The beautiful beer garden at the front of Shepherd Neame’s Swan and Dog in Great Chart is creating a buzz with punters and passers-by alike.

It’s not just the bees visiting the plethora of blooming plants now adorning the spacious garden of the village pub which are keen on their addition, as General Manager Joanne Rodwell reports even passers-by stop to compliment its new look.

A four-week project to refurbish the garden, repaint the front of the pub and install a newly-designed swing sign has been a hit with everyone.

Jo said: “The feedback has been so positive. People walk past and say how beautiful it is looking. It has definitely brought more people in the gate – everyone wants to sit out there now!”

The refurbishment included new hand-painted signage on the pub’s frontage, and saw the large parasols reupholstered. Some new garden furniture has been added to the rest, which was refurbished, and the area can now comfortably seat more than 80 people.

The garden previously had no greenery, but pretty planters, barrels and shelves are now overflowing with flora and fauna, brought in by Tops Pots, who were commissioned to soften its look by Shepherd Neame’s Development Project Manager Emily Gosden.

Its new swing sign, which was painted by Canterbury-based signwriter Julian Wilton, depicts a more gentle scene between a dog and a swan.

The picket fence around the garden has been painted white, and a new, central gate is being created at the front, next to the swing sign. The existing lighting has also been updated so the garden is inviting right into the evening.

The pub, which dates back to the 16th century, has always been a haven for socialising and the new look garden has increased its appeal further.

Jo admitted: “When we have finished work, we also take some time to go and sit out there, as we can see how much our customers are enjoying it through the day!

“The atmosphere has been amazing and we have had some great weather recently to enjoy it. It has really given it a new lease of life, and made the pub a little more in keeping with the style of other buildings in the village.”

The friendly pub in Great Chart is open from noon seven days a week, and until 10pm Monday to Thursday and Sunday, and 11pm on Friday and Saturday. It serves generous portions of freshly prepared dishes using locally sourced ingredients, complemented by a selection of Kentish ales, lagers, and a carefully curated wine list.

Independent family brewer and pub company Shepherd Neame has unveiled its first pizza wagon, offering handmade sourdough pizzas to eat in or take away at its pubs.

The wagon, titled Little Tom due to its eye-catching tomato-red colour, has been adapted to incorporate a bespoke pizza oven along with fridges for the ingredients, and two hatches for the team to serve customers. 

In keeping with Shepherd Neame’s long beer heritage as Britain’s oldest brewer, it is decorated with hops, and the inscription ‘Master Bakers’ instead of Master Brewers.

All pizzas are made fresh to order, using handcrafted sourdough bases. Current topping options include the following: Pepperoni (tomato sauce, Pepperoni, Mozzarella, basil); Classic Margherita (roasted cherry tomatoes, Mozzarella and fresh basil, with a vegan cheese option available); Diablo (hot and spicy tomato sauce, ‘Nduja, meatballs, chillis, onion, pepper poppers, Mozzarella and sriracha); and Kent Garden (tomato sauce, spinach, olives, red peppers, mushrooms, basil, vegan cheese and cherry tomatoes). There are also doughballs available, served with a garlic butter.

Each pizza is presented in a recyclable cardboard box featuring a bespoke Little Tom-branded sticker, with the name of the customer and the topping handwritten on it.

Shepherd Neame’s Head of Food Sang Nguyen said: “Pizza is always a popular choice with our customers, and now the Little Tom pizza wagon can allow us to offer fresh, handmade pizzas at any of our pubs and hotels. 

“Our teams have been trained in making the perfect sourdough for the base, and we are using the finest ingredients, locally sourced wherever possible, for the toppings. We have seen a great reaction to the wagon, which is a real talking point wherever it goes.”

Little Tom is currently situated at the Ship and Trades in Chatham Maritime, where will be open from 4pm this Friday (August 23) and from 12 noon on Saturday (August 24). It will then be moving to The Limes in Faversham where it will be open during the Hop Festival weekend from 11.30am to 7.30pm on Saturday (August 31) and from 11.30am to 6pm on Sunday (September 1).

Fuller, Smith & Turner, the premium pubs and hotels business, is delighted to announce it has purchased Lovely Pubs – a collection of seven stunning pubs in Warwickshire for a total consideration of £22.5 million. These outstanding pubs are a perfect fit with Fuller’s existing managed pub estate – both geographically and operationally.

The seven pubs, six of which are freehold, are all situated in affluent commuter locations. The sites are The Orange Tree in Chadwick End, The Boot Inn at Lapworth, The Farm in Monkspath, Morton’s Kitchen in Dickens Heath, The Baraset Barn in Alveston – which comes with 16 individually designed bedrooms, The Moat House Inn at Kings Coughton, and The Queen’s Head in Stoke Pound.

Lovely Pubs has a focus on delivering an outstanding, all round pub experience. They will continue to operate as they are and, to ensure the essence of these pubs is preserved, Lovely Pubs founders will continue to work with Fuller’s and all 260 team members will be retained with the acquisition.

Fuller’s Chief Executive, Simon Emeny, said: “I am absolutely delighted to be announcing this news today. We are very careful when it comes to finding great sites to add to our iconic pub estate – and the Lovely Pubs business is a perfect match and a fantastic acquisition. It was established 30 years ago and is an excellent business with outstanding, well-invested sites offering delicious, fresh, locally sourced food, a great drinks range and a wonderful welcome. It adds scale to our presence within our geography and is a great next chapter in the Fuller’s story.

“We can’t wait to welcome the Lovely Pubs team to the Fuller’s family. We will continue to run the sites with their existing offer and it’s exciting to be working with the Lovely Pubs founders. We have spent the last few years getting the Fuller’s business in the best possible shape – and this is a perfect opportunity to grow our Managed Pubs and Hotels estate.”

Lovely Pubs founder, Paul Salisbury, added: “We have spent the last 30 years building up a wonderful business – and we are delighted to be partnering with Fuller’s for the next stage in the Lovely Pubs journey. Our ethos, values and vision are very similar, and Fuller’s has the credentials and expertise to deliver further success for these seven fantastic pubs. We are looking forward to working with the Fuller’s team, and we know we have a lot to offer with our expertise in the local area. The similarities are obvious, and the opportunity is incredibly exciting.”