The Swan spreads its wings - The Swan, Monks Eleigh

Nigel has launched several innovations to help expand the Swan's public appeal, including:

Saving the local shop: When the village post office closed in 2003, Monks Eleigh residents faced a trip of several miles to get their groceries.

Receiving donations from the Countryside Agency and East of England Development Agency, £60,000 was raised to set up a new shop. The residents approached Nigel and Carol with the idea of locating the shop in a disused barn in the pub's car park.

Nigel supplies several products for sale at the shop. "People stopping to use the shop also find out about the pub so it's great for building the business," says Nigel. The Swan also receives a monthly rent for letting the building.

Cookery classes: Nigel has been running cookery courses from the pub for more than five years. "It's great fun to do and you often find people will come back the following week with a friend."

Nigel offers one-day courses for up to 12 people at a cost per head of £20, which includes lunch.

Recipe book: Nigel's cookery classes have also inspired a tie-in cookery book, featuring the chef's top recipes. He teamed up with local writer Sandy Davies to launch the book Grace and Flavour: Recipes from the Swan Inn, Monks Eleigh. The duo are currently working on a sequel.

Function room: The Swan's rear function room provides the pub with an ideal opportunity to cater for private events. "We don't charge for the room hire, only the food," explains Nigel. "It's very popular and we've done birthdays and meetings for local organisations."