A couple taking on their first Shepherd Neame pub together found they needed to hit the ground running as locals and visitors were queuing up to get back into the picturesque pub in its perfect spot on the South Downs.

Fortunately, Greg Coleman and partner Carla Marsh had decades of experience in the hospitality industry behind them to cope with the demand as they reopened The Juggs in Lewes, near Brighton.

One of the prettiest pubs in Lewes, situated in a quiet, leafy village lane, today’s passers-by are more likely to be walkers taking in the delights of the Downs than the fishwives carrying their fish baskets – or ‘juggs’ as they used to be called – to the market in Lewes which the pub is named after.

Head Chef Greg, 53, who has had a long career running restaurant and pub kitchens, said: “It’s very unusual in the trade to have somewhere where you get footfall all the time. People walk over the Downs and they’re outside our door. The beauty of it is it’s such a nice place, with such a lot of history.”

Carla, 46, who is now running Front of House at the pub in The Street, Lewes, adds: “It’s been non-stop since we came in the door! We do know a lot of people because we are from the area but also the locals feel like they have their pub back!”

Although the pair have plenty of experience behind them, their venture running The Juggs – ably assisted by Elsie the border terrier – is their first venture together. 

And their business plan catered for all their talents, including Greg’s expertise in the kitchen,  which has meant a revamped menu of pub classics, fish dishes and an a la carte menu which will change seasonally.

Plus his signature homemade focaccia bread and sandwiches are on the menu and no visit would be complete without trying The Juggs bhaji smuggler, a vegetarian delight of Bombay mix, pickled red onion and coriander chutney.

Carla’s cake-making skills also haven’t been forgotten, and she tries to bake a cake every Tuesday and Wednesday – something which has become both popular and a running joke with locals, but does occasionally have to go without icing due to the job of running a very busy pub!

The building, originally built in the 14^th century and added to over the years before being turned into a pub in the early 80s, has also had a thorough refresh, being repainted outside with new signage, a revamp of the large outside garden, as well as some refurbishment inside including new toilets. The team is also a mixture of old and new, with some long-serving members staying including Deputy Manager Jack Walker, while others have joined. 

Greg and Carla, along with their 16 team members, celebrated the official start to their Juggs life at a private launch party with family and friends last month.

Visitors to The Juggs can also sit back and relax without distraction, as there is little phone signal, due to its rural location. You can find The Juggs at The Street, Lewes, BN7 3NT, call 01273 472523, or visit https://www.useyourlocal.com/pubs/juggs-arms-lewes-757/

Bel & The Dragon is delighted to announce that it is introducing Grassroots beef onto its menus. Grassroots beef is farmed using methods that have less of an impact on the planet. 

Grassroots beef will be used in the majority of the beef dishes on the Bel & The Dragon menus. Founded by Alastair Trickett, James Evans and James Daniel, Grassroots is a collective of farmers that provides a supply of beef from farms that have been audited and certified to Grassroots’ regenerative farming standards. Grassroots beef is independently assessed using the Farm Carbon Toolkit – which measures carbon emissions. The toolkit found that beef from Grassroots farms produces half the amount of carbon compared with typical beef herds in the UK.

Grassroots incorporates six principles within its standards – including animal welfare and protecting the local environment. When farmed following all six principles, the beef produced not only has less impact on the planet, but it is also extremely high quality – elevating Bel & The Dragon’s premium dishes, such as its beef short rib crumpet. 

The Grassroots beef on the menus at Bel & The Dragon is supplied through Thorner’s – a master butchers that provide the finest cuts of meat, which are ethically sourced and traceable from sustainable farms. Thorner’s parent company, Hunt’s Food Group, is a certified B Corp.

Oliver Rosevear, Fuller’s Sustainability Director, said: “I’m so excited to see Grassroots beef on Bel & The Dragon menus. Beef accounts for over a quarter of our Scope 3 carbon emissions – so it’s important to look at how we can continue to serve our customers the high-quality dishes they expect, while reducing our impact on the planet. 

“As an organisation, we have a responsibility to support our customers’ own sustainability journeys by lowering the environmental impact of the food we serve to them. We have worked closely with our suppliers for years to always offer our customers high quality beef which is locally sourced and reared to high animal welfare standards. One of our values is always asking what’s next? – so with this in mind, we started exploring new technologies and practices to help with our journey to Net Zero. This led to Grassroots and its more sustainable farming practices.

“Fuller’s is committed to achieve Net Zero on or before 2040 – with a commitment to be Net Zero for operational emissions by 2030. In 2021, we joined 27 other hospitality businesses to create the Zero Carbon Forum – and this partnership with Grassroots is a product of that forum. We saw the amazing work it has done with other companies in our sector and were keen to see if we could make it work at Fuller’s.

“Bel & The Dragon is the perfect group of sites to trial Grassroots beef – six beautiful English Inns renowned for premium food and drink. Not only is Grassroots beef good for the planet, but the quality is incredible. As Grassroots beef becomes more readily available to us, we hope to roll it out further across our estate – allowing us to further reduce our carbon emissions.”

Alastair Trickett, co-founder of Grassroots, said: “Seeing Grassroots beef on the Bel & The Dragon menus is hugely exciting. It marks the culmination of months of hard work to build the business case and design the supply route. We’re hugely grateful to the passionate and purposeful leadership within Fuller’s that has made this possible and we hope that where Fuller’s leads, others will follow. We’re all looking forward to seeing where, within the group, our beef will be served next.” 

Daniel Snook, Commercial Director of Hunt’s Food Group, added: “It’s great to work with Grassroots and Fuller’s to help get more sustainable beef on the menus at Bel & The Dragon. We have worked with Fuller’s for a while now and we’re delighted to see that sustainability is so important to the business. Grassroots beef is a great step for Fuller’s to take on its journey to Net Zero. We look forward to seeing where our partnership with Fuller’s and Grassroots will take us next.”

The Head of the River in Folly Bridge, Oxford has reopened following a transformative refurbishment. 

A stunning pub nestled on the banks of the Thames, The Head of the River boasts a bar, riverside dining area and garden, and 19 boutique bedrooms – which have all now reopened with beautiful new décor. 

The bar and dining areas, which reopened earlier in the spring, feature wood panelled walls complemented by comfortable seating and plenty of natural light. Outside, the riverside garden is the perfect place to enjoy the sunshine – while enjoying a tipple from the range of premium beers, wines, spirits and alcohol free options available at the bar.

The bedrooms have all undergone refurbishments – with the addition of modern comforts, including aircon in every room, in a traditional setting. Some of the rooms have also been turned into family rooms, with bunk beds, for those looking to stay with the younger members of their family. The rooms are all named after famous and noble Oxonions – along with their corresponding Oxford college shields. The famous Oxford names include the astronomer, Edmond Halley; Geraldine Jones, the first female Oxford Union President; Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai; and Sir Roger Bannister, neurologist and athlete.

On The Head of the River’s new menu, you’ll find a range of delicious dishes – with seasonal, fresh ingredients. Alongside pub classics such as fish and chips, the menu features grill dishes such as tandoori lamb kebabs, and miso cauliflower and celeriac kebabs – served with a choice of sides. The new brunch menu is also not one to miss – with dishes such as blueberry American pancakes with lemon thyme compote, mascarpone cream and lemon balm. Plus, with a kids’ menu, there is something for the whole family to enjoy.

As part of the refurbishment, The Head of the River is now fully electric – making it Fuller’s first fully electric hotel. To support its journey to Net Zero, Fuller’s is committed to procuring 100% renewable electricity – sourced from wind, solar and hydroelectricity. The kitchen equipment and all other appliances in the pub and hotel are now powered by electricity. The Head of the River is a Green Tourism Bronze Award winner – recognising its excellent sustainable practices.

David Oram, General Manager of The Head of the River, said: “I’m delighted to reopen The Head of the River fully. Our beautiful riverside dining area, bar and garden reopened earlier in the spring and it’s been wonderful seeing so many people back dining and drinking with us. But now we can offer the full experience with newly refurbished bedrooms. They’ve all been transformed and modernised, to offer the highest level of comfort in the heart of Oxford, so make sure you book a night with us – in one of our famous Oxonian rooms. My team and I look forward to welcoming you.”

If the General Manager of the recently refurbished Crown in Blackheath, Jan Mullerson, seems at home, it’s not surprising, as the pub is a home from home and where he cut his teeth as a barman.

Jan, who took over running the Shepherd Neame pub in the heart of one of London’s last remaining villages following a £750,000 transformation in February, moved to the Blackheath area with his family when he was 12.

He went to school in the area and so he knows just who he is catering for when it comes to running the historic pub which has been completely renovated, redecorated and has a revamped menu.

“It is one of the best decisions I have made in my life, coming back here,” he said.

Jan was enticed into the Shepherd Neame fold, after working at pubs owned by Young’s and Stonegate, by a former colleague.

Starting out in hospitality in Blackheath at the age of 19, Jan admits The Crown was very different when he first worked there and is overjoyed with its new look.

“It’s great that Shepherd Neame have put the investment in here,” he said, adding: “It is beautiful following the renovation.”

The team of 20 he now leads is an even mix of staff who were there before the renovation, and ones who have joined since.

“We have had amazing feedback from everyone who has come in,” he said. “I think we provide the best pub food in the area by far. Our forte is that we make homemade pies in-house – they’ve been very popular.”

And creating that new food offer is New Zealander Chris Duffy, 37, who is Head Chef. Chris began working in a pub when he came to the UK 15 years ago, before moving into the kitchen. Then came an apprenticeship before he worked his way up the ranks to become a Head Chef.

After 15 years with Fuller’s pub company, he made the switch to Shepherd Neame after being attracted by the newly-reopened Crown and a chance to make a fresh impact, and put his own stamp on the menu.

“It must have been the right time for me to make the move – now I’m here, I realise just how ready I was,” he said. “I have been reinvigorated and inspired to get more creative. It is great to be involved and to be able to help make decisions. I’m really enjoying it.

“I love a good pub. Pubs in New Zealand are completely different to English ones. “

The homemade pies he makes have received excellent feedback from customers, and he is enjoying getting a say in creating dishes. 

His own favourite dish to cook at home may not be on the menu any time soon though – beer braised octopus with stout, inspired by his Spanish wife’s cooking.

The five-week refurbishment of The Crown has seen the pub’s traditional heritage celebrated throughout, alongside a fresh, modern take on Edwardian décor, using a rich palette of dark blues, browns mixed with vintage-inspired floral wallpapers. 

It serves homemade bar snacks, lunch plates and pub classics, as well as a wide selection of award-winning craft available on draught, along with lagers, ciders, premium wines and seasonal cocktails.

A collaboration between leading pub websites stayinapub.co.uk and useyourlocal.com has been launched in a move to further promote pubs with accommodation, providing a welcome boost to the UK’s visitor economy as we approach the busy summer holiday season.

The collaboration sees Stay in a Pub’s carefully curated collection of boutique pubs, traditional coaching inns, and quality affordable pub accommodation being automatically promoted on Useyourlocal, putting them in front of millions more potential bookers. Each pub gets its own ‘Stay in a Pub badge’ making sure that they stand out to Useyourlocal’s huge audience as one of the very best places to stay. Together with an all-new Stay in a Pub Collection landing page, this now makes it even easier for people to find the very best pubs with accommodation, wherever they’re looking to stay.

Sophie Braybrooke, CEO of Stay in a Pub, said, ‘Stay in a Pub promotes everything that’s brilliant about staying in a Great British pub to both domestic and international visitors alike. Pubs with rooms already love our platform, and promoting member pubs through this exciting new partnership adds even more value to their membership.‘

Both Stay in a Pub and Useyourlocal are on a mission to drive more people into pubs more often, increasing the amount of time and money people spend in them, and ensuring that pubs remain thriving businesses right at the heart of their local communities. By working together they hope to leverage their combined strength and reach, ultimately encouraging more people to choose pubs when they’re planning their next trip away from home.

To find out more about Stay in a Pub go to www.stayinapub.co.uk

Have a pub? Want to get listed? Go to https://stayinapub.co.uk/list-your-pub/  or email [email protected]