants to breathe new life into pubs and inns, as well as those featured here. I’ll drink to that.
The Jolly Tanners, Staplefield, West Sussex
A recent renovation at this family-friendly village pub, set in unspoilt West Sussex countryside, has retained the cosy bar for drinkers, complete with beams and an open fireplace. The smart new extension, with a spacious dining room that overlooks secluded gardens, is the perfect stage for the talents of chef Mark Charker, former head chef of The Gingerman in Brighton. There’s something for everyone, with a bar and garden menu of updated pub classics like pork & apple sausage rolls with onion ketchup, plus more refined cooking on the à la carte, which might include the must-order roast loin of South Downs lamb with tartare and ‘kebab’ of the braised belly. The visit to the nearby Nymans House and gardens, followed by a roast at The Jolly Tanners, would make for a perfect Sunday afternoon. thejollytanners.co.uk
The General Tarleton, Ferrensby, North Yorkshire
Chef Tommy Banks made his name at the Michelin-starred farm-to-table fine dining pub The Black Swan at Oldstead. He’s now spreading his wings across Yorkshire, restoring pubs and saving them from closure with his Jeopardy Hospitality group. The General Tarleton, an 18th-century rural village coaching inn with rooms, is the company’s first opening. Exposed beams, brick-built fireplace and flagstone floors keep drinkers cosy in the traditional bar, while diners eat in style in a smartly decked-out atrium with banquette seating and bare ash tables. Local produce features on the crowd-pleasing menu, which might include Yorkshire pheasant kiev with mustard seed mash, creamed spinach, pickled shallot & roasted Roscoff onion. generaltarletonferrensby.co.uk
The Bell Inn, Langford, Oxfordshire
The Bell Inn is part of pub manager Peter Creed and chef Tom Noest’s acclaimed Cotswolds-based Publican Pubs group (which has also recently expanded into London with The Hawthorne in Shepherd’s Bush). Set in a picturesque rural village, there’s an intimate, cosy feel to the 16th-century inn, with its exposed beams, dark green walls, wooden tables and Windsor chairs. The menu is a delightful mix of robust British dishes, such as Cotswold’s venison with beetroot & horseradish, and European-influenced plates, including mussels with sobrasada, cider & parsley. In good weather, enjoy a drink on the sunny, secluded terrace. thebelllangford.com
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