What: The complete transformation of an historic West Sussex pub. Originally founded in 1536, The Swan Inn Fittleworth is one of the county’s best-known pubs having provided lodgings for some of Britain’s most renowned artists and writers, including J.M.W Turner, John Constable and Rudyard Kipling. The business closed in 2020 following an ill-advised minimalist overhaul but has now reopened under new ownership following a more sympathetic refurbishment. Under its new guise The Swan Inn - which is in between Pulborough and Petworth - is being run with ‘an old-fashioned belief in what a pub should be; flowing drinks and great food, served by people who care’.
Who: Front of house pro Angus Davies is leading the project. Brought up in Fittleworth, he started his career with Newcastle-based chef restaurateur Terry Laybourne before heading to London to work at Chez Bruce and Lorne. He left the capital in 2018 for an operations manager role at chef Steve Drake’s Michelin-starred Sorrel restaurant in Dorking, Surrey. In 2020, Davies launched The Hollist Arms in the West Sussex village of Lodsworth. The venture was well-received, attracting a Michelin Bib Gourmand soon after opening, but closed due to the pandemic after around two years' trading.
The food: Channeling food writers such as Elizabeth David and Jane Grigson, the menu is accurately described as showcasing ‘country cooking at its best’ offering a selection of ‘seasonal and unfussy classics, executed with a focus on flavour and substance’. Dishes include lentil and mussel soup; devilled kidneys on toast; leeks vinaigrette; slow-cooked rabbit with sherry garlic and parsley; grilled halibut with greens and lemon; and prune and Armagnac tart. Pricing is approachable, especially given the quality of The Swan’s finish. Starters average out a little over £10 and mains range from £19 to £28. There are also sharing dishes, including a venison lasagne for two priced at £45 and a harissa lamb shoulder with iman byaldi for up to four priced at £75. Though his background is front of house, Davies was in the kitchen during our visit and oversees the menu.
To drink: Davies has created a 150-bin wine list that is ‘priced to be drunk’. He isn’t joking. Still wine starts at just £5 for a 125ml glass and mark ups for higher-end wines are restrained. For example, a 2021 Pouilly Fuissé from Domaine Barraud costs just £88 and - on our visit - R. López de Heredia’s Viña Tondonia Rioja Reserva 2006 was on the specials board for the bargain price of £10 a glass. Very local wine producers Ambriel and Kinsbrook also feature. The bar - meanwhile - is stocked with beers and ciders from nearby producers Burning Sky Brewery, Harvey’s and Two Orchards.
The vibe: The Swan Inn has a 45-cover dining room, a 30-cover bar area, a 30-cover alfresco courtyard, a 25-cover barn that will be used for private events and a dozen letting bedrooms. While no expense has been spared on the refit, the end result does not feel over the top or excessively gentrified due to the team’s commitment to preserving - and, in some cases - unearthing - original features that had been covered up over the years. Design details include exposed, heavily weathered beams; exposed brick work and original wood panelling.
And another thing: The Swan Inn famously allowed artists to pay for their hospitality with a painting or two. Davies had hoped he might find a Turner or a Constable hidden away in the pub’s cellar but sadly it wasn’t to be.
Lower Street, Fittleworth, Pulborough RH20 1EL
