The Bell in Ticehurst is celebrating the award after balancing the needs of the local community and visitors from further afield
A popular East Sussex pub is celebrating after being awarded The Sunday Times Pub of the Year.
The Bell in Ticehurst prides itself on being a pub for locals, while also attracting visitors from outside the area who can stay in one of its seven quirky guest rooms.
General manager Howard Canning said of the award: “We are jumping for joy! This is recognition of our team’s efforts to go above and beyond a regular pub with rooms. It has taken a while, but we have managed to balance the needs of our local community whilst welcoming visitors from near and far who can embrace our unique pub culture.”
The Bell adapted quickly to the need for social distancing, creating more outdoor dining spaces and taking all dining al fresco over the summer. Where world class comedy and jazz nights were once a feature of the calendar, The Bell is now running socially distanced creative courses in calligraphy, oil painting, lampshade design, drawing and lino printing.
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The pub’s design is individual and eclectic, from bowler hat lights and a floor-to-ceiling book pile in the main pub area, to mismatched vintage-style wallpaper and tenor horns for urinals in the gents. Each room offers the curious visitor a feast of visual surprises including a fine collection of art.
The Sunday Times Pub of the Year is part of their Best Places to Stay guide. Duncan Craig, Travel Editor of The Times and Sunday Times explains; “The annual Sunday Times Best Places to Stay guide, featuring the very best British hotels, has become the gold standard of the industry over the past decade. It’s a tribute to this thriving sector that even in this most challenging of years, we’ve seen a raft of exciting new openings, as well as established names upping their games. Whatever style of getaway you’re looking for, in whatever region, you can be sure of a welcoming and safe place to stay. We’re delighted that our reviewers have selected The Bell as one of our best hotels in the country.”
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