Gastropubs brought to book
With the launch this month of Michelin's Eating Out in Pubs 2007, editor Derek Bulmer tells Tony Halstead that inns should keep their informal image if they want to retain the tag of gastropub.
London gastropubs are ditching traditional dishes and hiking their prices towards restaurant rates, claims Derek Bulmer, editor of the newly-published Michelin guide Eating Out In Pubs 2007.
Bulmer is calling on licensees to retain the informal "pies and pints" image of their pubs if they want to keep the tag of gastropub.
He believes operators are pushing up prices to meet soaring overheads of city properties.
"We are getting to the stage where some venues are now little more than restaurants operating within the shell of a pub," warns Bulmer. "A busy beer trade and a menu offering pub favourites such as bangers and mash are still the hallmarks of a good gastropub.
"Obviously more and more pub menus are becoming increasingly imaginative. However the essence of these venues is to serve excellent food, but keep the informal atmosphere that sets them apart from restaurants."
He adds: "There is also evidence that some city chefs are trying to replicate restaurant menus in the dining rooms of village and country pubs but this does not necessarily work."
The 2007 guide reflects a heightened trend towards local sourcing and supply among pub chefs and licensees.
"The use of regional products and local sourcing is becoming a big feature of the gastropub sector," says Bulmer. "Pubs are making big efforts to publicise where their food has originated and more and more diners want to know whether the food they are eating is local."
He says that the gastropub bandwagon continues to roll, with new venues opening up each week.
"Some are claiming that the bubble is about to burst but we cannot find any evidence to support this," he reveals.
Michelin's Eating Out In Pubs 2007 is published this month priced at £14.99.
The bell gets a ringing endorsement
A country inn tucked away in one of Monmouthshire's quietest rural backwaters is the Michelin Pub Of The Year for 2007.
The Bell at Skenfrith took the title because, in the words of the guide, it went "that little bit extra to satisfy its customers".
Cask beers, local food sourcing and meticulously-maintained letting bedrooms
are the hallmarks of the business operated by licensees William and Janet Hutchings.
The couple discovered the freehouse shortly after they moved to Wales 12 years ago, bought the pub in 2001 and have now achieved their dream by scooping the top Michelin award.
"It's fabulous to win the award because it shows we are doing the right things here and we are very proud to be singled out," said Janet. "We have put everything into this place, gutted the building and developed it into our own style."
The majority of the food is sourced from local farmers and producers and the Hutchings are developing their own kitchen garden to cultivate herbs and other ingredients to use in their cooking.
Janet ran her own catering company in London before moving west where her husband still carries on his day job working for food company Kraft at nearby Cheltenham.
William has used his long-held interest in wine to mastermind the Bells' wine list and works in the pub most nights.
The couple's young daughters, aged 10 and seven, show every sign of following their parents into the business. Both take an interest in the Bells' fortunes and are already employed in the pub's kitchens washing up.
The Bell factfile
Name: The Bell at Skenfrith, Monmouthshire Status: FreehouseOwners: William and Janet HutchingsDry:wet split: 60:40Dining covers: 80Meals served per week: 500Average spend per head: £35Sunday lunch: £21.50 (three courses)Most popular dish: Fillet of Brecon BeefLetting rooms: EightMost popular beers: Golden Valley, FreeminerWine list: 360 bins
New entries For 2007
East Midlands Rowley's, Baslow, Derbyshire The Blue Bell Inn, Belchford, LincolnshireThe Brownlow Arms, Hough-on-the-Hill, LincolnshireThe Ship Inn, Surfleet Seas End, LincolnshireThe Plough, Normanton-on-the-Wolds, NottinghamshireThe Exeter Arms, Barrowden, RutlandThe Old Pheasant, Glaston, RutlandEast Of EnglandThe Crown Inn, Elton, CambridgeshireThe Hole In The Wall, Little Wilbraham, CambridgeshireThe Alma, Chelmsford, EssexThe Woodmans Arms, Thundersley, EssexThe Fox, Harpenden, HertfordshireThe White Horse, Harpenden, HertfordshireThe Three Horseshoes, Harpenden, HertfordshireFox & Hounds, Reed, HertfordshireThe Fox, Willan, HertfordshireThe George, Cley-next-the-Sea, NorfolkThe Globe Inn, Wells-next-the-Sea, NorfolkThe Bildeston Crown, Bildeston, NorfolkThe Crown & Castle, Orford, SuffolkDuke's Head, Somerleyton, SuffolkThe King's Head, Southwold, SuffolkLONDONThe Fox, Shoreditch, HackneyThe Princess, Shoreditch, HackneyThe Coach & Horses, Clerkenwell, IslingtonThe Spencer Arms, Putney, WandsworthThe Thomas Cubitt, Victoria, WestminsterNORTH WEST
Duke of Portland, Lach Denis, CheshireThe Punch Bowl Inn, Crosthwaite, CumbriaMarmalade, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Greater ManchesterSOUTH EASTThe Pot Kin, Frilsham, BerkshireThe King of Prussia, Farnham Royal, BerkshireThe Sugar Loaf Inn, Little Chalfont, BuckinghamshireThe Plough, Winchmore Hill, BuckinghamshireThe Wellington Arms, Baughhurst, HampshireCaernarvon Arms, Burghclere, HampshireThe Bugle, Hamble, HampshireThe Sweet Olive at the Chequers Inn, Aston Tirrold, OxonThe New Inn, Kidmore End, OxonThe Tollgate Inn, Kingham, OxonBadgers, Petworth, West SussexSOUTH WESTThe Albion Public House & Dining Rooms, Bristol, AvonThe Manor House Inn, Rilla Mill, CornwallThe Avon Inn, Avonwick, DevonThe Turtley Corn Mill, Avonwick, DevonWhite Hart, Modbury, DevonThe Steam Packet Inn, Totnes, DevonRose & Crown, Yealmpton, DevonHorse & Groom, Bourton-on-the-Hill, GloucestershireThe Beehive, Cheltenham, GloucestershireManor House Inn, Ditcheat, SomersetDevonshire Arms, Long Sutton, SomersetThe Sexey's Arms, Wedmore, SomersetThe Haunch of Venison, Salisbury, WiltshireThe Spread Eagle Inn, Stourton, WiltshireWEST MIDLANDSThe Bell Inn, Yarpole, Hereford & WorcesterThe Hand & Trumpet, Wrinehill, StaffordshireThe College Arms, Lower Quinton, WarwickshireThe Bell Inn, Welford-on-Avon, WarwickshireYORKSHIRE & THE HUMBERThe Pipe & Glass Inn, South Dalton, East RidingThe Falling Stone, Thwing, East RidingGeorge & Dragon, Aysgarth, North YorkshireThe Bay Horse, Kirk Deighton, North YorkshireThe Anvil Inn, Sawdon, North YorkshireBlackwell Ox Inn, Sutton-on-the-Forest, North YorkshireThe Old Bore, Rishworth, West YorkshireThe Fox & Hounds, Walton, West YorkshireSCOTLANDCock & Bull, Balmedie, AberdeenshireWALESThe Hardwick, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
