A Timeless Spectacle: The White Wisteria at Gravetye Manor in Bloom

The white Shiro Nodo wisteria in bloom at Gravetye Manor, West Sussex

A Timeless Spectacle: The White Wisteria AT Gravetye Manor in Bloom

As the golden days of late spring stretch towards summer, a most enchanting transformation takes place at Gravetye Manor, the four-star historic country house hotel in East Grinstead, Sussex.

In a scene reminiscent of an English pastoral painting, the white wisteria Shiro Noda that adorns the manor’s pergola at the back of the flower garden, burst into bloom in a breathtaking display of cascading clusters that can reach up to 20 inches long, offering an immersive experience under the pergola to eagerly awaiting hotel guests and garden enthusiasts alike. These ethereal floral chandeliers, release a sweet, intoxicating scent reminiscent of jasmine and honey, opening gradually from the top of each raceme downwards. As the season progresses, the green foliage deepens, creating a vibrant canopy before slowly fading and dropping away in late autumn, preparing the plant for its winter dormancy.

Native to Japan, this variety of wisteria is known not only for its striking beauty but also for its longevity, with some specimens having lived for over a century. Its twining vines, capable of growing over 30 feet long, symbolising endurance and elegance, making Shiro Noda a cherished feature in traditional and modern gardens alike. Gravetye’s Shiro Noda, was originally planted in 1900 by the estate’s former owner, renowned Victorian horticulturist William Robinson, whose pioneering work shaped the landscape of Gravetye. The pergola was restored in 2012, when more plants were also added.

This wisteria has grown into a living testament to Robinson’s devotion to pioneering naturalistic planting which is as popular as ever with gardeners today.

Hotel residents or lunch guests of Gravetye’s Michelin star restaurant, The Dining Room, that recently saw Roux Scholar Martin Carabott’s appointment as executive chef, can stroll the gardens at their own leisure enjoying a succession of mixed flowers and shrubs on display up to the first frosts. Or experience the gardens via a guided tour by a member of the gardening team, that takes place at 11am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from April to October.

The estate also has a celebrated elliptical kitchen garden that grows fruit and vegetables for the restaurant kitchen as well as meadows and orchards.

Seafront Terrace opens for Summer at Pearly Cow, Brighton

The Terrace at Pearly Cow Brighton

Seafront Terrace opens for Summer at Pearly Cow, Brighton

Seafood, Wagyu burgers, oysters and sliders will all be part of The Terrace by Pearly Cow, Brighton from Friday, 2nd May.

Bringing a taste of decadence with laid-back seaside charm to the Kings Road stretch of the city’s shoreline, this new menu will also offer zesty tacos, small plates, salads and a selection of pizzettes freshly made in the terrace’s wood-fired oven. Towering sharing platters of Fruits de Mer and Pearls of the Sea will be the menu’s showstoppers. To sip, guests can choose from a curated selection of wines and summer spritzes — including a Berry Spritz with Lillet Rosé and cassis and a Limoncello Spritz. Adding an extra touch of glamour, the terrace will offer an exclusive Magnum Service that will include Whispering Angel Provence Rosé and Sussex’s celebrated Ridgeview Bloomsbury NV.

Head Chef Andrew Mackenzie commented “The Pearly Cow terrace is more than just a place to eat—it’s a celebration of Brighton’s coastal lifestyle. We’ve designed the menu to be playful, shareable and above all, delicious. We hope views of the sea and West Pier, will make the al fresco dining experience even more special.”

Open daily from 12 noon til late.

About Pearly Cow

Pearly Cow is Brighton’s hottest new restaurant, which opened at the end of November 2024. Sat directly on Brighton’s seafront and spread across four Georgian & Regency townhouses, the restaurant is opposite the iconic West Pier and serves an eclectic menu of fantastic dry-aged steaks, fresh fish and seafood from south coast day boats which are cooked simply on open flame or served raw on ice.

Leading the kitchen brigade is Executive Chef Andrew MacKenzie who has worked and travelled in restaurants and hotels all over the world, from Gleneagles to Goodwood Hotel to Soho House, and worked with hospitality greats such as Nico Ladenis and Paul Heathcote.

Andrew is a Brighton-boy through-and-through; he loves the city and being able to cook and work so close to the sea. Over the years Andrew has developed and nurtured closed one-to-one relationships with an amazing roster of Sussex producers, including seafood from Brighton & Newhaven Fisheries, Brighton; wagyu Beef from Trenchmore Farm, Horsham, West Sussex; pork and chicken from Woodhouse Butchery, Haywards Heath, West Sussex; fruit and vegetables from Munneries, East Wittering, West Sussex; eggs from Orchard Farm Sussex, Forest Row, East Sussex and cheese from The Cheese Man, Brighton.

Notes to Editors Breakfast (for hotel residents only) Monday - Friday | 7.30 - 10.30am & Saturday & Sunday | 8 - 10.30am Coffee & Pastries 10.30 - 12 noon Lunch 12 noon - 5pm Oh shucks! 5 - 6pm daily Sundowners 6pm - late

Martin Carabott is the new Executive Chef at Gravetye Manor

Martin Carabott in the dining room at Gravetye Manor

Martin Carabott is the new Executive Chef at Gravetye Manor

Roux scholar Martin Carabott is the new Executive Chef at Gravetye Manor, West Sussex. Joining the two Michelin Key hotel on 1st April, Martin will lead the strong kitchen brigade, which has been recognised with numerous awards including retaining a Michelin Star for ten years and 4 AA Rosettes.

Originally from Malta, Martin won the Roux Scholarship at the age of 29, when he was senior sous-chef at Hide, London. After winning the Roux Scholarship, Martin completed a stage at three Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York.

Martin joins Gravetye Manor from his position as Head of Development at Luca in London. His new executive chef role will see him working closely with Head Gardener Tom Coward who manages the 35-acre estate of world-renowned gardens including the elliptical walled kitchen garden (thought to be the only one of its kind in the country) fruit tree orchard, glasshouses and Peach House, all set within a further 1000 acres of woodland. Everything grown on site is used by the kitchen teams in the restaurant. 

Paul Skinner, Gravetye Manor’s General Manager, comments, “For many years Gravetye Manor Hotel and Restaurant has enjoyed a proud reputation for providing exceptional Michelin star quality dining. I am delighted that Martin Carabott will join the team as Executive Head Chef, ensuring that Gravetye Manor will continue to produce excellent fine dining, utilising the freshest seasonal ingredients from our kitchen garden. Martin brings a wealth of experience, he was a Roux Scholar in 2018 and has broadened his cooking skills in some of the finest restaurant kitchens in the country, I am very excited for the future direction of our dining room.”

Martin Carabott comments, “I am very excited to be joining the talented and passionate team at Gravetye Manor and to bring my culinary vision to this well-established and celebrated hotel and restaurant, with a history of world-class food and hospitality. It is an honour to be given the opportunity, and I cannot wait to be a part of its future.”

Martin replaces Executive Chef George Blogg who left the business in December 2024.

About Gravetye Manor

Gravetye Manor is a hotel and restaurant with four Red Stars, four Rosettes and one Michelin star and two Michelin Keys, in West Sussex on the Kent/Surrey/Sussex borders. The hotel is a member of Relais & Châteaux and Pride of Britain.

The Elizabethan manor house looks over 35 acres of stunning world-renowned gardens, walled kitchen garden, orchard, glasshouses and Peach House set within a further 1000 acres of woodland. The gardens are considered amongst the most influential in English horticultural history, made famous by previous owner and influential gardener William Robinson, whose preference for the ‘wild garden’, mixed herbaceous borders and hardy perennial planting broke with the formal Victorian style of the day, and his radical approach remains as popular as ever with gardeners today.

A new chapter for Birchwood

Will Devlin (l) and Matt Devlin (r)

A NEW CHAPTER FOR BIRCHWOOD

Birchwood, Matt and Will Devlin’s East Sussex restaurant is relocating in 2025 from its current home at Flimwell Park.

The current lease at Flimwell Park had a break clause and if not activated it would mean staying for the foreseeable future.

In a joint statement Matt and Will Devlin comment, “Birchwood was born out of excitement and innovation, and we have a responsibility to constantly build upon this. Our aim is to build a bigger, bolder and better Birchwood, with our new location in the works. We will grow our events, build our hub for food and drink and grow and retail our own produce. As ever at Acre we don’t like to sit still, we are constantly dreaming of ways to improve and push ourselves and increase our impact. Relocation is a hugely exciting step and an opportunity to take Birchwood to the next level.”

The last day of service at Birchwood Flimwell will be on 23 March 2025.

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About Acre Group

Will Devlin is the founder of Acre, a family of restaurants and hospitality event spaces in Kent and Sussex including The Small Holding which has a Michelin green star. He runs the business with his brother, Matt Devlin, who is Head of Operations.

For more information and images for Matt & Will Devlin and Acre Group, please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room 07730 039361 | hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

Gravetye Manor awarded Two Michelin Keys

Gravetye Manor has been awarded Two Michelin Keys

Gravetye Manor awarded Two Michelin Keys

Gravetye Manor has been honoured with the prestigious distinction of Two MICHELIN Keys by the MICHELIN Guide, reaffirming its status as one of the top hotels in the UK.

These are the first ever Keys awarded in the UK and focus on five universal criteria for selecting hotels: excellence in architecture and interior design; quality and consistency of service; overall personality and character; the value in relation to the price; and a significant contribution to the neighbourhood or setting.

The award recognises Gravetye Manor’s commitment to delivering an exceptional guest experience, combining luxury accommodation and service within 35-acres of world-class gardens and exquisite Michelin dining from Executive Chef George Blogg and team. Known for its intimate and elegant atmosphere, Gravetye Manor offers guests a unique blend of luxury and natural beauty, positioning it among the finest hotels in the UK.

Director of Sales and Marketing, Celine Leslie said: "We are absolutely thrilled with the two key recognition from Michelin. It sits nicely alongside our one Michelin star and is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team at the property. We are hugely grateful to all those that support us, guests and suppliers alike, as we strive to provide unforgettable experiences to all those that visit us.”

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About Gravetye Manor
Gravetye Manor is a hotel and restaurant with four Red Stars, four Rosettes and one Michelin star, in West Sussex on the Kent/Surrey/Sussex borders. The Elizabethan manor house looks over 35-acres of stunning world-renowned gardens, walled kitchen garden, orchard, glasshouses and Peach House set within a further 1000 acres of woodland. The gardens are considered amongst the most influential in English horticultural history, made famous by previous owner and influential gardener William Robinson, whose preference for the ‘wild garden’, mixed herbaceous borders and hardy perennial planting broke with the formal Victorian style of the day, and his radical approach remains as popular as ever with gardeners today.

Autumnal floral events at Gravetye Manor

Autumnal colour in the long border at Gravetye Manor

Floral events this autumn at Gravetye Manor​

Gravetye Manor, the country house hotel, Michelin starred restaurant and historic gardens in the rural Sussex countryside is hosting a series of floral events this Autumn.

Dried Flower Workshop with floral artist Bex Partridge
Tuesday 1st October and Wednesday 2nd October
Join Bex Partridge, floral artist, for a morning of nature inspired creativity. Bex will guide guests to create one of her signature half-moon wreaths, built upon a natural woven wreath base. Working with rich autumnal tones, in greens, reds, oranges, pinks and purples, she will show guests how to weave fresh and dried stems to create a beautiful everlasting wreath. Autumn is the best time to work with dried flowers, with bountiful blooms, seedheads and leaves being gathered throughout the summer to dry and create with. £160.00 per person, tea/coffee and biscuits on arrival, two-course lunch, wine, and workshop, inclusive.

The Tulip Garden with Polly Nicholson
Tuesday 8th October 2024
Specialist flower grower and tulip expert, Polly Nicholson, will talk about her latest book The Tulip Garden: Growing and Collecting Species, Rare and Annual Varieties, which offers an introduction to growing and collecting tulips alongside expert tips and advice for gardeners. With powerful imagery, Polly will take guests on a journey to Blacklands, her beautiful, six-acre English country garden. Gravetye’s Head Gardener Tom Coward will join the end of the talk for a Q&A with Polly. £160.00 per person, including tea/coffee on arrival, the talk, three-course lunch, drinks and a signed copy of the book, inclusive.

Flower Workshops with Head Florist Sharon Coote
Wednesday 9th October and Thursday 10th October
Two flower workshops hosted by Gravetye’s Head Florist Sharon Cootes who will expertly demonstrate and teach guests how to make and create an autumnal display, using a mixture of seasonal flowers from the garden. Hosted in the oak framed in the Little Garden. £155.00 per person, tea/coffee and biscuits on arrival, two-course lunch, wine, and workshop, inclusive.

Gravetye Book Launch
Saturday 16th November
Discover the spectacular new edition of Gravetye Manor: 20 year’s work round an old manor house by William Robinson with new colour images and a foreword by Head Gardener, Tom Coward. The event includes a talk from Tom and the chance to purchase the book at a special price. £160 per person including an aperitif, talk, three-course lunch and wine, inclusive.

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About Gravetye Manor
Gravetye Manor is a hotel and restaurant with four Red Stars, four Rosettes and one Michelin star, in West Sussex on the Kent/Surrey/Sussex borders. The Elizabethan manor house looks over 35 acres of stunning world-renowned gardens, walled kitchen garden, orchard, glasshouses and Peach House set within a further 1000 acres of woodland. The gardens are considered amongst the most influential in English horticultural history, made famous by previous owner and influential gardener William Robinson, whose preference for the ‘wild garden’, mixed herbaceous borders and hardy perennial planting broke with the formal Victorian style of the day, and his radical approach remains as popular as ever with gardeners today.

Notes to editors
Address: Gravetye Manor, Vowels Lane, West Hoathly, Sussex, RH19 4LJ
Tel: 01342 810567
Website: www.gravetyemanor.co.uk
Instagram: @gravetyemanor

Forestside launches at Flimwell Park

Will and Matt Devlin at Forestside (credit Saltwick Media)

 Forestside 

A new eco and multi-use events space at Flimwell Park, East Sussex
Launched by the Acre Group, the same team behind The Small Holding and Birchwood

Forestside, set with 46 acres of ancient birch and chestnut woodland, is the new multi-use events space from the Acre group, which also includes the award-winning and green Michelin starred restaurant, The Small Holding, Birchwood and Birchwood Studio.

Run by brothers Matt and Will Devlin, Forestside is adjacent to Birchwood on the Flimwell Park Estate in rural East Sussex, a pioneering mixed use woodland development, designed by The Architecture Ensemble and a core team of foresters, ecologists and permaculturists. The site has been transformed into an inspiring new model for a sustainable woodland community that blends living, working, recreation and learning.

Sitting under three pillars, Forestside is an events space for Community, Celebrations and Corporate, with hire costs starting from £500. An extraordinary and inspiring space, both visually and architecturally, Forestside welcomes guests with an immediate sense of calm and the natural world, with an open expanse of space, wooden beams, smooth concrete floors and to-the-ceiling windows overlooking the woods.

As a hub for the community, Forestside brings together a programme of seasonal events to enrich the local calendar, while also available for private hire and celebrations. As an eco-friendly venue with capacity for 140 seated or 200 standing and fully licensed for weddings - events at Forestside are kinder to the planet, without compromising on style and quality. With exclusive use, unique photo opportunities in the woodland surrounding Forestside and in-house catering from Acre’s award-winning restaurant team, the team of experienced events coordinators will deliver a day to remember.

Corporate

Forestside is changing the landscape of corporate events. The natural environment of Flimwell Park, just over an hour from London and with good transport links, combined with a flexible range of event spaces, recreation, wellness and accommodation provides the perfect setting for a more sustainable and mindful approach to any event. Environmental, social, and economic sustainability has been at the heart of the construction of Forestside, using sustainably sourced timber, weathering steel, solar power panels and a green roof. The car park SUDS system is made from local stone, geo-textile filtering layers and recycled plastic and has six Tesla charging points.

Forestside has a range of indoor and outdoor spaces available and catering options, from bowl food and canapés to a feast cooked over fire in the woods to a formal sit-down affair to suit every occasion – from conferences, car and product launches, corporate retreats and AGMs, to company awards, celebrations and team building. 

Will Devlin comments: “Events are a wonderful way to bring together friends, family and work colleagues, but they can be wasteful and leave a heavy environmental impact. At Forestside we are purpose-driven to achieve the highest standards of social and environmental practice. This reflects our unrelenting belief that as a society we must tread more lightly on the planet and to operate more sustainable business practices, while also recognising that we still have so much we can do. At Forestside we are committed more than ever to doing our bit to drive change.”

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Forestside
Flimwell Park
Hawkhurst Road
East Sussex
TN5 7FJ

www.forestside-events.com
For more information and images for Forestside, Will Devlin and Acre, please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room on 07730 039361 | hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

Summer events at Birchwood

Summer events at Birchwood

Summer events on the terrace at Birchwood, Flimwell, East Sussex

Two new late Summer events will take place at Birchwood, Will and Matt Devlin’s restaurant and event space at Flimwell Park, East Sussex.

Supper club 

The next edition of the Birchwood Super Club series is on Friday 25th August and, weather permitting, will be on the terrace overlooking the Flimwell Park woods. Seated on communal dining tables, the evening will be a glorious way to celebrate summer, starting with drinks from Birchwood’s extensive list of cocktails, wines, beers and soft drinks, before sitting down to a four-course dinner, made from the finest Kent and Sussex produce, cooked by Will Devlin, alongside head chef Nick Ryan and the team.

The late summer menu will include Sungold tomatoes, lovage salt; Rye sourdough, marigold flower butter; Barbecued Sussex beef rib, dill brined baby gem, fermented mushroom, triple cooked potatoes & Chop House butter sauce and for dessert, Brioche summer pudding and sweet woodruff cream.

Arrival from 7pm for drinks, to be seated at 7.30pm.
Priced £55 per person. Reservations are now live and seats are strictly limited

Wellness Day Retreat

The inaugural Day Retreat from Birchwood Studio will take place on Saturday 23rd September, from 10am-3.30pm, costing £165 per person. This unique and intimate day retreat will bring together movement, conscious connected breathwork and ice therapy, alongside a nutritious ginger shot drink, lunch, tea and snack. Led by breathwork practitioner Nicky Carter, the day will appeal to people of all ages who are looking to reset, rebalance and restore. Total beginners through to more experienced are all welcome.

Book here. 

About Birchwood

Sitting on the edge of 46-acres of birch and chestnut trees in rural East Sussex, Birchwood is set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Part of Flimwell Park, a pioneering mixed-use centre of coppiced woodland, Birchwood offers an all-day menu for breakfast and lunch, and is open seven days a week, from 8am-4pm.

Much like The Small Holding, Will and Matt Devlin’s Michelin Green Starred restaurant, Birchwood is guided by the landscape, self-sufficiency and focused on flavour found in the natural world. Ingredients are local, seasonal, home-grown, and wild. Championing the artisan suppliers of Kent and Sussex, the menu plays host to local cheeses, dairy, wines, spirits, and beer, while many ingredients, such as mushrooms, brambles, elderberries, wood sorrel and birch sap come from the woods, on the steps of the restaurant. 

About Filmwell Park

Flimwell Park, a £6 million pioneering mixed use woodland development, is nearing completion after a decade of consultation, planning and construction. A collaboration between property developer Regalmain and architect Steve Johnson of The Architecture Ensemble and a core team of foresters, ecologists and permaculturists to re-purpose the land, the site has been transformed into an inspiring new model for a sustainable woodland community that blends living, working, recreation and learning. www.flimwellpark.com

Maz Cogo joins The Union Rye as Head Chef

Maz Cogo at The Union Rye (credit Sam Harris)

Maz Cogo joins The Union Rye as Head Chef

Maz Cogo has joined The Union Rye as new Head Chef. Maz has recently moved from London to the South coast, having had head chef and senior kitchen positions at Brat, Legare and Padella. Originally from Brazil, Maz brings with her whole animal butchery skills, live fire cooking and a passion for produce and hospitality.

Bringing her Brazilian heritage to the fore, Maz introduces beef cuts such as Picanha to the menu, salsas and condiments and sea bass ceviche. Other new dishes include Maldon Rock oyster topped with tomato, trout roe and bronze fennel; grilled chicken heart skewers covered in an oregano and sourdough crumb; Violet artichokes with butter beans, green sauce and oyster mushrooms and Cornish mussels in a spicy Sobrasada and heritage tomato sauce. For pudding there’s Basque cheesecake and raspberries and Baron Bigod, grape chutney, cherries and home-made linseed crackers.

Owner and Director of The Union Rye, Rajh Siva, comments, “Maz has cooked at some of my favourite restaurants in London. It’s a joy to have her level of talent and skill in the kitchen and we are looking forward to seeing how she continues to build on the great reputation The Union has in Rye and beyond.”

About The Union

The Union is a restaurant and bar in a beautiful 15th century building in the heart of Rye, East Sussex, with a menu made from seasonal produce that is primarily British and local to Rye and the East Sussex region. The small menu changes daily depending on what ingredients are best and what is available each day.

Taking pride in making as much as possible in house, such as ricotta, black pudding, crackers and ice creams, the team always source the very best ingredients they can, creating unpretentious, simple, and restrained plates of food.

The Union’s sister restaurant, The Plough, is less than five miles away on the Udimore Road with views over the fields down to the sea. The Plough is a countryside destination pub with a menu of small and large plates and a selection of pub classics.

The Union, 8 East Street, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7JY
Tel: 01797 2229289 | www.theunionrye.co.uk | Instagram @theunionrye

Lunch by the tulips at The Bell in Ticehurst

Spring tulips at The Bell in Ticehurst (credit Saltwick Media)

The Bell in Ticehurst, East Sussex, has arguably one of the finest pub gardens in the land. Designed by RHS Chelsea Flower Show gold medal garden designer Jo Thompson, who lives in the village, there is year-round interest, which is particularly splendid right now with the Spring bulbs.  Before or after lunch, why not take a walk around the Bell’s garden to admire the tulips. A riot of colour, texture and form, the garden sings with jewel-bright colours from magenta and violet to buttery yellows and acid greens with Tulip Menton, Tulip Merlot, Fritillaria Imperialis, Narcissi, Anenome and Allium Miami.

The longer and increasingly warmer days bring a new, lighter menu to The Bell in Ticehurst. The seasonal menus created by Head Chef Mark Charker have been designed to celebrate the start of British Summer time with new season English Asparagus, Jersey Royals, young cheeses, and soft herbs. The rich and varied produce from Sussex suppliers include Burwash Rose cheese, Spurs Farm free-range eggs, Fletchers Flock lamb and Maynard’s berries.

Launching on 26th May is The Bell’s Garden Kitchen BBQ. Come for alfresco delights on the grill every Friday and Saturday throughout the summer, until 28th August.

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For further press information please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room PR on hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk | 07730 039361

About The Bell

For centuries, The Bell has been at the very heart of Ticehurst village, geographically and emotionally. After closing in 2008, The Bell underwent painstaking renovation, opening in November 2011 welcoming locals and visitors from further afield.

The Bell’s design is eclectic in the truest sense of the word - the building looks as if an eccentric nobleman has travelled the world and filled his house full of curiosities from his travels. The result is quirky and utterly charming. The eleven guest rooms offer a highly individual design, with features, including silver birch branches (a nod to the derivation of Ticehurst’s name, which is “the wooded hill where goats graze”), huge copper bathtubs, upside-down tiles and randomly placed light features. Eschewing room numbers, each of The Bell’s guest rooms has its own distinctive name, from “The Benefit of the Doubt” to “Smiles of Memories.”

Quirky touches continue in the public areas, from bowler hat lights and a floor-to-ceiling book pile in the main pub area, to mismatched vintage-style wallpaper and Wagner Tubas for urinals in the gents. Each room offers the curious visitor a feast of visual surprises, not least a fine collection of art by Tracey Emin, Henry Moore, Banksy, Graham Sutherland, and Picasso. The neon sign in the aptly named Stable with a Table, a dining room with a unique sunken oak table for groups of up to 18 feasting friends or family, fondly observes “I will always love you my friend”, summing up the sense of constancy yet originality awaiting visitors to The Bell.

Rosettes and Stars at The Bell in Ticehurst

Service at the table in The Stables by Mark Charker (picture Saltwick Media)

The Bell in Ticehurst has been upgraded with AA Hospitality Rosettes and Stars

The Bell in Ticehurst and its fine-dining restaurant, The Stables by Mark Charker is delighted to announce it has been awarded 5 Stars and 2 AA Rosettes, respectively, from AA Hospitality.

Being awarded 5 stars is the best possible rating from the AA and given only to establishments offering the highest standard of accommodation and hospitality, with luxurious rooms, excellent service, and high-quality dining. The Stables by Mark Charker has been awarded 2 Rosettes for gastronomy, attention to detail and high-quality ingredients. Everyone at The Bell is delighted to be recognised with this prestigious hospitality badge.

Daniel Courtney, General Manager at The Bell, comments, “We’re over the moon with this recognition from AA Hospitality. It is a fabulous team effort, and I couldn’t be prouder of the whole team, from housekeeping to front of house, reception, operations, the garden, and the kitchen teams. Everything we do at The Bell is inspired by people and passion and these two pillars stand strong today within our business, with these two new accolades.”

Jonathan Boyer, Assistant General Manager, comments, “Being able to showcase local produce from passionate suppliers and being supported by the team to deliver the "art de la table" is most rewarding. 2 AA Rosettes will mark a new chapter at The Bell and will give the strong base we need to push even further.”

Head Chef Mark Charker, comments, “I’m very happy and proud of our team, it’s a great achievement to get 2 AA rosettes within a year of The Stables launching. This is just the beginning, and we will keep working to get 3 in 6 months’ time.”

“The flavours were amazing, the presentation of the food was beautiful, incredibly warm welcome from the team and service impeccable. Wonderful evening and experience.” Guest

Dine in The Stables and stay over in one of The Bell’s 5-star rooms for the ultimate star-rated luxury experience.

Reservations to: 01580 200 300 | reservations@thebellinticehurst.com

About The Bell

For centuries, The Bell has been at the very heart of Ticehurst village, geographically and emotionally. The Bell’s design is eclectic in the truest sense of the word - the building looks as if an eccentric nobleman has travelled the world and filled his house full of curiosities from his travels. The eleven guest rooms offer a highly individual design, with features including silver birch branches (a nod to the derivation of Ticehurst’s name, which is “the wooded hill where goats graze”), huge copper bathtubs, vintage chairs, and record players. Eschewing room numbers, each of The Bell’s guest rooms has its own distinctive name, from “The Benefit of the Doubt” to “Smiles of Memories.”

About The Stables

This special occasion menu takes guests on a journey from the sea to the best lands in Sussex and the garden of England, including locally sourced meat, fantastic day boat fish, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and cheeses. It’s a surprise menu on the night but to whet the appetite, sample dishes might include Lamb with Jerusalem Artichoke and Hen of the Woods and Caramelised Milk Chocolate, Toffee and Fig Leaf Milk Sorbet. Suppliers include local crab, scallops and halibut from Chapmans, Wagyu Sussex beef from Trenchmore Farm, goat meat from Cabrito, free-range eggs from Spurs Farm and a bespoke chocolate made from scratch, using fresh cocoa beans, from J.Cocoa in West Sussex.

The Stables tasting menu costs £65 for five courses and £35 for the wine flight pairing, per person.

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Notes to editors

Room rates from £165 - £325, including breakfast

01580 200300 or www.thebellinticehurst.com @thebellinticehurst

The Bell in Ticehurst, High Street, Ticehurst, Wadhurst, East Sussex, TN5 7AS