by Tom Mulvihill, The Telegraph, January 29, 2018
Having won numerous fans with its shabby-chic style and emphasis on homegrown cuisine, the popular Pig hotel group is set to expand its litter with three new openings over the next two years.
The first of the ‘piglets’ is expected to open near Canterbury in Kent later this year, followed by two in 2019: one near historic Arundel in West Sussex; the other close to the foodie haven of Padstow in Cornwall.
With five hotels already scattered across Hampshire, Devon, Dorset and Somerset, this will mean there’s a Pig in every (historic) county along the south coast.
The first week of February will see work commence on The Pig at Bridge Place – the Kentish property – which will involve the extensive refurb of a red-brick Tudor manor near Canterbury (although the building’s main claim to historic significance seems to be as a gig venue for rock bands, including Led Zeppelin, back in the 1970’s).
Slated to open this Autumn, the hotel will offer seven rooms in the main house, another 12 in the restored Coach House, and seven romantic ‘hop pickers’ huts’ on an island within the grounds.
Interiors will be overseen by Judy Hutson, designer and co-owner, who has crafted the distinctive style of all five Pigs to date, starting with The Pig in Brockenhurst, which opened in 2011.
A number of original Tudor and Jacobean features will remain, including large fireplaces, secret stairways and panelled rooms, while a conservatory restaurant with views of the kitchen gardens will continue the Pig’s legacy of home-produced food.
Meanwhile, a barn conversion will house the Kitchen Larder, a casual dining venue with a derelict-chic look and wood-fired cooking.
Although details are scant surrounding the South Downs Pig and The Pig at Harlyn Bay (the West Sussex and Cornwall openings respectively), they will likely follow in a similar vein to the Kentish property, with garden restaurants, Potting Shed spas, and Hutson’s cosy interior style.
“We’ve had a great couple of years, with customers apparently loving what we do,” said Robin Hutson, husband of Judy and CEO of The Pig’s parent company, Home Grown Hotels.
“We know from our guests they want more Pigs. After searching far and wide for truly unique properties, we really are over the moon about our new Piglets in Kent, Sussex and Cornwall, and can’t wait to get started on this new phase of our development.”
This article was written by Tom Mulvihill from The Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to [email protected].
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