Just two months after reopening, the new owners of the Rose & Crown in Hartwell are buzzing with excitement at the reception the pub has had for its food, service, new look and its determination to be very much a part of the community it serves.
Belinda Urwin and Mark Ditchfield – who both have extensive experience in the hospitality industry – took over at the Rose & Crown in December, devoting what turned out to be over six months getting the rundown building the way they wanted it.
With Mark leading the kitchen team and Belinda front of house, the pair are beginning to see the results of their hard work, with excellent feedback from the locals who were keen to see their village pub open again, as well as those who travel from further afield after hearing good things about the new offering.
Belinda said:
“We lived in the village and were disappointed to find that the pub wasn’t open and thriving as it could be in a place this size, and so we approached the company which owns the building, with our proposal to turn it around.
“The pub hadn’t had investment for over 30 years, so a three-week renovation project turned into a three-and-a-half-month project after multiple hidden tasks arose, but we got there and opened in May having created the kind of place that reflected our own vision and ethos.”
Part of their ethos is to use suppliers from Northamptonshire and the surrounding counties, sourcing as much as possible from small producers and supporting other local businesses, which goes down well with customers who increasingly want to know more about the ethical side of food and its provenance.
Just a selection of that local produce includes meat from The Buckingham Butcher, cheese from the Northampton Cheese Company, fresh produce from Collins Fresh in Northampton and ice cream from the Willen Ice Cream Company.
With an eye on their environmental impact, Belinda and Mark have put in place measures where appropriate food scraps go to Hartwell Homeless Animal Sanctuary and waste from the beer trays is collected by a local allotment holder for use as a slug deterrent. Where there is a surplus of kitchen stock, it is taken and distributed by a local food bank.
“Our aim was always to make this pub a part of the community. We already have an art club using the premises at no cost, as well as a summer pottery painting session and we hope to roll out more of that kind of thing as time goes on,”
said Belinda.
“It’s not all about the food, guests are welcome to just come in and have a drink, but for those that want to enjoy well-executed pub food we’ve got a menu that’s not fancy and contrived, but one on which Mark has put his own stamp as Chef Patron with his fine dining experience gained from working all over the world. Mark being coeliac means we are also allergy and dietary friendly, so guests don’t have to compromise if they have specific needs.
“We have a fantastic team of young staff, who are learning about hospitality and about what we are trying to do here and what we expect of them. It’s fantastic that they are as excited as we are about making this a success and that filters through to the customers.
“Mark and I have realised our dream of having our own pub restaurant and we are delighted that it’s been so well received.”
Find out more about the Rose & Crown
