A COUNTRY pub near Worcester celebrating its third anniversary at the end of one of the most daunting years for the hospitality industry is our Pub Of The Week.

The Fox and Hounds at Lulsley, which won Worcestershire Pub of the Year 2019 at the National Pub & Bar Awards and a previous runner-up in the Worcester News Pub of the Year award.

It has built a big following for its locally-sourced pub classics and seasonal menu, its Knightwick Sunday lunches and its Good Beer Guide Real Ale line-up – Wye Valley HPA and Ledbury Gold prove particularly popular with customers. 

You could be our Pub Of The Week here

The pub was originally built in the 1870s following the opening of Knightwick railway station. In 2017, it underwent significant renovations and has since become a popular destination country pub and restaurant and last night (Friday, December 4) marked exactly three years since the country pub opened its doors.

Managers Tom Clarke and Emily Lancaster said 2020 has been fraught with challenges that neither come across in all their previous hospitality experience; this reopening could not be more different to their original 2017 opening. 

Tom said: “Since reopening in July we have received tremendous feedback from local people and from people across Worcestershire about our Covid-19 measures. We have been fastidious in implementing and enforcing the rules in order to keep our customers and staff safe.

“We have always taken the threat of this pandemic seriously – even to the extent of closing the pub on Wednesday, March 18 – a full two days before the national lockdown – and converting our business into takeaway only.”

Worcester News:

Tom and Emily are backed by able bar staff Penny, Chris, Rory, Daisy and Harriet and Emily added: “Customers love our devotion to using the absolute best local produce [all meat is sourced from Knightwick Butchers] and that we always endeavour to maintain the best level of customer service.

“Our food and service has never been better and we are exceptionally lucky to have such excellent customers and such excellent staff. We really appreciate the amount of support we have received from the wider Worcestershire community in helping us get to where we are now.”

Simon William Rogers, along with Graeme Davis, head up the Fox & Hounds kitchen.

Simon said: “Our food and service has never been better and we look forward to welcoming back our customers this December.

“Graeme and I have worked incredibly hard to create a menu that combines Fox & Hounds classics and festive favourites.”

Graeme added: “We have devised an awesome menu and look forward to smashing on in December. We’re a close team working in the same direction to make the Fox & Hounds the best it can be.”

Worcester News:

In common with many other pub landlords and managers up and down the country, Tom says the best thing about running a pub is building up a following, investing in the business and trying to make the pub its best it can be – especially difficult over the last nine months.

The worst thing about running a pub? “Having to close” – an understandable response in the current climate!

The Fox & Hounds, under the current Tier 2 restrictions, is open Friday-Sunday with the addition of Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Would you like to feature as our Pub of the Week?

If you’d like to join the growing numbers of pubs to be featured, it’s easy to do. Just use this link and tell us a few details, attach a couple of pictures and send it to us. Then we can give a well-earned shout-out to part of the hospitality sector which has come up with sensible solutions to the present problems.