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THE PIG-at Bridge Place | Hogwash Issue 08

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PIGGY BITS

Let’s take this outside

From April 2026, our Garden Ovens are open for a fresh new season of laid-back, alfresco eats and long lunches with a nice cold glass – or two. We’re kicking things up a gnarly notch this year in our outdoor suntraps at THE PIG in the New Forest, THE PIG-near Bath and THE PIG-in the South Downs, with brand new dishes freshly cooked on our Big Green Egg barbecues. Head down to the Garden Oven at your chosen PIG for a flavour of our summer options, or visit thepighotel.com/ eat-and-drink/menus

Dates

for your diary

Gather your favourite people and head round to ours this spring and summer to make some memories worth savouring. From hands-on foodie workshops to restaurant takeovers with fantastic speakers, we’re putting on a brilliant mix of unmissable PIG happenings with our friends across the patches we call home. Find out more and book your space at thepighotel.com/events

Enjoy our Bramley body care, at home

Ever since we opened our very first PIG in 2011, we’ve kept natural, botanical goodies from our friends at Bramley in our bathrooms. You’ll still find them today across each of our nine PIGs (and pub!). So, as we celebrate our big 15th birthday this year, what better time to bring you our new, bespoke Bramley range to enjoy at home? Originally created exclusively for our bedrooms, the Bramley x THE PIG Body Wash and Bramley x THE PIG Hand and Body Lotion are made with a gentle blend of camomile and rosemary inspired by our Kitchen Gardens. Each is packaged in the same brown glass bottles you’ll always find at our house – and now yours. If you want to treat yourself, head to reception or shop online at gifts.thepighotel.com

Fancy your next PIG sleepover on us? Scan for your chance to win as a VIP (very important PIG reader!)

A summer worth celebrating

We love any excuse for a good knees-up – especially when there are 15 fantastic years of THE PIG to toast! We’re having a serious summer of birthday bashes, and you’re at the top of our guest list. We’ll be throwing open the doors for our weekend-long Smoked & Uncut Garden Parties at THE PIG-at Bridge Place, THE PIG-at Combe and THE PIG in the New Forest. Expect some great feasting food and cracking live, local music to let the good times roll. Find out more and buy your tickets at thepighotel.com/events

Earthy, sweet, and subtly nutty, celeriac is one of our favourite winter root veggies that’s still fresh and full of flavour in early spring. Best planted around April and left to rest, undisturbed for at least six months, it’s a vegetable that can really teach us a trick or two!

Our kitchen teams love to use celeriac as an unsung hero in PIG dishes – whether that’s slowly braised to beef up a hearty gardener’s broth, crushed into sauces to cut through rich serves of game or salt-baked for a perfectly seasoned, fresh salad that really holds its own.

CELERIAC

Come and see what’s growing, right now, in the veg beds with a free guided tour of our Kitchen Gardens. We’re always happy to show you around and answer any questions you have. Simply speak to our reception team to join us in the morning. thepighotel.com/events/kitchengarden-tours-at-the-pigs

It’s also the time to find... Leeks, spring onions, sweet peppers, carrots, tomatoes, asparagus, elderflower, wild fennel

Salt of the earth

How to salt-bake a celeriac

Wrapping celeriac in a saltbased crust helps our hero veggie retain moisture, as it steams at the same time as it bakes, to emerge perfectly seasoned.

Start by mixing approx 500g plain flour, 200g rock salt, 1 egg white, a little water and fresh chopped garden herbs into a smooth paste. Chop off the top and bottom of the celeriac and slice off the skin, then coax the dough around it, stretching it until it’s fully encased.

Place the covered celeriac into the oven at 185°C (fan) and cook for about 1½ hours, until you have a golden-brown crust.

When it’s slightly cooled, crack the baked dough using the back of a sharp knife and cut down the middle (just to the depth of the crust) to release the celeriac. Slice into one-inch chunks to build a punchy spring salad.

For the full recipe, visit thepighotel.com/saltbaked-celeriac

PIG

So much has happened since we launched – here is just a glimpse of what we’ve got up to along the way

The doors open to our very first PIG in the New Forest - and our Head Kitchen Garden Guru, Ollie, with his veg beds after the opening party

Two new porkers join the litter: THE PIGnear Bath and THE PIG-on the beach

Indie legends, The Kooks, headline our fifth Smoked & Uncut festival at Lime Wood

Vines with a view: THE PIG-in the South Downs opens, home to our first PIG vineyard in West Sussex, and our PIG People took to the saddle for Hospitality Action’s fundraiser

“Back in Business”, raising over £30,000 to support our friends in our industry 2011

After the success of our 2019 debut, our second PIG book is published, filled with recipes and tales from our local supplier friends

We get the keys to

our

Our first jars of PIG Honey are harvested from our very own bee hives

Harlyn House, ready to restore into
first Cornish PIG, THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay

Southampton’s ancient walls become home to our one-of-a-kind historic townhouse, THE PIG-in the wall

At the other end of the coast, former rock-and-roll club THE PIG-at Bridge Place opens in April 2019

We team up with our friends at Alitex for our first Chelsea Flower Show

Music, food and local friends: our first Smoked & Uncut festival rocks the New Forest

2024

We become B Corp certified, a milestone in our commitment to always make thoughtful decisions for people and planet. THE PIG-in the Cotswolds joins the litter, along with our first-ever PIG pub, just across the road

2020

THE PIG-at Combe, our 16th-century Elizabethan gem, opens in east Devon

The pandemic changes everything, but when hotels are allowed to reopen, we invite some specially nominated NHS staff for a well-earned break with us. The first bottles of THE PIG Cut wine –our new house white, red and rosé – arrive in time for Christmas

2025

Our outdoor rustic retreat, The Folly, opens for wood-fired eats and live laidback beats at THE PIG-at Combe

2026

come this year, from serious Sunday lunches to proper summer garden parties –watch this space!

Guest book

with Elizabeth Day

The author and podcaster shares how she likes to make the most of a PIG stay, and her fondest memories with us — including getting married at THE PIG-at Combe

The first PIG I stayed at was THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay. I had a job as a hotel columnist for The Daily Telegraph and I went to stay when it opened. It was just after the first lifting of lockdown restrictions in 2020 and, as you can imagine, was the easiest trip to say yes to. As soon as we walked through the doors, we felt at home – if home were actually one of the most beautiful, generous spaces you could ever imagine. We also met THE PIG’s founders, Robin and Judy Hutson, and promptly fell in love with both of them and their original vision.

did the whole thing again with family the following spring.

My must-have dish on the 25 mile menu is just all the Piggy Bits. I bow to no one in my obsessive love of these. I also love the kale salads from the Kitchen Garden.

My usual at the bar is a Brandy Alexander. Chris, The Hotel Director at THE PIG-at Combe, introduced me and my husband to these and we’ve never looked back, frankly.

Outside of the UK, I love to escape to Tuscany for a holiday. We will be heading there this summer. In the absence of a PIG opening its doors, we’ve had to find our own accommodation. Outrageous!

My tip for fellow PIG guests is to take time to soak up the ambience – whether it’s reading a book by the fire, sitting on a garden lounger and admiring the view or simply lying in the bath with a cup of tea. So much thought, love and care has been put into making every single aspect of every single PIG feel inviting and beautiful. It’s enough just to be there without feeling you have to do anything. That said, the Potting

Shed massages are amazing.

One of Us by Elizabeth Day, published by 4th Estate, is out now

The PIG I enjoyed most recently is THE PIG-in the South Downs. It’s where I had my most recent book launch, for Us. It’s in a stunning setting.

of

My favourite memory at a PIG is of getting married at THE PIG-at Combe. We actually got married there twice. My husband, Justin, and I got engaged during the pandemic and had planned to have a wedding with guests in December 2020, but it was that weird Christmas where a new lockdown was imposed at short notice. We decided to go ahead and travel to THE PIG to sign the register, with just my best friend and her husband as witnesses, then have a family celebration at some future date.

I remember asking Chris whether we could even just sign the necessary certificates in the car park if we had to. But he managed to make it one of the most special, heartfelt and fun days of our lives, even with the restrictions. To our surprise, The Folly was filled with lit candles and champagne was on hand. We had the best time. Then we came back and

CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: TUSCANY IS ANOTHER FAVOURITE HOLIDAY CHOICE; THE PIG-AT HARLYN BAY; THE FOLLY AT THE PIG-AT COMBE; HER LATEST NOVEL; ELIZABETH LOVES A BRANDY ALEXANDER

One

INFO & GOINGS ON

~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE

~ KENT CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO

~ THE INSIDE STORY ON SIMPSONS WINE

ESTATE

THE PIG - AT Welcome to

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 special house where the good times always roll.

BRIDGE PLACE

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 – you can find the full treatment menu in your PIG bedroom.

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 Tribe517, a family-run natural skincare brand that handcrafts its products in the beautiful South Wales countryside. Like us, Tribe517 is passionate about using homegrown or ethically sourced botanical ingredients that care for the planet as well as mind and body – and is dedicated to recycling and using up everything it can.

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.

SHED MEETS SPA

LOCAL TOP TIPS FROM OUR Reception Manager, Camilla

WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT THIS AREA is the balance between countryside and coast. You get the best of both worlds. We are so close to Canterbury but tucked away in our sleepy village, so you can really switch off.

MY FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THIS PIG is the restaurant terrace in summer (you can feel like you’re abroad – especially with a glass of rosé). I also love the Hop Pickers Huts, which are unique to our PIG. They’re like mini chalets on stilts.

MY GO-TO DISH ON THE 25 MILE MENU is the ray wing or the pork belly for two. I also love the brussels sprout & black garlic mayo side dish – I’ve been perfecting it at home because it’s that good.

MUST-VISIT LOCAL PUBS include The Red Lion, nearby, for a pint or two in front of the fire as a stop-off on our walking routes. The King’s Arms in Elham is a little further away – just a 15-minute drive – but well worth the trip. It’s so atmospheric.

A LOCAL GEM Whitstable is full of special places. Grain and Hearth has toasties, pastries and coffee to die for. Vinko is my favourite wine bar and bottle shop, and there’s also a great cheesemonger called The Cheese Box.

FLORA AND FAUNA TO LOOK OUT FOR includes the giant sequoia tree on our front lawn – it’s hard to miss as it’s taller than Bridge Place, and is hundreds of years old.

BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW that one of our bedrooms has a twin bed that appears in the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when Harry stays at the Leaky Cauldron.

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

Bottled wisdom

Meet the founders of Simpsons’ Wine Estate – one of England’s finest wineries and one of our favourite local suppliers here at THE PIG-at

Bridge Place

“WE LIVE AND BREATHE WINE IN two different countries, with a business that we built around our family life,” says Ruth Simpson.

“So it sometimes feels like there’s a lot going on!” We’re speaking in the tasting room at Simpsons’ Wine Estate, in the Elham Valley, an idyllic patch of Kent countryside. The room’s large internal window affords a view of the winery below, with vast stainless-steel tanks of wines-in-progress. Almost immediately outside are the vineyards, blending seamlessly into the patchwork of fields of this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just four miles south of Bridge Place. Simpsons’ Wine Estate was founded in 2012 by Ruth and her husband, Charles, who since 2002 have also been the winemakers behind Domaine Sainte Rose, a winery in the south of France’s Languedoc region. The pair themselves are a Scot and a Northern Irishman. Several of their acclaimed wines produced in Kent are sparkling wines, with which southeast England is increasingly associated – the lime-rich soil here forms part of the same chalk ridge that stretches all the way to France’s Champagne region.

But the winery here has become renowned for producing still wines of note, including a multi-award-winning chardonnay, The Roman Road. The winner of a Platinum medal and Best in Show at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2020, it is arguably the best example of an English chardonnay.

In the years since 2012, the Simpsons name has become unquestionably prominent and well-regarded on the English wine scene. “It’s rewarding to help grow this new wine region,” says Ruth, who is currently Deputy Chair of WineGB, the UK wine industry membership organisation. And the business takes a collaborative approach to promoting the wine in this part of the country.

“We are part of the Wine Garden of England, which is a group of Kent producers and growers,” Ruth explains, with Charles having been particularly involved in establishing and chairing the group for the first four years. “We don’t see ourselves as competition. We have a friendly collective and all support wine tourism across the county.”

Ruth’s maternal family in Scotland has been a major player in the whisky business for five generations as William Grant & Sons. “Winemaking is very different to whisky, but some of the most successful alcohol brands do tend to be run by families, perhaps just because of the longer-term investment perspective,” she says. “The understanding is that you’re not necessarily going to get a quick return on your investment, but that the longer-term benefits are very worthwhile.”

VENI VINI VITI: RUTH AND CHARLES SIMPSON IN THE KENT VINEYARD (ABOVE)

That said, her career prior to founding a winery was in an entirely different field: international humanitarian aid. Charles had also travelled extensively for his work in multinational pharmaceutical operations, and the couple were living in Azerbaijan when they decided to take the plunge and change their lives entirely to become winemakers. “We dreamt up this crazy idea: we both had an interest in wine and wanted to work for ourselves,” says Ruth. From the start, they were clear-eyed about the reality of going into business. “It needed to be a commercial project of a certain size for us to make a living. It couldn’t just be a hobby farm or small project.”

The Simpsons business has always prioritised environmentally sustainable practices wherever possible. “It’s been part of our ethos from the start,” says Ruth. “We have been accredited by the Sustainable Wine Scheme of Great Britain across our vineyards and winery since 2020 and just last year achieved our Gold Standard Award.”

One thing the couple don’t have in their Languedoc winery is access to elephant manure as a fertiliser – a quirk of the UK operation being so close to Howletts Wild Animal Park, and one that contributes to Simpsons’ ecofriendly credentials. “When the grapes come in to be processed, the ‘grape marc’ is what’s left once you’ve pressed the wet skins and the pips,” explains Ruth. “So, what do you do with it when you empty out the press? In France a local distillery takes it for industrial use, which isn’t an option here. We thought it would be great if we could compost grape marc to reuse it on the vineyards, but we needed something to kickstart the process. Howletts is just down the road and they are delighted to get rid of the manure.”

“We dreamt up this crazy idea: we both had an interest in wine and wanted to work for ourselves”

Since establishing itself in Kent, Simpsons has also enjoyed welcome support from THE PIG. Simpsons wines have always been on the menu at THE PIG-at Bridge Place, and Ruth and Charles took pride in seeing Simpsons’ award-wining Chalklands Classic Cuvée poured at the hotel’s 2019 opening party. Luke Harbor, who is now THE PIGs’ Group Beverage Director, also spent time at the winery when he was based in Kent. “Luke had an interest in the production process, and so he came and spent a time with us to see how things worked,” says Ruth. “From pruning in the vineyard to helping in the winery during harvest or preparing the wines before bottling – just really getting stuck in, learning the whole process from grape to glass. He already had incredible sommelier skills, but wanted to get into the finer details of how wine is made. So he’s always been a strong advocate for us, and the support of THE PIG hotel group as a whole has made a huge difference to us.”

With significant international exports –their chardonnays are some of the bestselling English wines in Norway, for example – and with Simpsons wines on the lists of upmarket restaurants and wine merchants around the UK, the brand’s reach now goes far beyond its Kentish HQ. You do have to visit the Kent tasting room in person to enjoy one quirk of the brand, however. “That is our helter-skelter!” confirms Ruth, of the metal tunnel slide that links the upstairs tasting room to the downstairs winery. In a business that’s serious about wine, it’s a light-hearted touch, and is one way to get between the two spaces during a winery tour (the nearby stairs are also an option). Probably best enjoyed after a glass of wine?

Enjoy Simpsons Wines here at THE PIG-at Bridge Place. Tasting experiences at Simpsons Wine Estate start from £25pp; simpsonswine.com

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.

Music makers

To

book the best live acts and DJs for our PIGs, including for this summer’s Smoked & Uncut Garden Parties and live music nights, we rely on our friends at Marksman Entertainment

“IN 2025, EVERY SINGLE PIG HOTEL, from roughly May to September, had local musicians playing every other Sunday. So across the year, that’s close to 100 different musicians that we are booking in,” says Johnny Seymour, of Marksman Entertainment, the talent booking and production company that helps to stage live music and other events for our PIGs. “We know that people visiting the PIGs really appreciate it. Good food and good music also go hand in hand –we often find that people come down for the music and then stay for the food, or the other way around.”

As for supporting the careers of the performers, “Simply being able to offer the opportunity of regular shows for local artists really matters to us,” says Johnny, who is a co-founder of Marksman, together with his college friend, Meadows Hulme, a music promoter and PR director. “It gives them a platform to go on from, to move on to their next gigs and go on to success. It would be great if we have played a part in that journey for some of these acts. And with the history of the Smoked & Uncut music festivals that we have put on at various PIGs over the years since 2013, sometimes we’ve been able to have acts on a pretty massive festival stage, too,” he adds.

have been many memorable moments along the way: “Johnny and I driving Sister Sledge to the stage, through the crowd, on the back of a golf buggy, was fun,” recalls Meadows.

As for this summer, something new is afoot, explains Megan Way, THE PIG’s Events Calendar Coordinator, who often works hand-inhand with Johnny and Meadows. “We are excited to be hosting more of our Smoked & Uncut Summer Garden Parties, which we had fun with last year – back to our roots of laid-back beats and delicious feasts,” she says. “Taking place over two or three days, they will include late-night DJs and live music, with an emphasis on quality local musicians of the kind that Meadows and Johnny are used to helping us to support. The Sunday will be a family day, with all sorts of live acrobatics and more.”

“Food and music are things that bring people together”

It was Meadows and Johnny who first helped us cook up the idea of Smoked & Uncut. The festival started life at THE PIG in the New Forest before migrating to other PIGs in the litter, combining live music with tasty seasonal food courtesy of our PIG kitchen teams and high-profile guest chefs including Angela Hartnett. Acts who have performed range from homegrown heroes Supergrass, Razorlight and The Kooks to American disco-funk legends Sister Sledge. And there

Ultimately, says Megan, “Food and music are things that bring people together and both are part of our PIG story. Johnny and Meadows are a huge part of that – they know how to select and support the artists and the bands that fit our homegrown ethos.

“As well as our Garden Parties, throughout the summer we will be hosting live music nights at most of our hotels, on a Friday or a Sunday. And whether they’re best enjoyed with pizzas from the Garden Oven or a barbecue, there’s nothing better than listening to live music with the sun shining, having a drink and good food. It is a huge part of what we do.”

For news and tickets to our Smoked & Uncut Garden Parties at THE PIG-at Bridge Place, THE PIG-at Combe and THE PIG in the New Forest and other live music, see thepighotel.com/events

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: JOHNNY SEYMOUR (ON THE RIGHT) AND MEADOWS HULME; SISTER SLEDGE; RAZORLIGHT; AND OTHER PERFORMERS AT SMOKED & UNCUT

Peas & beans

Pepper Gimlet

Serves 1

55ml Sapling Gin

5ml green Chartreuse

25ml fresh lime juice

20ml green bell pepper syrup (recipe below)

fresh lime or green pepper to garnish

For the green bell pepper syrup (makes 700ml)

350g white caster sugar

· 350ml water

half a green pepper, chopped

To make the green bell pepper syrup, bring the sugar and water to the boil and add in the green pepper. Take off the heat and, once cool, cover and allow to infuse

overnight. In the morning, sieve the syrup into a large jar or bottle to remove any remnants of the pepper.

For the gimlet, add all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake hard until thoroughly mixed. Finely strain the liquid into an ice-cold coupe and garnish with a twist of fresh lime peel or a slice of green pepper.

Learn how to rustle up even more of our simple PIG classics by watching our YouTube series PIG Tales

– visit youtube.com/ @ThePigHotel/videos

What to drink with this dish…

Our PIG Group Beverage Director, Luke Harbor, recommends three perfect pairings for this colourful dish

Pieropan La Rocca, Soave Classico, 2023

The subtle almond bitterness and slight herbal undertones marry perfectly with the peas and beans, while the rounded tropical notes really chime with the dressing.

Flint Bacchus Fumé, Norfolk, 2023

The lemon and delicate pea flavour of the Flint Fumé accompanies the goat’s curd and minty freshness of this classic dish.

Bruno Lupin Roussette de Savoie Frangy, 2023

This wine is incredibly versatile, showcasing racy acidity and complex green apple and citrus character to complement a lighter, fresher dish like this one.

Nothing tastes more like summer than this. It’s a lovely colourful salad that’s light and zesty, and perfect for enjoying in the sun with a glass of crisp white wine –see our suggested pairings below. We grow our own peas and beans, but you can usually pick some up at a farmers’ market. If you can’t find goat’s curd, you can use soft goat’s cheese as an alternative.

Serves 4

•400g mixed garden peas and broad beans

•juice of 1 lemon

•50ml white wine vinegar

•100ml rapeseed oil

(local if possible)

•2 mint sprigs (grapefruit mint is especially good), finely chopped

•100g fresh goat’s curd

• salt and pepper

For the garnish

•pea shoots and broad bean leaves

•mangetout (purple, if you can find it, optional), raw and washed

•edible flower petals (optional)

Remove the peas and broad beans from their pods, then blanch them lightly in salted boiling water and refresh in iced water. Pop the broad beans out of their skins and drain the peas. Keep to one side.

To make the dressing, mix the lemon juice, vinegar, oil and chopped mint together and season to taste.

To serve, mix the peas and broad beans with some of the dressing and scatter over the plate. Add small spoonfuls of the goat’s curd over the top and garnish with the pea shoots and broad bean leaves. Add the mangetout, if you are using. Finish with a little more dressing and the edible flower petals. Oh, and don’t forget that glass of wine …

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 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 the hotels – chefs, kitchen gardeners, waiters, sommeliers, bar staff, 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!

the date our first PIG opened, in the New Forest

£83k 07/2011

In 2025, over

raised for our local charity partners from the voluntary £1 donations on our food bills

NUMBERS

We harvested

2½ tonnes of honey from our very own PIG hives last summer

300,000+

seedlings were produced at our central nursery in Brockenhurst to supply all eight PIG Kitchen Gardens

Setting the

In January 2026, THE PIGs were awarded a three-star Food Made Good Standard – the highest rating achievable! – from The Sustainable Restaurant Association, which is the leading sustainability certification in hospitality globally.

This marks our second group-wide evaluation (and our sixth assessment in total), and we’re truly chuffed to have retained our three stars, reflecting our commitment to sourcing responsibly, supporting society and protecting the environment.

“I’ve been part of THE PIG for nearly 15 years, and our ethos has remained constant: growing our own, working with the seasons and sourcing locally,” says our Group Head Chef, Andy Wright. “These principles continue to guide us, and as sustainability standards evolve, so do we.”

None of this would be possible without our brilliant teams, working purposefully for people and planet every day. We see our three-star rating as a milestone, not the finish line. And we couldn’t be happier to have you along for the ride.

Designed and edited by Uncommonly, 3032 Tabard Street, London SE1 4JU (uncommonly.co.uk). Printed in East Sussex by Pureprint, a CarbonNeutral ® 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. ... find out more here

The Pigon the Beach The Pignear Bath The Pig The Pigin the Wall The Pigat Combe The Pigin the South Downs The Pigat Bridge Place The Pigat Harlyn Bay THE PIGin the Cotswolds

WHERE OUR PIGS ROAM

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