Chez Bruce and Lorne alumnus Angus Davies to launch ambitious West Sussex pub
Once his local, the Grade II-listed Fittleworth pub has suffered from under investment for the past decade or so.
“It’s a beautiful 14th Century pub within the South Downs National Park,” he says. “We have had to jump through a lot of hoops and have also had to spend a lot of money making it watertight.”
“But it will be worth it. The pub has a great story behind it. The area has always been popular with artists, including Constable and Turner. They would often pay for their board and lodgings with their work. We have a lot of paintings here, but unfortunately none by Constable or Turner.”
The 36-year-old says that venue - which is in between Pulborough and Petworth - will be run with 'an old-fashioned belief in what pub should be; flowing drinks and great food, served by people who care'.
Davies is currently recruiting for a chef to lead the kitchen but intends to have a significant influence on the pub’s food offer, which he is billing as classic country cooking that is in keeping with the pub’s rustic aesthetic.
Example dishes include devilled kidneys on toast, fish dumplings and shellfish sauce; veal meatballs with polenta, rainbow chard, Parmesan and gremolata; and profiteroles, honeycomb parfait, hazelnuts and chocolate sauce.
The Swan Inn has a 45-cover dining room, a 30-cover bar area, a 30-cover alfresco courtyard and a 25-cover barn that will be used for private events.
The pub has 12 letting bedrooms, which are also being refurbished. The overhaul of the site will include an extension, a brand new kitchen and extensive works to the roof.
Davies started his career with Newcastle-based chef restaurateur Terry Laybourne before heading to London to work at Chez Bruce and Lorne.
He left the capital in 2018 for an operations manager role at chef Steve Drake’s Michelin-starred Sorrel restaurant in Dorking, Surrey.
In 2020, Davies launched The Hollist Arms in the West Sussex village of Lodsworth. The venture was well-received, attracting a Michelin Bib Gourmand soon after opening, but closed due to the pandemic after around two years' trading.
