The Griffin Inn, East Sussex

The 16th century Griffin Inn at Fletching, East Sussex, is a pub which prides itself on giving customers a friendly, personalised service. The Pullan family, Nigel, Bridget and James, run the Griffin together with business partner John Gatti. "We've been here 25 years but have operated the place ourselves for the past 10," said Bridget Pullan. "We would describe the place as an inn with rooms, although with no less than six chefs, food is clearly the dominant aspect of the business," she explained. The Pullans and their staff put great weight on the service element of the pub. "By service we don't mean room service or facilities such as telephones and trouser presses in each room but the ability of all the staff to offer guests a really friendly welcome. "We spend hours with residents telling them what they can see in the area and recommending some of the best walks. "We encourage all our staff to make eye contact with guests when they arrive and try to ensure they encounter a friendly smile as soon as they walk through the door." The Griffin's bedrooms all have four poster beds with the bathrooms offering a wealth of antique and original fittings. "The bathrooms are all Victorian and the bedrooms to match and while some four-star amenities may be lacking, we feel we more than make up for it with antiquity and character," Bridget added.