Awards ring in changes for Bells
The award is given for the accuracy of cooking, the clarity of flavours, the seasonality of the menu, the provenance of the ingredients and the balance and suitability of the menu for the marketplace.
Each restaurant is usually assessed twice in the year by an inspector who arrives unannounced.
Owner, Emma Holman-West, said: “We strive to deliver an exceptional dining experience and we are proud to receive this accolade in recognition of our hard work. It’s a fantastic achievement which we fully intend to uphold.”
The business is also set to grow bigger with a two-storey extension to be built at the property in the new year.
Emma Holman-West added: “Since taking The Bell back in-house seven years ago, we have naturally progressed which is why it is necessary to expand.
“Our intention is to provide a larger area within the bar where guests, locals and visitors alike, can relax with ease, and opening up this space will successfully enhance the cohesion within the pub and improve the overall ambience.”
Over at The Bell in Welford, pub owners Colin and Teresa Ombler are celebrating an outstanding year which has seen them crowned the top dining pub in Warwickshire for the fifth time in ten years.
Colin said: “I’m really happy and all the staff are elated too, because it is a hard industry to succeed in and they work incredibly hard.
“Obviously I tell them how brilliant they are but an award like this is a huge pat on the back for them.
“You have to think about a whole host of things when running a business like this, you’ve got to create a great atmosphere, keep it clean and tidy and of course the food has got to look and taste fantastic.
“I think we do well here because we don’t have a high staff turnover, which makes the team we’ve got very stable and we use a lot of local small suppliers, some of whom I have worked with for 20 years.
“We also have some very loyal customers and we try to make them feel part of the family when they’re here. I’ve got a passion for this business and I think you need that if you want to succeed.”
THE Fleece, in Bretforton, has won the Good Pub Guide’s Country Pub of the Year.
The pub is also looking forward to a new series of live Fleecey Folk music which started on Sunday.
The next event takes place tonight, Thursday, when Chris Wood performs, from 8pm.
