Hogwash issue 04 | THE PIG Hotels

PIGGY BITS

Exciting PIG news!

It’s been a little while since we have had new PIGs on the horizon. Choosing properties that make a perfect PIG isn’t something that can be rushed. We had a view to open two new PIGs over the next couple of years: THE PIG-on the farm, near Stratford-upon-Avon, and THE PIG-at Groombridge. But, sometimes, opportunities arise when you are least expecting them and earlier this year, we also acquired the 17th century Barnsley House hotel. It’s tucked away in the quintessential Cotswolds village of Barnsley, just four miles from Cirencester.

Nestled in historic Arts and Crafts style gardens created by renowned garden designer, Rosemary Verey, this gem of a property has all the makings of a PIG already weaved into its DNA… with a few twists. It comes with its very own village pub – which will be a first for us, a PIG pub! It also has a small, but perfectly formed, spa which will see us extend our Potting Sheds beyond our treatment offerings.

Stepping into this very special house feels like coming to visit your great Aunt Rosemary. It’s instantly cosy and homely – the sort of place that would hold all your summer holiday memories. We’re looking forward to doing this beautiful building justice and restoring it sensitively, with its historic importance at the forefront of all decision making.

FORAGER’S PICKS...

All of our kitchens love to make the most of wild seasonal produce. We’ve built relationships with foragers who bring us the best goodies out there. These foraging picks are from Chris, from Heavenly Hedgerows, who supply us with our delicious preserves at THE PIG-near Bath.

MAY

St George’s mushrooms (which appear around St George’s Day on 23 April) can still be found in early May, as well as dead-nettle, cow parsley, sorrel seeds and garlic leaves (you can dry, crush and preserve them in rock salt).

JUNE

This summer, bring a sweet taste of the PIG home to your breakfast table with our first jars of THE PIG Honey! Each 340g jar holds a delicious combination of the liquid gold harvested from our hives across THE PIGs. Pick up a jar in reception, or buy online at gifts.thepighotel. com/products/the-pigshoney OUR HOMEGROWN HONEY

We’ll be opening THE PIG-and The Village Pub this summer and we can’t wait to see you there to raise a glass together. Bookings will soon be open for THE PIG-and The Village Pub; visit thepighotel.com for all the latest updates

Elderflower (ideal for cordial or to sprinkle over scones or strawberries), chicory, clover and pineapple weed (camomile’s cousin – it has no petals and can be used to make a delicious tea).

JULY

Chestnuts, thistle heads, blackberries, elderberries (perfect for making vinegar), and meadowsweet (for a syrup to pour over ice cream).

AUGUST

Plums, samphire (deliciously salty; serve with melted butter or raw in salads), hogweed seeds and strawberries. Crab apples are a perfect partner with last month’s blackberries, added to half a bottle of whisky with a little sugar – leave for a couple of months and enjoy.

Notes from the Kitchen Garden

Ollie, our go-to Kitchen Garden expert, shares a summer update

With the warmer months upon us, it’s finally time to plant out the seedlings that have been lovingly propagated at our nursery in the New Forest. The nursery has been established for around 10 years now and we predict that in 2024, it will produce more than a quarter of a million seedlings – all to be planted across our PIG Kitchen Gardens, from Cornwall to Kent. Most recently in the Kitchen Gardens, we’ve been harvesting tomatoes, peppers, agretti (an Italian plant that is somewhat similar to samphire) and beans. These first came to us as nursery seedlings and replaced the last of the overwintered crops in our veg beds.

But while our plants were dormant over the winter, our garden teams certainly weren’t! In February, we rolled up our sleeves along with our friends at Sapling Spirits to create a nut orchard (or “nuttery”), at THE PIG-near Bath. We planted trees including cobnuts, filberts, almonds, walnuts and sweet chestnuts. They’re flanked on one side by a

Join us in our Kitchen Gardens

Enjoy a free guided tour of our Kitchen Gardens across THE PIGs (excluding THE PIG-in the wall and THE PIG-and The Village Pub), every last Friday of the month at 11am. Our kitchen gardeners will help you explore

“foraging hedge”, made up solely of native species that all produce an edible fruit or nut. In the future, we’ll be able to use produce from these in our kitchen at THE PIG-near Bath, and even in delicious cocktail syrups. In spring 2024, we also started work building the Kitchen Gardens for our newest PIG in the litter, THE PIG-and The Village Pub. We’ll have exciting progress to share from these veg beds in a future issue. Finally, if you’re heading to any of the horticultural shows this summer, you may just run into some of our PIG gardeners on tour. We will be busy building show gardens at BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC, Birmingham (13 –16 June), and at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in London (2-7 July). We’ll also be helping our friends at Alitex Greenhouses decorate their stand at RHS Chelsea Flower Show (21–25 May). We love to chat about all things planting and gardening, so if you do see us, come and say hello.

☞

SAPLING X THE PIG COFFEE VODKA

The story behind our limitededition Coffee Vodka, created with our friends at Sapling Spirits.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

At THE PIGs, we’re big supporters of many independent, artisanal brands – that’s why we’re proud to use Sapling Spirits as the go-to vodka and gin behind our bars. It’s a friendship that was meant to be. We share a passion for high-quality spirits, reducing waste and sourcing locally –plus, we have a penchant for a bit of a party!

☞

A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP

the veg patches, peek into the polytunnels and even say hello to our four-legged friends. We can even lend you wellies. Simply speak to the friendly reception team to join us. thepighotel.com/events/walled-garden-wanderings

[Back page answers: Before it was a PIG, A; As a matter of fact, B]

Together with Sapling, we’ve created our very first Coffee Vodka using spent coffee grounds from THE PIG. Usually, waste coffee granules are destined for compost – but we are always on the lookout for creative ways to reuse waste products at THE PIGs, and so, our Coffee Vodka was born. It’s a match made in heaven for espresso martinis!

☞ PLANTING TREES

Our Coffee Vodka doesn’t just taste good, it does good, too. Sapling plants a tree for every bottle it sells, so this February, we planted 32 nut trees together at THE PIG-near Bath (see Notes from the Kitchen Garden, left).

☞

TRY IT YOURSELF

Our limited run of 1,000 bottles is being sold exclusively online at THE PIG Market. Once they’re gone, they’re gone! Grab yours at gifts.thepighotel.com/ products/sapling-x-the-pigcoffee-vodka

a green-fingeredpioneer andoneof THE P IG’s favourite

Flower power

HORTICULTURE, SAYS SARAH RAVEN, one of the UK’s best-loved gardeners, can be almost as capricious as fashion. What’s in vogue today could quite easily be on the compost heap tomorrow. Take hydrangeas, for example. Long considered the frumpiest of shrubs, they are now, according to Sarah, having a moment. “Girliness is back in fashion,” she explains, between potting workshops at Oxleaze Barn, Gloucestershire – a class she’s led for the better part of 20 years (and which she now co-hosts with her protégé, florist and author Arthur “Chicken Boy” Parkinson). “Instagram has had a real effect on the look and feel of what plants are in favour because, in the same way that men dominate food and design, women dominate floristry. And so hydrangeas, with their lacy, whimsical femininity, suddenly fulfil that role perfectly.”

It’s worth taking note. As an award-winning author and broadcaster, Sarah has become something of a green-fingered trendsetter, especially among those who like to mix their edibles with their ornamentals, or perhaps lean towards a more relaxed style of planting. Perch Hill Farm, her home in East Sussex, has become the flagship for her brand of bold and brilliant gardening. It’s here that she trials everything for her eponymous online nursery business, and where thousands of budding horticulturalists head year after year (perennially, even) to learn about succession planting, flower arranging and sustainable floristry.

“A friend of mine, [gardener and food writer] Mark Diacono, helped with the planting at THE PIG-near Bath, and I remember walking into the gardens and seeing these otherworldly kalettes, also known as flower sprouts,” Sarah recalls. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh, they obviously know what they’re doing here,’ because I thought I was the only person in England growing them. I heard about them from an amazing Belgian seed grower called Peter Bauwens.”

“I saw plants at THE PIG I thought I was the only person in England growing”

Sarah’s style of gardening might not be for everyone – “We get letters of complaint saying that Perch Hill is a bloody shambles,” she laughs – but it’s exactly to our taste. It’s tulips from Sarah’s Tudor Rose collection that you’ll see around the grounds of many of THE PIGs, among other flowers grown from her bulbs, and we’ve planted her seeds – kale, tomato, courgette, beetroot and basil – in a number of our Kitchen Gardens. And with a bit of luck, Sarah may start running masterclasses from one of our new openings – so watch this space.

One of the beauties of kalettes, says Sarah, is that they’re a wonderful example of a vegetable that is still relatively difficult to buy, but incredibly easy to grow – and this is very often the case with edible flowers, too. “We eat with our eyes,” she says, “so flowers can really help to make a dish look pretty. But I think they also help to visualise this idea of garden to plate – you know they’ll have been grown nearby. At Perch Hill, every month we’ll have five or six different edible flowers: some sweet, some savoury.” Dahlias, she says, can add “real razzmatazz” to a salad, nasturtiums offer a wonderful pepperiness and ‘White Valley’ tulips, which taste “halfway between a cucumber and a bean”, can offer a delicious crunch. “I used to chat with [chef Yotam] Ottolenghi, and about 15 years ago, I specifically remember him saying he purposely avoided using edible flowers because they were ‘far too wine bar’ for his taste,” she says – though we’re not sure whether or not he’d still feel that way in 2024. “Sometimes these things are merely a matter of fashion.”

She certainly welcomes the return of the popularity of the kitchen garden, something we’ve long been advocates of at our PIGs. “It’s the result of a greater interest in real food,” says Sarah. “Slow food was a buzzword several years ago, but then it faded away somewhat.” From food to flowers, “caring about provenance is not elitist, and it’s no longer perceived as elitist,” says Sarah. “It’s essential.” For info on open days at Perch Hill and more, visit sarahraven.com

Photo: Jonathan Buckley

“Fictional

the look and feel of my designs”

characters inspire

Our interiors guru, Judy Hutson, talks colour and character with Ruth Mottershead at Little Greene

EVERYTHING AT THE PIGS, from our food to the fittings and fixtures, helps to create the distinctively authentic, one-of-a-kind look and feel of our rooms and restaurants. Here, Judy Hutson, who masterminds all our interiors, chats to Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at our friends Little Greene, the paint and wallpaper company. With a factory based in North Wales, Little Greene is an independent, family-run business.

JUDY It’s great to speak with you about colour, because I know you’re so passionate about it. For me, when I am decorating, I am always inspired by the anchor fabrics that I choose for curtains and blinds. I use them to find a colour for the room, because that way I arrive at one that complements that fabric.

RUTH The colours you choose to surround yourself with really can determine how a space will make you feel, can’t they? We feel the effects of colour even when it is used as a backdrop to support other textiles, accessories and design pieces. Because warmer and cooler tones evoke different feelings, I always find that creating a sense of atmosphere is not just about considering the colour, but also the brightness, the base tones and the depth of colour.

JH My top tip is always to apply some paint from the sample pot in various locations within a room, not just one spot. The look can change dramatically in different areas because of the light and shade. I also recommend choosing a paint that is washable, so it can be used in high-traffic areas of the home. From a practical point of view, one of the things that appeals to me about Little Greene paint is you can easily wash away any marks with soap and water. In a hotel environment, there is always a fair amount of wear and tear. But beyond that, I love Little Greene’s depth of colour, choice of palettes and the chalky texture.

RM Some of that will be due to the fact our paints have high levels of pigment – 40% more than many ordinary paints – which gives them excellent coverage. And our Intelligent paints range is 15 times tougher, making them fully washable and hardwearing.

JH Some colours will become more or less popular at any given time. I have always followed my instincts without worrying about trends. How do you think people can balance looking at the colour options that are more on their radar because they are current, with what will work best for a space?

RM I would always advise people to focus on choosing colours for the atmosphere you wish

“It’s about brightness, tone and depth”

RUTH

to create in a room. The kitchen is often a hive of activity, the hub of the home and a vibrant space, so it can be a place to be adventurous with colour and opt for bold tones that exude energy, like joyful and energetic yellows. But you could also opt for a calm, comforting palette of softer shades that will reflect a sense of homeliness, warmth and creativity. We have a gold-toned paint called Light Bronze Green that to me recalls a natural earthiness, for example. It looks sumptuous paired alongside our colours Nether Red and Elysian Ground for a scheme that really draws you in. How about your soon-to-open new place, THE PIGand The Village Pub, in the Cotswolds – what’s the decor inspiration there?

JH Historically, I have always chosen a fictional character and imagined they lived in the PIG that we are working on. I then impose that character on the look and feel of the design. But that’s been a bit different here because the THE PIG-and The Village Pub is a new life for Barnsley House, which was the home and, in many ways, the creation of the celebrated garden designer Rosemary Verey.

RM So in this case, did you find yourself looking for the first time to a real person’s life and work, rather than an imagined persona?

JH Yes, exactly – the spirit of Rosemary Verey, who had the vision to create the extraordinary garden at Barnsley House. So my own contribution was a bit different this time. I wanted to create something that is at its heart a feminine design, with her legacy definitely inspiring some of the floral- and gardenthemed fabrics and wallpapers. It’s amazing to have this already well-loved property become a part of our PIG family.

RM I can’t wait to see what you do.

See the full range of Little Greene paints at littlegreene.com

JUDY

INFO & GOINGS ON

~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE

~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU

~ KENT CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO

~ THE INSIDE STORY ON MARGATE’S NORTHDOWN BREWERY

Welcome to

THE PIG - AT

IT’S FITTING THAT THE FIRST OWNER of Bridge Place should have been known for the good table, good wines and good company he kept. Bridge Place was built in about 1638 by Sir Arnold Braems, the first manager of Dover Harbour. It was a society attraction – the Dutch painter Willem Schellinks visited in 1661 and reported that Sir Arnold kept a princely table and had many visits from knights and high-born gentlemen and ladies. Second only to Chilham Castle in east Kent, it was painted by society artists Jan Siberechts and Adriaen Jansz.

By the early 18th century, the house was falling on hard times and was sold to neighbouring landowners who pulled down much of the property – the current building is just one wing of the original. Glory days returned in the 1960s, when it became a much-loved music venue. The arched wooden door to the sitting room was once the entrance to a nightclub where Led Zeppelin, The Kinks and The Yardbirds all played early gigs. The rural location meant there were few neighbours to disturb.

These days, we also use this idyllic Kentish location to nurture our Kitchen Garden, accessed via a bridge and practically on its own island. Here, you will find productive raised beds brimming with vegetables, our Alitex Mottisfont greenhouse and our polytunnels, which help to nurture tender crops with heating and lighting.

Today, the knights and rock stars have departed – or not, depending on who your fellow guests are. But with plenty of lovingly refurbished, original features to soak up, a stunning countryside setting and the PIG’s emphasis on the best local Kentish produce, this remains a very special house where the good times always roll.

BRIDGE PLACE

Useful info for your stay

HAVEAQUESTION?

Just call reception by dialling 0

DIALLING OUT

To call an outside line please dial 9, wait for the change in tone, then dial the area code and number required.

COMPLIMENTARY WI-FI

To activate, just select “THE PIG Public” on your wi-fi settings and away you go!

BREAKFAST,LUNCHANDDINNER

All served in the restaurant.

To find out our restaurant opening times, please call reception by dialling 0.

TREATMENTS

To book a treatment in our Potting Sheds, please call reception by dialling 0.

CHECK OUT

Check out is at 11am.

Wander through the walled Kitchen Garden...

... past the raised beds, alongside the river and into our warm rustic retreats: our Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all.

Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made only with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish familyrun business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes.

Good to know

Our therapists have been professionally trained to offer safe and effective spa treatments for guests recovering from or undergoing cancer treatments. Just ask at reception to speak to one of the Potting Shed team if you would like to know more.

Potting Shed Treatment Menu

All treatments are 60 minutes and £115

RESURFACING RADIANCE FACIAL

This highly effective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow.

ANTI-AGEING RESTORATIVE FACIAL

A treatment that is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow.

UPPER BODY UNWIND

A luxurious tailored treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage, and finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished.

MUM TO BE

This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience that also helps to relieve fatigue and aches. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy.

BESPOKE MASSAGE

We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind.

HOT STONE

MASSAGE

A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to melt away tension, ease stress and improve blood circulation. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements.

The following treatments can be enjoyed in our new Treatment Wagon, tucked away in a tranquil corner of the sheep field. We are unable to take two bookings of these treatments at the same time.

ORGANIC OCEAN ESSENCE TOTAL BODY WRAP

Combining the detoxifying power of Fucus serratus and the cellulitereducing abilities of Laminaria digitata seaweed, this treatment stimulates the blood and lymph flow, detoxifies and hydrates the skin and encourages the renewal of skin cells.

FULL BODY SUGAR SCRUB

SHED MEETS SPA

Old tobacco tins, gardening tools, balls of twine … Unlikely as it may seem, the decor of our Potting Shed treatment rooms was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s grumpy gardener, Mr McGregor. “I fill the shelves inside the sheds with the sort of things I’d imagine Mr McGregor would have,” says Judy Hutson, THE PIG’s interior designer. “Oil lamps, vintage bottles, old mugs, garden tools – and, of course, no shed would be complete without a few potted plants. And the massage table is dressed with a big picnic rug.”

This refreshing all-over exfoliation treatment awakens the skin and body using an uplifting mix of organic peppermint leaf, seaweed and sugar to invigorate, exfoliate and nourish. Afterwards, enjoy a shower and finish off with an all-over deeply nourishing body cream.

Beer beside the seaside

A family-run independent brewery in Margate that supports local creatives is one of our trusted suppliers

“WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING for a site to finally start our own brewery, Kent was an obvious choice because of the appeal of coastal living,” says Katie Spanjar. She and her husband and business partner, Jonny, co-founded Northdown Brewery in the seaside town of Margate in 2018. The couple had been London pub landlords before that. “We had a boozer and lived above the bar,” she says. “But that feels a bit different after you have kids, and we wanted a change.”

In order to make their business idea and new seaside lifestyle possible, “Jonny began an apprenticeship at an east London brewery and spent six years learning how to make beer himself,” explains Katie, and they set about looking for a suitable site. Having searched in a few Kent seaside towns without any luck, the couple chanced upon an unassuming vacant building on a Margate industrial estate.

“In Margate, there was no working brewery at the time,” says Katie, which caught the couple’s interest. “But it’s actually got a very rich brewing history, which goes back centuries. One of the reasons we chose the name Northdown is as an homage

to a Northdown Brewery there had once been in Margate hundreds of years ago, which is referenced in The Diary of Samuel Pepys. There’s also a Northdown hop.”

Speaking of hops, Northdown Brewery currently makes 10 different beers, including an eponymous lager, a bitter (Bitter Seas) and hazy pale ales (Tidal Pool and Squidly Diddly). “We make uncomplicated, crowd-pleasing beer, and we take great pride in what we produce,” says Katie. “We’re also heavily involved in the local community and we employ local people.

I know that I’m contributing something.”

Collaborations with local graphic artists add a suitably unique craft-beer feel to the branding. “We work with Margate-area artists on the artwork for our cans and bottles, and we make a nod to the seaside location. It’s beautiful, fun, bright and colourful, so we’re chuffed with the branding. But I actually hate the phrases ‘craft beer’ or ‘craft brewery’,” she adds. “Because it’s a nonsense really – beer is beer. That said, there is a difference between cask ales, which are seen as more traditional, your pale ales and bitters, and the craft-beer

KATIE AND JONNY SPANJAR, THE HUSBAND-AND-WIFE FOUNDERS OF NORTHDOWN BREWERY

“We make uncomplicated, crowd-pleasing beer”

movement – which is the big IPAs that are in your face, with double, triple hops numbers. And we do all of those, so there’s something for everyone. We do everything from big IPAs to hazy pale ales, all the way through to Tidal Moon, which is our port-infused stout.”

Tidal Moon stout is also something that guests and visitors here at THE PIG-at Bridge Place regularly enjoy, as Northdown Brewery is one of our drinks suppliers. “We know that our Northdown Lager is also really popular at THE PIG, and so is Cali Ray, which is our Californiastyle IPA of west coast hops. Sam, the Group Bar Manager, has dealt with us since day one and is still there, which is incredible in this industry. It’s a charming place and a lovely relationship that we’ve got.”

For those PIG guests who are heading to Margate on a summer day trip to the beach, it’s now easier than ever to sit and sample some more of Northdown’s beers at the brewery itself. That’s because, in March 2024, the business added a new indoor taproom – before this, they only had some limited outdoor seating.

“It’s a game-changer for us,” says Katie. “It will allow people to come here all year round, and means we can seat 40 people. We’re going to have a roster of pop-up food vendors always here and will be showing all the big games like rugby and football. It’s going to be a great summer.”

As for their future ambitions, Katie says, “I’ve already done so many things because of having moved here that I would simply never have done if we had stayed in London, including joining a local netball group,” she laughs. “Ultimately, we just want to keep making beer and we’d really like to become a destination brewery for Margate and one of the places that people naturally think of to visit when they come here.”

Visit northdownbrewery.com or ask to try something from Northdown Brewery when you drink with us at THE PIG-at Bridge Place

For Margate day-trippers

The iconic seaside resort town is just a 40-minute drive from THE PIG-at Bridge Place, so you can check it out on a summer’s day and be back with us in time for dinner. As well as Northdown Brewery, here are some addresses to check out.

~ Dreamland Margate Margate’s reinvigorated, knowingly kitsch theme park hosts big-name music acts, roller discos and more. dreamland.co.uk

~ Margate Main Sands

The golden, sandy beach that you see on postcards is only a short walk from the Old Town or train station.

~ Turner Contemporary

This major art gallery gave Margate a new lease of life when it opened in 2011, on the site where the painter JMW Turner once stayed. turnercontemporary.org

~ Shell Grotto

A mysterious cave decorated with 4.6 million shells that was discovered by chance in 1835. shellgrotto.co.uk

~ Crab Museum

A quirky museum celebrating our crustacean friends, all with a dash of British humour. crabmuseum.org

☞ 3 minutes

Can you spot the antique door behind the sofa in the Bar Lounge? It used to lead to the dancefloor, when Bridge Place was a legendary 1970s music venue.

☞ 30 minutes

If you fancy a bite to eat in the sun, our Garden Oven, in the Kitchen Garden, offers grazing plates, smoky flatbreads and ice cream.

☞ 3 hours

Treat yourself! Indulge in some pampering in one of our Potting Sheds, then enjoy that postspa-treatment glow as you relax with an evening cocktail or mocktail.

From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at reception for our map of local walks.

INFO & GOINGS ON

~ HOTEL & ROOM GUIDE

~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU

~ SUSSEX CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO

~ THE INSIDE STORY OF HOW WILDFLOWER PLANTING IS SAVING THE BEES

THERE’S A QUINTESSENTIAL ENGLISHNESS and gentle grandeur to the South Downs in this part of Sussex, where the villages don’t get much more hidden away than Madehurst. But if you know where to look, you’ll find our elegant Georgian house, not so far from the more prominent Arundel Castle. Historically, Madehurst Lodge, as the house was previously known, was part of the neighbouring Dale Park Estate. Land for the estate was purchased piece by piece in 1780 by the then MP for Arundel, Sir George Thomas (grandson of the Governor of Pennsylvania), who planted extensive woodlands. He is buried beneath the altar in St Mary’s, the village church, where there are also monuments for both George and his wife, Sophia, who remained in the house after his death. For many years, Madehurst Lodge was owned by the Barron family, who were champions of organic farming and early supporters of the Soil Association. They sold the house to the Tod family, who remained here from 1971 to 2017, when the PIG’s story here began. Our move included a long and careful process of converting the house and outbuildings, and making sure we can gather a plentiful daily harvest from our carefully tended Kitchen Garden, as well as planting our first-ever vineyard, before proudly opening to guests in September 2021.

Welcome to

THE PIG -IN THE

SOUTH DOWNS

HAVEAQUESTION?

Just call reception by dialling 0.

DIALLING OUT

To call an outside line please dial 9, wait for the change in tone, then dial the area code and number required.

COMPLIMENTARY WI-FI

To activate, just select “THE PIG Public” on your wi-fi settings and away you go!

BREAKFAST,LUNCHANDDINNER

All served in the restaurant.

To find out our restaurant opening times, please call reception by dialling 0.

TREATMENTS

To book a treatment in our Potting Sheds, please call reception by dialling 0.

CHECK OUT

Check out is at 11am.

Wander through the walled Kitchen Garden...

... past the raised beds and fruit cages, and into our original lean-to Victorian Greenhouse, where you will find our warm rustic retreats: the two Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all.

Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made only with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish familyrun business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes.

Good to know

Our therapists have been professionally trained to offer safe and effective spa treatments for guests recovering from or undergoing cancer treatments. Just ask at reception to speak to one of the Potting Shed team if you would like to know more.

Potting Shed Treatment Menu

All treatments are 60 minutes and £115

RESURFACING RADIANCE FACIAL

This highly effective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract, naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow.

ANTI-AGEING RESTORATIVE FACIAL

A treatment suitable for all skin types. For those in search of antiageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow.

UPPER BODY UNWIND

A luxurious tailored treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage, and finishing with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished.

MUM TO BE

This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience that also helps to relieve fatigue and aches. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy.

BESPOKE MASSAGE

We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind.

HOT STONE MASSAGE

A deeply indulgent body massage using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to melt away tension, ease stress and improve blood circulation. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements.

ORGANIC OCEAN ESSENCE TOTAL BODY WRAP

Combining the detoxifying power of Fucus serratus and the cellulitereducing abilities of Laminaria digitata seaweed, this treatment stimulates the blood and lymph flow, detoxifies and hydrates the skin and encourages the renewal of skin cells.

FULL BODY SUGAR SCRUB

This refreshing, all-over exfoliation treatment awakens the skin and body using an uplifting mix of organic peppermint leaf, seaweed and sugar to invigorate, exfoliate and nourish. Afterwards, enjoy a shower, and finish off with a deeply nourishing all-over body cream.

SHED MEETS SPA

Old tobacco tins, gardening tools, balls of twine … Unlikely as it may seem, the decor of our Potting Shed treatment rooms was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s grumpy gardener, Mr McGregor. “I fill the shelves inside the sheds with the sort of things I’d imagine Mr McGregor would have,” says Judy Hutson, THE PIG’s interior designer. “Oil lamps, vintage bottles, old mugs, garden tools – and, of course, no shed would be complete without a few potted plants. And the massage table is dressed with a big picnic rug.”

Buzz this way

How the South Downs National Park is creating the wildflower meadows – and vital pathways between them – that bees need

“WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE,” says Jan Knowlson, Biodiversity Officer at the South Downs National Park Trust. “When you walk into a room and can’t remember what you went in for.”

Jan is referring to the plight of bumblebees, specifically their reaction to some pesticides, which cause them to lose their bearings and forget what they were doing. This is far from ideal for creatures that, even at the best of times, are only ever 40 minutes away from starvation – that’s the longest time a foraging bee with a full stomach can last until it needs to drink more nectar.

It’s this need for bees to be able to fly between different foodrich environments that Jan and the team at the South Downs National Park Trust have been working to support with Bee Lines, an ongoing charity project that launched in 2019. “Habitat fragmentation is the biggest issue facing bees,” says Jan. This is when parts of a habitat are destroyed, leaving behind smaller, unconnected areas that the bees can no longer reach. Bee Lines’ teams plant new wildflower meadows and are also creating a growing network of wildflower “corridors”, in part by supporting different landowners in the area to add this bee-friendly vegetation.

“If we can connect all these fragmented habitats, our bees will be OK”

“Here in the South Downs, we’ve got wonderful heathlands, hedgerows and woodland edges, so if we can connect all these fragmented habitats, our bees will be OK,” says Jan. The chalk grasslands that were once extensive in the area now cover just four per cent of the South Downs National Park, and so Bee Lines is creating a “road system” to help pollinating insects move between existing and newly planted wildflower havens.

“The chalk grasslands of the South Downs are the perfect habitat for bees and butterflies, with an array of stunning wildflowers – but chalk grasslands are essentially a man-made habitat that came about as a result of grazing,” explains Jan. “And, increasingly, farmers aren’t making a profit from [grazing] livestock.” That has meant a reduction in these bee-friendly environments. “So, one of the other things we’re doing is helping landowners to find other ways of grazing the land, such as with Exmoor ponies.”

The Bee Lines team of national park staff and local volunteers has so far created more than 66 hectares (approximately 163 football pitches) of lush wildflower meadows in strategic locations around the park. The areas they transform are often wasteland. “There are some areas of wasteland, covered in brambles or nettles, where you can tell from the vegetation underneath that they were once species-rich grasslands,” says Jan. “So we’ll come in and clear the area and plant locally sourced native wildflower seed mixes.” The results are here for all to see: stunning, colourful fields where St John’s wort, pyramidal orchids, marjoram, calamint and forget-me-nots all now grow.

And it’s not only the bees that benefit. “We’re creating a habitat for lots of different invertebrates and, consequently, beetles, bats and birds, too,” says Jan. “By creating Bee Lines in areas where previously there has been no forage, suddenly all of these creatures have access to much more of this bountiful landscape. In and around the local schools, you can see children enjoying learning about these things they’ve never seen before. It’s been an absolute joy to see these places changing.”

To learn more and support Bee Lines, visit southdownstrust.org.uk/beelines

How we’re helping Bee-friendly environments are a cause we’re fully behind here at THE PIG-in the South Downs. “We have a range of flowering crops and trees, so our pollinators have a food source throughout different seasons,” says Alex Coutts, our Head Kitchen Gardener. “It’s so important for us to be part of this effort, as the continuing deterioration of the chalk grasslands means our key pollinators are on the decline.” We’ve also supported Bee Lines with a financial donation, and our generous guests – that’s you! – top that up further, with a voluntary £1 donation option when you order from our 25 mile menu.

☞ 3 minutes

Take a look at the shelves at the back of the restaurant. You’ll find our Head Chef Adam’s impressive collection of cookery books – his most prized possessions from home.

☞ 30 minutes

Stroll down to the vineyard, where you might be able to spot some grapes growing – we had our very first harvest last September!

☞ 3 hours

Visit Newlands House Gallery in Petworth (just a 20-minute drive away) and enjoy discounted tickets as a PIG guest. Simply enter the discount code THEPIG15 on the website when you book.

From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at reception for our map of local walks.

~ HOTEL & ROOM GUIDE

INFO & GOINGS ON Welcome

~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU

~ HAMPSHIRE CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN THE NEW FOREST

~ THE INSIDE STORY ON BERT’S BOXES, OUR COOL CABIN ROOMS

THE NEW FOREST IS UNLIKE ANYWHERE else in Britain, and as the home of our very first PIG, it couldn’t be closer to our hearts. It was created by William the Conqueror as a royal hunting ground in 1079, with special laws protecting the hunted deer and wild boar. To this day, ponies, donkeys, cows and even pigs roam freely in the ancient woods and sandy heathland, sometimes pottering through the village streets.

As for our setting of Brockenhurst – the name comes from the Celtic for badgers’ home – we’re still very much in love with it. There are fascinating places to visit, such as Beaulieu (home of the Motor Museum) and the sailing town of Lymington, but there is plenty to enjoy here at home. Our house is one of the many lodges built for the groomkeepers who protected the Forest – the original building dated from 1602. With its thick stone walls and handsome proportions, it has a very particular, cosy charm. After 1853, it became a private residence, and from 1950 was a (different) hotel, once run by Brigadier John Doyle of the Conan Doyle family.

So much of what we do at THE PIGs started here. It was the lovely old walled Kitchen Garden that inspired us to grow so much of our produce ourselves, and the richness of the local food scene feeds directly into our 25 mile menu. Explore the grounds and you’ll find huts and outhouses, the Potting Shed treatment rooms and, of course, our animals.

THE PIG

HAVEAQUESTION?

Just call reception by dialling 0.

DIALLING OUT

To call an outside line please dial 9, wait for the change in tone, then dial the area code and number required.

COMPLIMENTARY WI-FI

To activate, just select “THE PIG Public” on your wi-fi settings and away you go!

BREAKFAST,LUNCHANDDINNER

All served in the restaurant.

To find out our restaurant opening times, please call reception by dialling 0.

TREATMENTS

To book a treatment in our Potting Sheds, please call reception by dialling 0.

CHECK OUT

Check out is at 11am.

Wander into the walled Kitchen Garden

... through the raised beds, out past our greenhouse and beehives and into our warm rustic retreats: the two Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all.

Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made only with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish familyrun business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes.

Good to know

Our therapists have been professionally trained to offer safe and effective spa treatments for guests recovering from or undergoing cancer treatments. Just ask at reception to speak to one of the Potting Shed team if you would like to know more.

Potting Shed Treatment Menu

All treatments are 60 minutes and £115

ANTI-AGEING RESTORATIVE FACIAL

A treatment that is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow.

RESURFACING RADIANCE FACIAL

This highly effective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow.

UPPER BODY UNWIND

A tailored and luxurious treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage. The treatment finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished.

MUM TO BE

This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience for mother and bump, which also helps to relieve fatigue and aches at the same time. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy.

HOT STONE MASSAGE

A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to simply melt away any tension you may be holding on to. The treatment helps to ease stress and improve blood circulation at the same time. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements.

BESPOKE MASSAGE

SHED MEETS SPA

Old tobacco tins, gardening tools, balls of twine … Unlikely as it may seem, the decor of our Potting Shed treatment rooms was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s grumpy gardener, Mr McGregor. “I fill the shelves inside the sheds with the sort of things I’d imagine Mr McGregor would have,” says Judy Hutson, THE PIG’s interior designer. “Oil lamps, vintage bottles, old mugs, garden tools – and, of course, no shed would be complete without a few potted plants. And the massage table is dressed with a big picnic rug.”

We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind.

Box fresh

Our much-loved Bert’s Box rooms are eco-friendly cabins made with stunning, sustainable materials. Bert & May founder Lee Thornley explains what inspired them

“THE LONGEVITY OF MATERIALS is about so much more than just decoration,” says Lee Thornley, the co-founder and Creative Director of design firm Bert & May – a small British brand that’s probably best known for its handmade tiles. “The great thing with reclaimed materials is they’ve typically had a long life already and can be used in a multitude of interiors; they’re versatile. A timber floor from a mill, for example, can be used in so many different ways to deliver an entirely different look. It’s a labour of love to find and work with these materials, but it’s always worth it.”

As well as making sustainable tiles and having a design-consultancy arm, Bert & May creates and sells prefabricated eco-cabins called Bert’s Boxes (Bert is actually an old nickname of Lee’s, and May of the company’s co-founder, Harriet Roberts). The firm’s tiles and sustainable materials are put to perfect use in these contained, yet hugely atmospheric spaces, which are manufactured as part of a collaboration with the female-owned architecture firm Box 9 Design. And one of the best places to experience the delights of a Bert’s Box is right here in Brockenhurst at THE PIG. We have two, in fact. Our original Bert’s Box, which we unveiled in 2016, was promptly referred to in a glowing review by the American design bible Architectural Digest as “England’s best new hotel room”. A second, slightly smaller but no less charming Bert’s Box, which we call the Forest Hut, was a welcome addition in 2018.

“I vividly remember the day I first met Robin, THE PIG’s founder,” says Lee. “We were exhibiting the first of the boxes we had made at an interior design show called Decorex in London in 2015. I had taken the finished box and had it literally craned into the space. Robin and his wife, Judy, who oversees all the PIG interiors, turned up and said it was amazing and that they’d love one. And then Robin just said, ‘Can I take this one?’ So, as soon as we finished the show, we got it craned onto a lorry and drove it up to Brockenhurst.”

“There is ever more demand for beautiful, well-chosen, sustainable materials”

For guests who book our original Bert’s Box, the experience of checking in will be one of walking through the peaceful grounds of THE PIG towards a small structure clad in oak. “As you approach it, it looks like an awful lot of cladding and not a lot of windows,” says Lee. But there is an element of surprise, “because as soon as you walk through the door, you see that the reverse elevation is almost entirely glass, so it has amazing views”. It’s also much more spacious inside than you might expect. Lee and his team sourced “beautiful reclaimed tiles, a solid black oak kitchen from reclaimed barn wood and a fantastic log burner” for the Box. Another striking feature is a bathroom “with glass doors and a beautiful view, so you feel almost as though you are showering outside”.

As for the fabrics, soft furnishings and the rest of the interiors, this is where Judy came into her own. “It’s been really beautifully furnished by THE PIG,” says Lee. “Judy’s style is eclectic and she and her team have combined pieces that many people would not have the imagination to put together. They even created a lovely cinema-room space within the Box.”

Lee originally trained and worked as a barrister, but the unexpected runaway success of a six-bedroom hotel that he built in the hills of Andalucia, Spain in 2009, inspired him to begin a second career in the design world. “I see a vital role within the design process for sustainable materials specialists, as key parts of the jigsaw puzzle. There is ever more demand for beautiful, well-chosen, sustainable materials that will outlast us all. And I particularly like having these boxes at THE PIG because so many different people see them and use them.” Lee seems to have found his place, even if he’s not always sure how to describe it. “I’m not an architect and I’m not an interior designer,” he reflects. “I tell my kids that I run a design business, and they say, “No, Dad, you have a tile company,” he laughs, “which is true as well. But it also means more to me than that.”

Book your stay at Bert’s Box or The Forest Hut at thepighotel.com/ brockenhurst. See more about Bert & May at bertandmay.com or email design@bertandmay.com for advice on a project of your own

☞ 3 minutes

Admire some of the many vintage, taxidermied creatures that decorate our walls. How many can you spot?

☞ 30 minutes

Head to the Kitchen Garden and check out the wonderful range of tomatoes growing on the vines in our polytunnel. You’ll find a whole spectrum of colours, shapes and sizes.

☞ 3 hours

Take a trip to Exbury Gardens (just a 20-minute drive away) and enjoy taking a ride on the steam railway through their beautiful grounds.

From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at reception for our map of local walks.

WITH OAK CLADDING AND HANDMADE TILES, BERT’S BOX AT THE PIG MAKES FOR A CHARACTERFUL STAY

INFO & GOINGS ON

~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE

~ WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE

~ SOUTHAMPTON CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO

~ THE INSIDE STORY ON OUR THRIVING DELI-BAR

Welcome to

THE PIG - IN THE

WE NEVER REALLY INTENDED TO HAVE a city hotel, but when we came across our historic townhouse, a truly unique Grade II listed private residence tucked into Southampton’s ancient walls, we just fell for it.

Our hotel was originally built as a private residence around 1820 and owned by the Countess Elizabeth Craven, an author and playwright, although she never actually lived here. In the late 1880s, for a while it was also a brewery and then a cosy pub, the Royal Standard. To create our PIG-in the wall, we also managed to purchase the adjacent house, adding more bedrooms.

The Western Esplanade we are nestled in once fronted right onto the water. To the right of our hotel (as you face it) you’ll find the city’s West Gate, built in 1338. It’s through this archway that Henry V and his troops marched on their way to Agincourt in 1415. Along the city walls, you’ll find all manner of plaques and signs leading you on a historic trail through Southampton. From here, it’s effortlessly easy to dip into the city’s storied past, at venues such as the Tudor House & Garden, the Medieval Merchant’s House and the ruins of Holyrood Church.

THE PIG-in the wall is yours to enjoy as a characterful base for making the most of the city and its surroundings. If you fancy taking to the water, we’re also just a short ferry ride from the Isle of Wight.

We do things a little differently to the rest of the PIGS

We are all about relaxed deli-dining here at THE PIG-in the wall, rather than the full PIG restaurant experience. Being tucked away in the city of Southampton we don’t have our own Kitchen Garden on site, but we are still totally committed to homegrown and local produce!

Daily deliveries from the Kitchen Garden at THE PIG, in the New Forest – which is only 20 minutes’ drive away – and our local suppliers from Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight mean that our menus change just as regularly.

Our menu is a pig’n’mix selection of freshly prepared delicounter salads, hearty larger plates, such as the pie of the day, as well as quiche, our snack boards, piggy bits and sweet treats.

Sausage rolls

Makes 2

• 2 shallots, finely diced

• 2 garlic gloves, finely chopped

• rapeseed oil

• a good pinch of chopped flat-leaf parsley

☞ VISIT OUR NEIGHBOURING PIG

If you’ve enjoyed lots of the fresh, seasonal produce in our Deli-bar dishes, the chances are some of it was grown in the Kitchen Garden at THE PIG, just 20 minutes down the road from us in the New Forest. Our very first PIG is situated in the most bucolic of settings, in a lovely old stone house in the leafy countryside outside Brockenhurst, alongside its abundant walled Kitchen Garden. If you have time, why not head over there for lunch, dinner or just a drink in the bar – followed by a mooch around the veg beds!

Useful info for your stay

HAVEAQUESTION?

Just call reception by dialling 0.

DIALLING OUT

To call an outside line please dial 9, wait for the change in tone, then dial the area code and number required.

COMPLIMENTARY WI-FI

To activate, just select “THE PIG Public” on your wi-fi settings and away you go!

BREAKFAST,LUNCHANDDINNER

All served from the Deli-bar. To find out service times please call reception by dialling 0

TREATMENTS

If you fancy a relaxing massage or facial, then pop to THE PIG in the New Forest for a Potting Shed treatment. Call reception by dialling 0 to find out more.

CHECK OUT

Check out is at 11am.

• 2 tablespoons chopped thyme or savory

• 1 tablespoon chopped chives

• ½ teaspoon salt

• a good pinch of pepper

• 800g sausage meat

• 2 x 320g packs ready-rolled puff pastry

• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

• 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds

Over the years, we’ve found that baking two larger rolls and cutting them down into smaller sections after cooking is the best method, as you don’t get any obvious shrinkage of the meat in your roll.

In a pan, sweat down the shallots and garlic with a little oil. Add the herbs, salt and pepper and cook for a few more minutes on a low heat. Chill the shallot mixture, then add to the sausage meat and mix well. Put the meat in disposable piping bags.

Heat the oven to 200°C, 180°C fan (400°F), Gas Mark 6 and line a lipped baking tray with baking parchment.

On a lightly floured work surface, lay out the 2 sheets of pastry. Brush eggwash all over the pastry and pipe the meat onto each sheet, 5cm in from the rim. Pipe 2.5cm longer than the pastry to allow for shrinkage.

Gently fold the pastry over the sausage meat to form two rolls, then press the edges together using the back of a fork.

Brush the surface of the pastry with eggwash again, sprinkle with the fennel seeds and place on the tray. Bake for about 30 minutes, turning the rolls over halfway through cooking. Before serving, cut each roll into 6-8 pieces – perfect for a filling lunch.

Meet us at the Deli-bar

How Kitchen Garden deliveries and trusted suppliers help our team work foodie magic

“THE PIG-IN THE WALL has all of the charm and character of our big siblings, but, if anything, the smaller size and Delibar setup offers guests an even more personable experience,” says our Deli Kitchen Manager, Laetitia Gill, known to everyone as Tilly. “Our appeal is that we’re an oasis within an urban setting. It’s a relaxed experience and because we have an open kitchen, our guests can see the food being produced and interact with the chefs as they prepare the dishes for the day – which is something we know people really enjoy. We host a lot of friends catching up, romantic meals and smallscale family reunions.”

Given our historic location nestled within one of the city walls, the Deli-bar at THE PIG-in the wall – which seats 26

“We elevate our menu by using the freshest produce”

– does not have a spacious behind-the-scenes kitchen area or its own Kitchen Garden on site. But we benefit from daily deliveries from suppliers including the Kitchen Garden of our sister establishment, THE PIG, in nearby Brockenhurst. “Our deliveries from Brockenhurst vary throughout the year. During the summer months, we receive a selection of different herbs, edible flowers, vegetables and salad leaves,” says Tilly. Favoured ingredients from other suppliers include Isle of Wight tomatoes for salads, “which are delicious in the summer”. As Tilly explains, “We elevate our menu as a whole by using the freshest produce. We source local food whenever we can and are always following the seasons to guide our menu. It hasn’t proven to be a challenge, as we work closely with our suppliers.”

The Deli-bar menu ranges from the snacky “piggy bits” – little dishes like chipolatas with honey and mustard, homemade houmous and cracker bread – to chunky toasties and hearty larger plates such as freshly baked quiches, homemade soups, sharing snack boards and our cake of the day. And we’re well-known for riotously colourful, flavourful salads. “We love grating, roasting and mixing raw vegetables as well as other ingredients, and we add fresh herbs and toppings such as toasted seeds or nuts for a final touch,” says Tilly. “We like our dishes to be a feast for the eyes, too.” She also puts in a special mention for the Deli-bar’s fresh sausage rolls (see the recipe on page 8 of this issue). “They are locally famous!”

Tilly, who trained at the well-regarded Ashburton Cookery School in Devon, has been part of the team here since 2017. Being the manager of the Deli-bar is a hands-on role that still sees her involved in food preparation and menu planning. “I’ve always enjoyed making new dishes, combining flavours and experimenting with presentation,” she says. “Seeing other people’s enjoyment from food I have made is such a great feeling.”

Drop in and see us or, to avoid disappointment, book your spot in our Deli-bar at thepighotel.com/in-the-wall/restaurantsouthampton

☞ 3 minutes

Speak to the Deli-bar team to find out which delicious fresh salads are on the menu today.

☞ 30 minutes

Why not settle into one of the comfy chairs in the lounge to enjoy a quick game of chess, with a drink in hand? Choose from the selection of board games available.

☞ 3 hours

Did you know Southampton was home to the largest flying boat operation in the world? Learn all about it and sit in the cockpits of legendary planes such as the Spitfire at the Solent Sky Museum, just a 15-minute walk away.

GET EXPLORING...

From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at reception for our map of local walks.

BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL: THE DELI-BAR IS KNOWN FOR ITS COLOURFUL, FLAVOURFUL SALADS

INFO & GOINGS ON

~ HOTEL & ROOM GUIDE

~ SHEEP HUT TREATMENT MENU

~ DORSET CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO

~ THE INSIDE STORY ON THE FIRST 10 YEARS OF THE PIG-ON THE BEACH

PEOPLE OFTEN SAY that the manor house of THE PIG-on the beach looks like a gingerbread or fairy-tale house – and we do have a slightly unreal setting, perched on a cliff, looking out to Old Harry Rocks. Studland is where Enid Blyton used to go on holiday, and this area has a hint of The Famous Five to it, with its golden beaches and bays that spell adventure, and a history of pirate stories. Although Studland is part of the mainland, the area is called the Isle of Purbeck and it certainly has an island vibe.

The house was built in 1825 as a seaside bolthole by George Henry Bankes MP, who had a family of 14 children to take on holidays. He spent his retirement enlarging and improving it, hence its higgledy-piggledy appeal. George was a descendant of “Brave Dame Mary” Bankes, who defended Corfe Castle against Cromwell’s troops. Some of the medieval carvings here are believed to have come from the castle. Some others were, shall we say, “rescued” by the MP from the Palace of Westminster, after the fire of 1834. The Bankes family also had a seat at nearby Kingston Lacy, where architect Sir Charles Barry (of Palace of Westminster fame) worked on alterations – many similar gothic revival details can be seen in the hotel.

In World War II, the house was a base for senior military personnel, and in 1944 an observational bunker called Fort Henry was built into the clifftop at the bottom of the garden. King George VI, Winston Churchill and President Eisenhower were among those who came here that year to watch the biggest full-scale invasion exercise using live ammunition carried out as a prelude to D-Day. Fort Henry is now open to visitors and run by the National Trust, and it marks the start of the Jurassic Coast Unesco world heritage site, which stretches west along the coast to Devon.

Since the 1950s, the house has been run as a private hotel, but had closed in 2012. We opened as THE PIG-on the beach in summer 2014 and haven’t looked back since. While you’re here, make sure to take some time to enjoy our Kitchen Garden. Here, nestled between the more traditional crops, you will find beds of native sea vegetables, such as sea kale, oyster leaf and sea orach. With some of the best views around, we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

THE PIG - ON THE Welcome to

BEACH

Useful info for your stay

HAVEAQUESTION?

Just call reception by dialling 0.

DIALLING OUT

To call an outside line please dial 9, wait for the change in tone, then dial the area code and number required.

COMPLIMENTARY

WI-FI

To activate, just select “THE PIG Public” on your wi-fi settings and away you go!

BREAKFAST,LUNCHANDDINNER

All served in the restaurant.

To find out our restaurant opening times, please call reception by dialling 0.

TREATMENTS

To book a treatment in our Sheep Huts, please call reception by dialling 0.

CHECK OUT

Check out is at 11am.

Wander down through the gardens

... out towards the cliffs and into our warm, rustic retreats: nestled away in the grazing fields with the best views out to sea, our two Sheep Hut treatment rooms are quiet and calm and designed to help you really escape it all. Take inspiration from the green surroundings and our coastal location, and enjoy relaxing treatments with natural and organic products by VOYA.

VOYA is an Irish family-run business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use the highest-quality botanical ingredients and aromatherapy oils, and are created using sustainable processes and accredited by the Soil Association.

Good to know

Our therapists have been professionally trained to offer safe and effective spa treatments for guests recovering from or undergoing cancer treatments. Just ask at reception to speak to one of the Sheep Hut team if you would like to know more.

Sheep Hut Treatment Menu

All treatments are 60 minutes and £115

ANTI-AGEING RESTORATIVE FACIAL

This treatment is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, the restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antoxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow.

RESURFACING RADIANCE FACIAL

This highly effective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow.

UPPER BODY UNWIND

A tailored and luxurious treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage. The treatment finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished.

MUM TO BE

This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience for mother and bump, which also helps to relieve fatigue and aches at the same time. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy.

HOT STONE MASSAGE

A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to simply melt away any tension you may be holding on to. The treatment helps to ease stress and improve blood circulation at the same time. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements.

BESPOKE MASSAGE

HUT MEETS SPA

Old tobacco tins, gardening tools, balls of twine … Unlikely as it may seem, the decor of our Sheep Hut treatment rooms was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s grumpy gardener, Mr McGregor. “I fill the shelves inside the huts with the sort of things I’d imagine Mr McGregor would have,” says Judy Hutson, THE PIG’s interior designer. “Oil lamps, vintage bottles, old mugs, garden tools – and, of course, no hut would be complete without a few potted plants. And the massage table is dressed with a big picnic rug.”

We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind.

Perfect ten

Happy 10th birthday to THE PIG-on the beach! Here’s how our story started – and where it’s going

FROM THE MOMENT we opened THE PIG-on the beach one sunny day in June 2014, we could tell our guests had fallen in love with the place just as much as we had. Whether it’s the higgledy-piggledy building, the view over to Old Harry Rocks or the quintessentially English seaside feel – it’s where Enid Blyton wrote lots of her books, after all – there’s something enchanting about this corner of Dorset.

One of the longest-serving members of the team is Head Chef James Shadbolt, who started working here as a sous chef just before we opened. “My first memory is of Robin (Hutson) sitting us all down, telling us the story of how he’d found the building by hiring a boat to take him all along the coast and spotting this amazing place. It made you feel how special it was, and that he was putting his faith in us.”

Our PIG opened straight into the summer season: it went off like a rocket, and has been pretty much fully booked ever since. “To be honest, the beginning is a bit of a blur,” says James. “There was a garden party and a hard-hat party. And I remember a couple of weeks in, Andy, the chef, messaging me

to say there were eight whole lambs being delivered and me madly watching YouTube videos to work out how to butcher them! It’s always been like that – high energy and fun.”

Like many of the team, James lives in Poole and commutes in on the chain ferry. “The ferry over is beautiful. On a still summer’s day, the view of Old Harry from the hotel is stunning.” As with all the PIGs, the team here is closeknit, and that extends to our local farmers and fishermen: “We have great fish suppliers, with lots of boats coming into Poole, Weymouth and Lyme Bay, including Jeff Lander, who brings us lobster. His son is one of our apprentice chefs.”

For Judy Hutson, Robin’s wife and the interior-design brain behind all of the PIGs, the building itself gave her clues as to how to shape its decor. “My first impression was that it looked like a Hansel and Gretel gingerbread house, and that eccentricity started the road to the design,” she remembers. Famously, Judy always imagines a character who embodies the spirit of the building. “For THE PIG-on the beach, it was eccentric Great Aunt Dorothy, an artist working at her easel

‘My first impression was that it looked like a Hansel and Gretel gingerbread house”

on the lawn, wearing a battered straw hat and paint-stained smock, occasionally chasing away anyone who dared to stray onto her patch from the coastal path!” She and Robin enjoy tracking down original pieces that fit the mood of each hotel. “We sourced a huge Victorian cabinet of taxidermy seabirds, which found its home in the snug,” she says. “And I love the thatched summerhouse, with its bird and fish carvings by our friend Stephen Henderson.”

“People feel that they’ve gone away to an old friend’s house when they’re with us,” says Sarah Phillips, our Guest Relations Manager. “It’s such a special, quirky building. And guests can really relax, with all these cosy corners – there are plenty of afternoons I’ve heard the odd snore coming from an armchair.” Many guests return every summer. And the building has seen its fair share of romance, from proposals –including one that involved a Red Arrows flypast – to wedding parties. One of Sarah’s favourites was, “when the father of the bride went into the kitchen and got all the chefs and kitchen porters out onto the dancefloor”.

Speaking of the kitchen, this summer, James will be bringing some of the dishes from the first season back onto the menu: chargrilled mackerel, confit beetroot and pickled rock samphire, lamb’s tongue, broad bean and mint salad and more. And one perennial favourite is sure to be going strong: “Guests love the fresh lobster, which we barbecue, smother in forager’s butter and serve with sea veg, wild capers, mayo, chips and salad.” There’s also a good chance of some fresh summer fruit from a charming octogenarian neighbour of ours, Rachel, aka “the kiwi lady”. She regularly shares some of her homegrown fruit and veg with the team here in exchange for a slap-up meal. It’s a casual arrangement that speaks to our family-spirited values and love of quality produce. Thanks to our guests, we couldn’t have enjoyed these first 10 years here at THE PIG-on the beach more. Here’s to the next 10!

☞ 3 minutes

Check out our beautiful Alitex greenhouse in the Kitchen Garden, where we are growing some very spicy chillies!

☞ 30 minutes

Less than a 10-minute walk from us is Knoll Beach Shop. Pop in to browse the beautiful homewares, locally made souvenirs and outdoor essentials, from rucksacks to picnic blankets.

☞ 3 hours

Visit the ruins of Corfe Castle. Built more than 1,000 years ago and sat atop a hill, it makes for a fascinating visit and boasts panoramic views over the Purbeck peninsula. IF

From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at reception for our map of local walks.

THE VIEW OUT TO OLD HARRY ROCKS

INFO & GOINGS ON

~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE

~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU

~ SOMERSET CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO

~ THE INSIDE STORY ON OUR NEW STABLE ROOMS

NOWHERE ELSE MARRIES MELLOW ENGLISH countryside and buzzing creative energy quite like Somerset, where a dairy farmer invented the world’s most famous music festival and cutting-edge galleries sit amid dreamy meadows. The local cheese isn’t bad either.

THE PIG’s suitably laid-back and impossibly romantic home here is Hunstrete House. This Grade II listed building dating from 1820 was once part of an estate belonging to the Abbey of Glastonbury, and known as The Lodge. Built in creamy Bath stone and set in 30 acres of deer park, we find it more than comfortable. Look out from our gardens, though, and you’ll see the ruined arches of a mansion that its owner in the 1800s had hoped – but ultimately failed – to add here. The origin of the name Huntstrete is unclear, but might derive from the Old English hund (hound) and street. Certainly, the area has been inhabited since the earliest times, as confirmed by a flint axe head found locally in Common Wood. At the start of the 17th century, the house was acquired by the family of Sir John Popham, whose descendants owned it until 1977 when it was sold to John and Thea Dupays, who converted it into a hotel.

We’re proud to say that today our most extensive Kitchen Garden is here at our Somerset PIG. Its features, including the original greenhouses, were lovingly renovated by our team –ensuring the design laid out by gardeners past was not lost. The Kitchen Garden has also grown with demand for its wonderful produce, and is now double the size it was when we opened in 2014. Our historic property is definitely enjoying a whole new chapter.

BATH

HAVEAQUESTION?

Just call reception by dialling 0.

DIALLING OUT

To call an outside line please dial 9, wait for the change in tone, then dial the area code and number required.

COMPLIMENTARY WI-FI

To activate, just select “THE PIG Public” on your wi-fi settings and away you go!

BREAKFAST,LUNCHANDDINNER

All served in the restaurant.

To find out our restaurant opening times, please call reception by dialling 0.

TREATMENTS

To book a treatment in our Potting Sheds, please call reception by dialling 0.

CHECK OUT

Check out is at 11am.

Wander into the walled Kitchen Garden

... through the raised beds, out past our greenhouse and fruit cages, and into our warm rustic retreats: the two Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all.

Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made only with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish family-run business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes.

Good to know

Our therapists have been professionally trained to offer safe and effective spa treatments for guests recovering from or undergoing cancer treatments. Just ask at reception to speak to one of the Potting Shed team if you would like to know more.

Potting Shed Treatment Menu

All treatments are 60 minutes and £115

ANTI-AGEING RESTORATIVE FACIAL

A treatment that is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow.

RESURFACING RADIANCE FACIAL

This highly effective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow.

UPPER BODY UNWIND

A tailored and luxurious treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage. The treatment finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished.

MUM TO BE

This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience for mother and bump, which also helps to relieve fatigue and aches at the same time. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy.

HOT STONE MASSAGE

A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to simply melt away any tension you may be holding on to. The treatment helps to ease stress and improve blood circulation at the same time. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements.

BESPOKE MASSAGE

SHED MEETS SPA

Old tobacco tins, gardening tools, balls of twine … Unlikely as it may seem, the decor of our Potting Shed treatment rooms was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s grumpy gardener, Mr McGregor. “I fill the shelves inside the sheds with the sort of things I’d imagine Mr McGregor would have,” says Judy Hutson, THE PIG’s interior designer. “Oil lamps, vintage bottles, old mugs, garden tools – and, of course, no shed would be complete without a few potted plants. And the massage table is dressed with a big picnic rug.”

We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind.

Stable home life

Ta-da! At THE PIG-near Bath, our converted stable blocks have been unveiled as our finest new rooms

MANY OF THE QUALITIES that make THE PIG-near Bath an appealing place to stay – that it is set in and around a Grade II listed country house that dates from 1820, within the idyllic seclusion of 30 acres of deer park – also limit any moves to expand the accommodation here. In a setting like this, any change has to be handled carefully. “There are strict planning restrictions, just as you would imagine,” says Hotel Director Steff Jones. “So it’s been a long journey to get to the point of converting our two stable blocks into what are now some of our best rooms. Conversations about adding rooms of some kind were happening for a number of years, and conversion of the stables is something that we started looking at in 2021. We’ve been open for 10 years and this is a real landmark moment, adding something new and exciting for our guests,” says the softly spoken, easy-going Welshman. His enthusiasm for what’s been achieved with the stable blocks shines through: “It’s one thing when you see sketches and plans, and another when you see the real thing completed. They are amazing.”

The team was keenly aware that only accommodation in keeping with the look and feel of the existing property and grounds would work. The stone facades of the original stables remain, with the addition of a timber-framed structure to expand the space and replace parts that were in poor condition. “All of the roof tiles are original roof tiles that we have reused,” adds Steff.

THE PIG-near Bath has just 11 bedrooms in the main house, though the Coach House has a further 13 bedrooms, and these two new stable rooms bring the count of standalone garden rooms – complete with wood burners and terraces – up to seven. They may be in a similar style, but the stable conversions are “bigger and grander” than anything already here.

“It will be our best room; one you might choose for an anniversary or a big birthday”

The secluded setting of the stable blocks is a core part of their appeal. They are reached by a short, satisfying stroll from the main property, passing through the Kitchen Garden towards a newly planted pear orchard (the property also has a long-standing apple orchard) and another new addition, the nut orchard, or nuttery.

“It’s almost like a mini-house,” says Steff of the Nuttery Stable. “You walk into a boot room that also has a wet bar with a sink, where you could either wash your wellies or have a bottle of fizz in a bucket of ice for a special occasion. From there, you can put your muddy boots on the stand and walk into the living room with a log burner, sofas and TV. That leads onto a bedroom with a freestanding bath at the end of a big bed.” The bedroom feels serene and uncluttered, thanks in part to the wardrobe and dressing table having been assigned their own separate dressing-room space, where you can ready yourself for the day or get a bit glammed up for the evening. Overall, says Steff, “It will be our best room; one you might choose for an anniversary or a big birthday because it’s almost a destination in its own right.”

As for the Orchard Stable: “It’s the only two-bedroom suite with a living area, and one bedroom has a large rolltop bath, the other its own shower. It’s perfect for families or groups,” says Steff. “It’s important to us that families feel we’re hospitable and friendly to them – we don’t want people to think, ‘that place is too nice to bring the kids to’. We have all worked in hospitality long enough to know that happy kids mean happy parents, so there’s plenty for kids to do here.”

The stables weren’t actually derelict before being transformed into new rooms, and the PIG gardening team had been using them as a base to work and plan from. So what has happened to those guys? Steff reassures us that new team HQ is “is actually bigger and better than the old one. So everything has worked out.”

To book your stay at the Orchard Stable or the Nuttery Stable, visit thepighotel.com/near-bath

Our new rooms at a glance ~ The Orchard Stable Perfect for groups of friends or families, the Orchard Stable has two bedrooms – the master with a rolltop bath to luxuriate in, the twin bedroom with a shower ensuite – a living area with a TV and log burner, and a terrace where you can soak up the last of the evening sun.

~ The Nuttery Stable

This glamorous one-bedroom “mini-house” is a place to retreat to from the moment you take your muddy wellies off in its dedicated boot room, and offers separate living-room and dressingroom spaces, as well as a serene bedroom complete with a big rolltop bath at the end of the bed.

☞ 3 minutes

Check out the three framed scraps of paper by the main staircase – they’re a list of original items, written in Old English, that came included with the house before it became a PIG.

☞ 30 minutes

Potter around the Kitchen Garden to see what’s growing. Our gardeners are always happy to chat and answer any questions you have.

☞ 3 hours

Head to St Nicholas Markets in Bristol. Established in 1743, this indoor market is a local legend, with independent traders selling everything from jewellery and clothing to food.

From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at reception for our map of local walks.

INFO & GOINGS ON

~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE

~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU

~ DEVON CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO

~ THE INSIDE STORY ON OUR SCALLOP DIVER

THE PIG - AT Welcome to

COMBE MEANS WOODED VALLEY – in the Domesday Book you’ll find the Welsh word for the same, “Cwm” – and this leafy part of Devon certainly lives up to the name. This building is probably our “poshest PIG”: a Grade I listed Elizabethan manor house, set in 3,500 acres in the Otter Valley, with expansive views towards the Blackdown Hills, and plenty of pheasants pottering about. All sitting on land whose first recorded owner, in 1086, was Bishop Odo – the half-brother of William the Conqueror.

We picked up the keys quite some time after that, in October 2015, and worked on restoring, renovating and redesigning the hotel here – Combe House has been a hotel of one kind or another since 1968 – as well as what has become one of the loveliest Kitchen Gardens of all of our PIGs. The terraced garden, set within a mature pinetum, retains original features lovingly renovated by our team, including two Victorian greenhouses. In one, you’ll find a Black Hamburg grape vine that is thought to be more than a century old. We also have a Mushroom House, where we grow and harvest our own mushrooms, and a Smokery for curing and smoking meat and fish.

We’ve handled the house and its grounds with great care, breathing new life into the building’s old bones but seeking never to over-restore. We especially love the Folly, our rustic hideaway restaurant that sits in the gardens, and the bedrooms we created in the stable yard behind the main house. We have made the most of other features, such as the original Georgian Kitchen and cavernous cellar where we sometimes host wine tastings – do ask us to show you if you’re curious – and the Elizabethan great hall entrance, dating from 1580, which now holds our lively bar. And while we’ve had plenty of new guests, we’ve also been careful not to bother some of the residents who were already here on-site, including a colony of bats. After all, they found the place before us.

COMBE

Useful info for your stay

HAVEAQUESTION?

Just call reception by dialling 0.

DIALLING OUT

To call an outside line please dial 9, wait for the change in tone, then dial the area code and number required.

COMPLIMENTARY WI-FI

To activate, just select “THE PIG Public” on your wi-fi settings and away you go!

BREAKFAST,LUNCHANDDINNER

All served in the restaurant. To find out our restaurant opening times, please call reception by dialling 0.

Food is also served daily in The Folly. Sunday-Thursday 12pm4:30pm and Fridays and Saturdays 12pm-8pm.

TREATMENTS

To book a treatment in our Potting Sheds, please call reception by dialling 0.

CHECK OUT

Check out is at 11am.

Wander through the walled Kitchen Garden

... past the raised beds and fruit cages and into the Herb Garden, where you will find our two warm, rustic retreats: the Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all. Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made only with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish familyrun business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes.

Good to know

Our therapists have been professionally trained to offer safe and effective spa treatments for guests recovering from or undergoing cancer treatments. Just ask at reception to speak to one of the Potting Shed team if you would like to know more.

Potting Shed Treatment Menu

All treatments are 60 minutes and £115

ANTI-AGEING RESTORATIVE FACIAL

A treatment that is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow.

RESURFACING RADIANCE FACIAL

This highly effective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow.

UPPER BODY UNWIND

A tailored and luxurious treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage. The treatment finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished.

MUM TO BE

This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience for mother and bump, which also helps to relieve fatigue and aches at the same time. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy.

HOT STONE MASSAGE

A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to simply melt away any tension you may be holding on to. The treatment helps to ease stress and improve blood circulation at the same time. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements.

BESPOKE MASSAGE

SHED MEETS SPA

Old tobacco tins, gardening tools, balls of twine … Unlikely as it may seem, the decor of our Potting Shed treatment rooms was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s grumpy gardener, Mr McGregor. “I fill the shelves inside the sheds with the sort of things I’d imagine Mr McGregor would have,” says Judy Hutson, THE PIG’s interior designer. “Oil lamps, vintage bottles, old mugs, garden tools – and, of course, no shed would be complete without a few potted plants. And the massage table is dressed with a big picnic rug.”

We tailor this massage to make it truly unique and personal to you. Using blended natural oils, the treatment can help relieve any aches and pains, and totally relax the body and mind.

The dive of his life

Meet James Moyle – a local scallop diver and our go-to supplier

IF YOU’D HAVE WALKED INTO almost any pub on the Jurassic Coast this past winter, there’s a strong chance you’d have found a table full of fishermen clutching their sou’westers, having a good grumble about the weather. “All the old boys were saying that was the worst winter they’ve ever known,” says James Moyle, our go-to scallop guy based in Lyme Regis. “Most of the fishermen, us included, barely got out from October until almost April.” But when the clouds did eventually part, it meant the reefs where James usually finds his scallops were ripe for the picking.

James is one of a small few in the region who actually dive for scallops, which is even more reason why the conditions have to be just right. When the weather permits, he and a couple of friends leave the Cobb as the sun rises and pootle five miles out to sea. They’ll then strap on their scuba gear and dive down into the depths of the English Channel in search of those most delectable of shellfish.

OH, SHUCKS! JAMES MOYLE, BELOW, DIVES FOR THE PRIZED SHELLFISH YEAR ROUND, WEATHER PERMITTING

“There’s no bycatch and no damage done to the seabed”

“We take it in turns to dive at around 20-30 metres for anything up to 80 minutes,” he says. “We try to work along the reefs, but scallops also have a habit of living in muddy ground. Providing we have at least 50 centimetres of visibility, we’re usually good to go.” He adds stoically: “You can’t always see your outstretched hand, but you can certainly feel your way along a rock face easily enough. On the flipside, in summer, visibility can reach 10 metres and it suddenly becomes more like the Caribbean, with corals and pink sea fans.”

That miserable winter also gave James a chance to do some much-needed admin, not least registering Lyme Bay Dived Scallops Ltd. He also replaced the engine and fuel tanks on his boat, Grey Mist, drastically improving its efficiency, and set up his own processing unit. “This year, we’re going to shuck and package our scallops in-house,” he enthuses. “This should mean we can deliver our scallops even quicker, which was never a problem, but still, I’m sure the restaurants we supply, such as THE PIG-at Combe, will be delighted.”

He started his working life as an arable farmer, but when he heard through local connections that a position as a scallop diver on a boat called Petrisha Ann became available, James, always a strong swimmer and diver, says the stars aligned for him. “My main passion is surfing and I have a degree in agriculture management so, for me, it really is the best of both worlds.”

Where possible, James dives twice a day. Severe cold is fine, but if the sea is too rough the visibility worsens, meaning the scallops just have to wait. The trouble is, we at THE PIG-at Combe find James’s hand-dived scallops far better than the alternative, for a number of reasons. “Sustainability is the main benefit of diving for scallops,” he says. “There’s no bycatch and no damage done to the seabed. We’re very selective when we’re down there – we know what an in-size scallop looks like, and if we do pick any undersize ones, we’ll put them straight back in. Which means we’re allowed to dive in protected areas where trawling and dredging is banned.”

In the UK, the majority of scallops are still caught by dredging, and overfishing is rife. “When scallops are dredged, they end up being pulled through grit and sand for about half an hour, so people do say dredged scallops are grittier,” says James, adding that: “A large dredger might be at sea for a week. Our scallops are much fresher.” Try James’s fresh scallops when you see them on our menu at THE PIG-at Combe

Weird and wonderful scallop facts

~ There are more than 400 species of scallops – a type of mollusc – found around the world.

~ The scallop is the only bivalve mollusc that can both swim and jump.

~ Sea scallops can live for up to 20 years.

~ You can tell a scallop’s age by sight: each ring on its shell typically represents a year of growth.

~ The scallop shell features in numerous works of art, including Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus.

~ In Spanish tradition, the scallop is a symbol associated with the traveller or pilgrim.

☞ 3 minutes

Can you spot the service bells on the wall in the old Georgian Kitchen? They are originals from Combe House – the Putt family would ring them from their bedrooms when they wanted their tea to be brought up to them.

☞ 30 minutes

Check out the Herb Garden, used for making tea infusions for our Potting Sheds, spirit infusions for the bar and as ingredients on our 25 mile menu.

☞ 3 hours

It’s a 15-minute drive to The Donkey Sanctuary, near Sidmouth, where you can enjoy a summer’s afternoon watching the rescued roam the fields.

From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at reception for our map of local walks.

INFO & GOINGS ON

~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE

~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU

~ CORNWALL CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO

~ THE INSIDE STORY OF CORNWALL’S SURF THERAPY CHARITY, THE WAVE PROJECT

Welcome to

THE PIG - AT

OUR CORNISH PIG’S HOME IS HARLYN HOUSE, which has been for centuries one of the most prominent houses in an area of the county that is justly famed for its rugged beauty, sandy coves and great produce from sea and land. Its name is said to be derived from the Cornish for “important place by the water” and we are very proud to be its current custodians. Before we picked up the keys in 2018 and opened two years later, in its 600-year-history, only three families had owned this dramatic stone property, set on a breathtaking stretch of coast overlooking Harlyn Bay.

The first owners of this 15th-century farmhouse were the Tregoyes or Tregewes (one of whom, Richard Tregew became MP for Cornwall in 1448), followed by “gentlemen-farmers” the Hellyars. The house became ever grander over the years, as new architectural details were added. When a Captain Millar purchased Harlyn in 1947, he thankfully ignored architectural advice that it was “past saving”, instead bringing in master craftsmen to restore it to its former glory.

Among the surviving features, although it was heavily overgrown and neglected when we arrived, is our Kitchen Garden. It’s been here for almost 200 years, enclosed by three sides of Cornish slate wall. Our team has lovingly restored it and works year-round to keep it flourishing with vegetables, fresh salads and herbs. We are also growing our own rock samphire, sea kale and sea beet.

The many lives and eras of the house are displayed in the exterior stonework, as well as in the flagged floors, heavy wood doors and gorgeous details throughout. Harlyn House has a moody charm all of its own – and simply by staying here, you’re now part of its story.

HARLYN BAY

Useful info for your stay

HAVEAQUESTION?

Just call reception by dialling 0.

DIALLING OUT

To call an outside line please dial 9, wait for the change in tone, then dial the area code and number required.

COMPLIMENTARY

WI-FI

To activate, just select “THE PIG Public” on your wi-fi settings and away you go!

BREAKFAST,LUNCHANDDINNER

All served in the restaurant. The Lobster Shed is open for lunch and dinner (12pm - 8.30pm) from 21 May to 21 September 2024. To find out more please call reception by dialling 0.

TREATMENTS

To book a treatment in our Potting Sheds, please call reception by dialling 0.

CHECK OUT

Check out is at 11am.

Wander through the Kitchen Garden

... and wildflower beds and into our warm, rustic retreats: the two Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all.

Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and our coastal location, and experience deeply relaxing full body and facial treatments using products by VOYA, made with natural and organic ingredients and accredited to the highest standards by the Soil Association. VOYA is an Irish family-run business that shares our ethos of authenticity and wellbeing. The brand’s seaweed-based products and results-driven treatments use top-quality botanicals and aromatherapy oils, and are all created using sustainable processes.

Good to know

Our therapists have been professionally trained to offer safe and effective spa treatments for guests recovering from or undergoing cancer treatments. Just ask at reception to speak to one of the Potting Shed team if you would like to know more.

Potting Shed Treatment Menu

All treatments are 60 minutes and £115

RESURFACING RADIANCE FACIAL

This highly effective resurfacing facial targets congested, lacklustre and dull skin. Using a combination of seaweed extract and naturally derived glycolic and lactic acids blended with pineapple fruit enzymes, this facial will give your skin back its natural radiant glow.

ANTI-AGEING RESTORATIVE FACIAL

A treatment that is suitable for all skin types. For those in search of anti-ageing results, this restorative facial uses VOYA’s finest organic ingredients combined with antioxidant algae complexes and a restorative blend of aromatherapy oils. It is this mix of seaweed and botanical ingredients that helps to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in instantly firmed and tightened skin with a natural and more radiant glow.

UPPER BODY UNWIND

A luxurious tailored treatment that starts with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing back, arm and hand massage, and finishes with a facial oil specific to your skin. We use blended oils to feed your skin, leaving you completely relaxed and nourished.

MUM TO BE

This massage treatment is tailored to suit the specific needs of a mum to be, and provides a peaceful and uplifting experience for mother and bump that also helps to relieve fatigue and aches. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester of pregnancy.

HOT STONE MASSAGE

A deeply indulgent body massage, using aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones, which help to melt away any tension, ease stress and improve blood circulation. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements.

ORGANIC OCEAN ESSENCE TOTAL BODY WRAP

Combining the detoxifying power of Fucus serratus and the cellulitereducing abilities of Laminaria digitata seaweed, this treatment stimulates the blood and lymph flow, detoxifies and hydrates the skin and encourages the renewal of skin cells. The wrap is an excellent skin rejuvenator, combating the appearance of cellulite and fatigue, while producing a deeply moisturising effect.

FULL BODY SUGAR SCRUB

This refreshing, all-over exfoliation treatment awakens the skin and body using an uplifting mix of organic peppermint leaf, seaweed and sugar to invigorate, exfoliate and nourish. The treatment finishes with a light cleansing shower, followed by a deeply nourishing all-over body cream.

SHED MEETS SPA

Old tobacco tins, gardening tools, balls of twine … Unlikely as it may seem, the decor of our Potting Shed treatment rooms was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s grumpy gardener, Mr McGregor. “I fill the shelves inside the sheds with the sort of things I’d imagine Mr McGregor would have,” says Judy Hutson, THE PIG’s interior designer. “Oil lamps, vintage bottles, old mugs, garden tools – and, of course, no shed would be complete without a few potted plants. And the massage table is dressed with a big picnic rug.”

Ride the wave

How an innovative surf therapy charity is changing children’s lives for the better

ALMOST ANYONE WHO SURFS will tell you that it’s not only about the purely physical skills and thrills – there are also huge mental-health benefits to getting outdoors and enjoying some time in the sea (even in Britain’s often chilly waters). The Wave Project is a Cornwall-based charity that works to share all those benefits and more with young people.

“Vulnerable young people come to us for a variety of reasons, such as bullying, abuse, trauma, autism, neglect and bereavement,” says Susie Croft, the charity’s Head of Fundraising. “Our approach is to intervene early, treat these young people with respect and focus on a learning activity – namely, surfing!”

The Wave Project started in 2011 in Newquay and now operates nationwide with locations in Bristol, London, the Isle of Wight, Tynemouth, St Andrews and Northern Ireland. The charity now helps around 2,000 children annually – usually from the age of eight upwards – roughly a quarter of whom will be from Cornwall. The children will typically have been referred by professionals, who can include teachers, GPs and social workers. They will be invited to try a surf-therapy programme split into three phases, starting with a six-week introduction to surfing, spread over weekends with the occasional after-school class.

“Children are supported by their own personal surf mentor, who encourages them in their surfing journey, helping to build their confidence and resilience in the waves,” explains Susie. “We combine the therapeutic elements of the ocean with the adventure of surfing. By creating a culture of acceptance, we’re helping children do things they never thought possible.”

Anyone who has completed the introductory course can then

“Children are supported by their own personal surf mentor, helping to build their confidence”

become a member of the Surf Club. The aim is not only to further a young person’s surfing prowess, but – just as crucially – to continue to build their self-esteem and social skills. From the age of 14 on, children can train to become a surf mentor themselves. “At this point, they transition from someone who’s accessing the service to somebody who’s helping to support it,” explains Fred Andrews, who started as a volunteer four years ago and now, as Regional Team Leader, oversees projects in Bude, Polzeath, Newquay, Gwithian and St Ives. “It’s very much an organic sort of life cycle.” So what is it about surf therapy – apart from the inspirational volunteers – that can have such a positive effect on young people? Fred believes it’s a combination of factors, but we shouldn’t overlook the sheer joy that comes from catching a wave. “Surfing sends a rush of endorphins to the brain, which is incredibly powerful in terms of allowing you to see that it is possible to find some relief from whatever difficulties you’re currently facing in your life,” he says. “Even just sitting on a surfboard looking out to sea can be hugely beneficial. Ultimately, we’re just helping to facilitate that for children who might not otherwise be able to have that experience, and in a safe and supportive way.”

Here at THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay, we couldn’t agree more. “The Wave Project is an initiative that is close to our hearts,” says Lukas Andr, our Hotel Director. “We have a lot of parents who work for us, and life isn’t always easy for them or their kids. Children’s mental wellbeing simply doesn’t get the interest or the investment it requires.” Lukas intends to lead by example and is taking part in the six-week surf training programme that will enable him to volunteer for the charity, which receives financial donations from THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay. “It’s important for us to show that hospitality is an industry that genuinely cares for people,” he says. “We want to support these kids as best we can, including with some smaller gestures like bringing them hot chocolate and cookies after a session. I’d love to see The Wave Project become a long-term partner for THE PIG.” To learn more, visit waveproject.co.uk

How we’re helping

THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay has partnered with The Wave Project, and helps in ways including by making a financial contribution to support its work. A voluntary donation of £1 is added to our guests’ 25 mile menu food bill – and many of our amazing guests have topped this gift up further. We’re also planning a number of fundraising dinners, and we’ll be manning the barbecue at the charity’s summer beach day. If you’re staying with us, ask our friendly PIG people about any upcoming activities.

How you can help

The Wave Project is in need of good-condition children’s wetsuits, and can help with delivery or collection of these. The charity is also in need of more volunteers at many of its locations, and offers full training for those who are able to join the project. If you think you can help or would like to make a donation, all the details are at waveproject.co.uk

IF YOU ONLY HAVE ...

☞ 3 minutes

Sink into one of our ridiculously comfy sofas in the map room and check out all the old nautical maps on the walls.

☞ 30 minutes

Browse our range of caps in the Lobster Shed – the perfect accessory for a sunny day of exploring the Cornish coast. We are the only PIG to have our own merch!

☞ 3 hours

Book a session at Saunas by the Sea – you’ll find the hut right on the sand at Harlyn Bay beach. Plus, you’ll get a 15% discount as a PIG guest! Ask at reception for your exclusive code.

GET EXPLORING...

From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at reception for our map of local walks.

Naturally inspired

Non-alcoholic Cornish spirits brand Pentire has become a global phenomenon – including at our PIGs, where we knew the founder when it all began

ALISTAIR “FROSTY” FROST was a regular at THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay long before he became a supplier, and could often be found in The Lobster Shed, tucking into a lobster thermidor and chips. That’s still very much the case – only when you’re the head of a fast-growing brand, you find less time to frequent your local haunts.

Named after the rugged headland a few miles up the coast from Harlyn Bay, Pentire’s alcohol-free spirits are made by distilling native coastal botanicals. In 2019, Frosty returned to Cornwall after a few years in London working in the drinks industry, and moved to Port Isaac in search of a different way of life – one that “encompassed the outdoors, wellness and a great foodie scene”. He had a longstanding ambition to create his own healthy drinks brand, and soon discovered that the clifftops around his local surf spot, Pentire Point, were home to over 1,000 types of sea herb, including ice lettuce, rock samphire, sea purslane and sea fennel. With the help of a few friends – one a mixologist, another a botanist – he started sourcing herbs and distilling them in his garage using a rudimentary homemade still.

Pentire is perfectly in tune with the zeitgeist for boozing less, but so are dozens of other fledgling brands. Why has it been able to grow so quickly? Frosty puts its success down to “being around good people”. The whole team is very much drinks-focused, but many also have a passion for sport or the outdoors. “Our team is made up of GB athletes, surfers, climbers and marathon runners,” he says. “As a company, we’re all passionate about prioritising health, wellness and time outdoors – go for a surf, go to the gym, do it twice a day if you like. Because when your body is feeling good, your mind feels good, too, and that’s when you achieve incredible things.”

“We distil whole, fresh botanicals, which produces greater flavour and purity”

It wasn’t long before they came up with the recipe for Pentire Adrift, the company’s flagship, original product – a blend of rock samphire, sage and lemon citrus with a dash of Cornish sea salt – which Gordon Ramsay has described as “the most delicious non-alcoholic drink”. The company has grown at an average of more than 100 per cent, year-on-year, and as well as being offered at our PIGs, who were early supporters, Pentire is now sold in 15 countries. The New York Times also named Pentire Adrift among the best non-alcoholic spirits for three years running.

Of course, the drinks aren’t bad either. Other spirits in the range include Pentire Seaward, a zesty number made from pink grapefruit, sea rosemary, woodruff, sea buckthorn and wild seaweed that goes perfectly over ice with tonic. “With Pentire, we distil whole, fresh botanicals, which produces greater flavour and purity,” explains Frosty, who’s long since moved operations out of his garage. “I think that’s the appeal for chefs and bartenders. They tend to lean towards fresh, seasonal ingredients that are grown or farmed naturally.” The fact that Pentire has achieved certified B Corp status for high standards in sustainability backs him up on this point.

There’s never been an “anti-alcohol” mission behind Pentire. “Eighty per cent of our customers do drink alcohol,” says Frosty. “We just want to offer an alternative. Pentire can elevate a food experience for someone who is looking for something more healthy to drink.” Try Pentire drinks, including Pentire Adrift, when you stay at any of our PIGs

PENTIRE’S FOUNDER, ALISTAIR

“FROSTY” FROST, ABOVE. THE BRAND’S NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS ARE MADE WITH BOTANICALS NATIVE TO THE CORNISH COAST

Cocktail

Muddy Farmer

• 40ml Sapling x THE PIG Coffee Vodka

• 10ml coffee liqueur

• 10ml rye whiskey

• 2 dashes orange bitters

• 2 dashes chocolate bitters

• 12.5ml spiced orange syrup, and dehydrated orange slices to garnish (see below)

For the spiced orange syrup (makes 500ml)

• Peel of 2 oranges

• Spices such as: 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves, 2 anise, 8 juniper berries, pinch of nutmeg

• 250g sugar

Put the orange peel in a saucepan and cover with 250ml water and the sugar before bringing to the boil. Add spices, remove from heat.

For the dehydrated orange slices

• 1 orange

Heat the oven to 110°C, 90°C fan (230°F). Thinly slice 1 orange and arrange the slices on a baking tray. Bake for 2 hours.

For the cocktail

Stir all the ingredients (except the orange slices) in a cocktail shaker. In your chosen drinking glass (a whisky tumbler works well), add a large ice cube, or enough ice to fill the glass. Strain the mixture into the glass, using a fine strainer such as a hawthorn cocktail strainer. Finally, add a slice of dehydrated orange.

What to drink with our dark chocolate and hazelnut slice…

Our PIG Wine Team recommends this wine as the perfect match for this delicious pud.

Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2021

When pairing wine with desserts, one simple rule to follow is that the wine should be sweeter than the dessert, otherwise the wine will lose its character on the palate. Chocolate goes with very few wines, but the blackberries make this Recioto della Valpolicella Classico by Pier Paolo Antolini in Veneto, Italy, the obvious contender. This wine is the sweet cousin of the famous Amarone della Valpolicella, and has aromas of blackberry, morello cherry, baking spices and bitter dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate and hazelnut slice

We always want you to have the most delicious, relaxing time with us – so we hope that, even after a long lunch feasting with friends or tucking into a delicious supper for two, our dessert menu calls you to take a peek. This summery pud was created by our Group Pastry Chef, Kelvin … because, for us, chocolate is always the perfect end to a meal.

Serves 4

For the slice

• 150g 70% dark chocolate

• 150g ground hazelnuts

• 4 medium eggs, separated

• 150g butter, melted

• 150g caster sugar

For the stock syrup

• 50g caster sugar

• 100ml cold water

For the garnish

• A handful of blackberries (about five per person)

• A handful of hazelnuts

• A dollop of crème fraîche or soft, whipped cream

Heat the oven to 160°C, 140°C fan, (320°F), Gas Mark 3. Blitz the dark chocolate in a food processor until fine, then add to a bowl with the ground hazelnuts. Add the egg yolks and melted butter to the mixture, and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, using a hand or electric whisk, then slowly add the sugar, whisking all the time to incorporate. Carefully fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites until fully mixed, and pour into a 20cm (8 inch) lined cake tin. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the stock syrup. Gently heat the sugar and water in a small pan, and simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved. Place the blackberries in a heatproof dish and pour the syrup over them. Allow to cool at room temperature.

After the chocolate slice has been cooking for 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature.

While everything is cooling, place the hazelnuts on a roasting tray and bake at 180°C, 160°C fan, (360°F), Gas Mark 4 for five minutes. Allow the nuts to cool before gently breaking with the base of a small pot or rolling pin.

To serve, gently remove the slice from the cake tin, divide into four portions and plate up. Add the blackberries, with a little of the syrup, the toasted hazelnuts and a dollop of crème fraîche or soft whipped cream to finish.

OUR PIG PEOPLE

ARE THE FUTURE OF CARING AND CONSIDERED HOSPITALITY

AT HEART, THE PIGs are restaurants with rooms where everything starts with the Kitchen Garden. Our gardeners and chefs work hand in hand to create menus brimful of the freshest seasonal flavours. What we can’t grow ourselves, we source from our local heroes – the best farmers, fishermen and foragers we know, who are the foundation of our 25 mile menu. We are obsessive recyclers and restorers: from vintage fabrics and china to DIY on-site smokeries and upcycled chicken sheds, we love anything homemade and ultra-local. Each of our eight PIGs is totally different – we always go with the grain of the place, taking our lead from the spirit of the building to create somewhere that feels lived-in and well loved. The bedrooms are pretty comfy, too!

Rooted in some of the most stunning parts of the English countryside, the places that we are lucky enough to call home are pretty special – with endless things to do and see, tight-knit communities and loads of talent all around. It’s important to us to play a positive role, whether it’s providing employment, sourcing local ingredients, forging links with nearby schools and charities or simply being the go-to place for our neighbours to celebrate their special moments. It’s a privilege to work so collaboratively with all of these local heroes that we count as friends and to play our part in these strong, supportive local communities.

Our PIG people are what really make us tick. We believe that our team of almost 1,000 talented professionals working across our hotels –chefs, kitchen gardeners, waiters, sommeliers, bar teams, housekeepers and everyone behind the scenes – is helping to shape the future of caring and considered hospitality. From the newest apprentice to the most experienced manager, they are what make the PIGs a happy place to be and the reason our guests enjoy their time with us. We couldn’t be more proud of them – and you couldn’t be more welcome here!

Here at THE PIGs, we work with our friends at Clean the World to recycle our used soap bars from our bedrooms and turn them into new bars of soap. These recycled bars are donated to global NGOs and distributed to communities in need. We have collected over 535kg of soap so far, which equates to 10,794 bars of recycled soap being created and donated!

Our dedication to “supporting local” is central to the way we do things at THE PIGs, so we asked Clean the World if we could send some soap bars back to our local communities. We were pleased to be able to deliver two big boxes of soap to FoodCycle and Genesis Trust – two charities THE PIG-near Bath has been supporting through volunteering efforts. This spring, we also sent a box down to Harbour Housing near THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay. These three brilliant organisations are doing amazing things, supporting local people facing challenging times. So, if you don’t fancy taking your soap bar home with you, rest assured that it is not going to waste!

“I’mhopingtobethefirst

quadrupleamputeetorow acrosstheNorthAtlantic”

Discover more about how soap can be recycled at cleantheworld.org

Alex Lewis

The adventurer and campaigner/fundraiser taking on the PIG 2 PIG challenge

In 2013, Alex Lewis contracted strep A and septicaemia, which led to him having all four limbs amputated. Since then, he has dedicated his life to the advancement of assistive and medical technology, raising funds through a series of extraordinary escapades. His latest adventure, the PIG 2 PIG challenge, will see him row 350 miles from Falmouth Harbour to THE PIG-at Bridge Place before hand-cycling back to THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay.

THERE’S NO RECORD of a quadruple amputee doing offshore rowing. So for the PIG 2 PIG challenge, we’ve had to develop new prosthetics, attachments and mechanisms. It’s pretty daunting. But in the UK, we have access to the best engineers, technicians and universities, many of whom are on standby in case things break.

ROBIN HUTSON, THE PIGS’ FOUNDER, worked with my wife, Lucy (and said she was one of the best pastry chefs he’s ever known) at Hotel du Vin, and has always been supportive. He was always asking her, “How do we keep your hotel [The Greyhound on the Test] open? And how do we make sure you’ve got enough time to spend with Alex?”

THE PIG 2 PIG CHALLENGE is a way to fundraise. The money will go to Hospitality Action and the Murray Parish Trust, a children’s health charity. It’s also an opportunity to champion my own foundation, FLOAT (For the Love of Assistive Technology).

I’M NOT IN IT FOR MEDALS I’m in it for the endeavour and the education around it. By working collaboratively to design new equipment, you can achieve some really cool stuff. I’m hoping to row from Newfoundland to Lymington in 2026, becoming the first quadruple amputee ever to row across the North Atlantic.

THIS CHALLENGE IS made possible by the Wild Wheelchairs Project, an initiative that business leader David Collinson and I created to develop vehicles for wheelchair users that can traverse mountain, desert, sea, snow, ice and air. We’ve ticked off mountain and desert, so it was always going to be sea next. We’ve been working with Rannoch Adventure to create an ocean-rowing boat with the necessary adaptations.

IF I CAN COMPLETE this PIG 2 PIG challenge, I’ll be delighted. Physically my body’s going to be wrecked by the end of it, but I’m fine with that, especially if we get people talking about assistive technology.

Spotter’s guide: collared doves

These charming birds (actually a type of pigeon) have pinkish-grey feathers with dark grey wingtips and the striking neck collar that gives them their name. They coo at length, with a distinctive “hoo-hoooo-hoo”. Collared doves can now be found throughout the UK, but have only been present here since the 1950s. As long as the weather is mild, they can breed all year round. Their numbers are decreasing in the UK – bird experts believe this could be due in part to competing with wood pigeons for the same food and habitats.

BEFORE IT WAS A PIG...

To help support birdlife, we have installed 149 nesting boxes across our PIGs.

A Grade I listed Elizabethan manor house set in 3,500 acres in the Otter Valley is THE PIG-at Combe today. The first recorded owner of a property on this site, Bishop Odo, was the half-brother of a famous figure, who later imprisoned him. Whose brother was he?

A) William the Conqueror

B) Queen Elizabeth I C) Henry VIII D) King George VI

[Answer on page 3]

As a matter of fact

We serve delicious, sustainably caught, roasted lobster at our Harlyn Bay outdoor dining spot, The Lobster Shed. Which of these amazing claims about lobsters is not true? a) If a lobster loses a claw, it can grow back b) Lobsters change colour when happy c) Lobsters are cannibals

[Answer on page 3]

PIG HACKS NO. 4

Milk urn umbrella stand

Take a leaf out of our book and try repurposing an old milk urn (often available at garden centres or online) as an instantly stylish umbrella stand.

HALL OF FAME

WINSTON CHURCHILL’S PIGS

As well as having many beloved pet cats and dogs, Winston Churchill kept a variety of livestock at Chartwell, his country estate in Kent, including Middle White pigs. It seems he thought very highly of them, because in 1945 he reportedly said, “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” Churchill certainly did like pigs, but there was likely also a double meaning to his words, as it is thought they were said in response to the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin having used the word “pig” as an insult.

THE PIG IN NUMBERS...

251,944

seedlings grown in our New Forest nursery in 2023, to supply our Kitchen Gardens.

535

kg of used in-room soap bars collected across THE PIGs in 2023. Every kg has been recycled into new soap bars by our friends at Clean the World.

... find out more here

1,037

® Company. The paper is carbon balanced with the World Land Trust, an international conservation charity. With special thanks to all of our partners and those in THE PIG team that have contributed to this issue.

hours of volunteering for local charities by our PIG teams in 2023.

OVER AND OUT