HORSE & GROOM

Real ale and real art at the Horse & Groom

Horse and Groom — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:30:37 +0000

All eyes may be on the extra -long weekend for the Queen’s Jubilee – hopefully we’ll be out in the sunshine in the Horse & Groom garden in East Ashling for that – but there’s plenty worth celebrating before then.
I think the celebrations should begin with the revival of British stout: I read this article the other day and, apparently, this drink is making a comeback as microbreweries go from strength to strength, which is all the reason I need to mention the Horse & Groom bar, its real ales and CAMRA award!
A good time to have a pint of real ale is before or after a day at the races and there is plenty of racing on close to us. Goodwood’s May Festival takes place on 24-26 May, which is the perfect excuse to book accommodation in Chichester in our smart rooms and make a break of it. Before that, Fontwell Racecourse hosts its British Heart Foundation Charity Raceday on 16 May.
Of course, the weather’s not to be counted on much at the moment, so it’s worth having a few indoor activities up your sleeve (apart from frequenting the Horse & Groom, of course). There’s a great Keith Vaughan exhibition at Pallant House Gallery until 10 June – Selsey-born Vaughan was one of the most significant artists of his generation. Also, Canvas starts soon at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester – it’s a comedy based around a camping trip to Wales, so expect rain to feature.
Now, if the heavens decide to shut up shop, there are a couple of good markets on in Chichester. Little London Food Market takes over East Street on 19 and 26 May, and Chichester Farmers’ Market is in town in 18 May.
For more info on the Horse & Groom or to book a table or a room, contact Mike and Michelle on 01243 575339 or info@thehorseandgroomchichester.co.uk

The long weekend at the Horse & Groom

Horse and Groom — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:00:54 +0000

No sooner had I mentioned getting outside and enjoying the Horse & Groom garden and countryside air, then we are treated to a return to winter: pouring rain and gale-force winds. Needless to say, everyone’s been inside and a few have even been eyeing up the fire in the bar.
Now, I really should focus on indoors events, but where’s the optimism in that? Besides, there is a lot on outdoors in the next couple of weeks that just a stone’s throw from the Horse & Groom. With fingers crossed for better weather, the Goodwood horseracing season kicks off on Saturday (5 May) followed by a second meet on 10 May. We’re only down the road, so we’re perfectly placed for a pre- and post-meet drink and bite to eat.
If you want to make a long weekend of it and book one of our lovely rooms, Goodwood Motor Circuit is hosting the Goodwood Breakfast Club Super Car Sunday on 6 May – it starts early and finishes in time to get back to the pub for one of Mal’s lunches – and on bank holiday Monday, there’s an antique collectors fair at Goodwood House.
If antiques aren’t your thing, the nearby Weald and Downland Open Air Museum is putting on its Food and South Downs Fair on 6-7 May, which always features lots of great local food and drink. Alternatively, Cowdray Ruins has its Pirates and Smugglers Day on 6 May. It also has a Ghost Walk on 11 May.
All in all, there is plenty going on locally over the bank holiday. Let’s just hope the weather plays ball!
For more info on the Horse & Groom or to book a table or a room, contact Mike and Michelle on 01243 575339 or info@thehorseandgroomchichester.co.uk

Racing, records and Reed at the Horse & Groom

Horse and Groom — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:00:30 +0000

Now that we’re well into April, how safe is it to start talking about outdoor events, or even the Horse & Groom garden? I’ll ignore the thunder forecast for this week and get on with it. The Goodwood Three Friday Nights event is in the local paper, so that’s a good a place to start as any.
These nights aren’t until June, but it’s well worth organising tickets and everything else in advance. Goodwood Racecourse is only up the road, which means our Chichester accommodation is perfectly placed if you want to make a weekend of it. Dermot O’Leary and Mike Skinner have been confirmed as the post-racing DJs for two of the nights. Rumour has it that Goodwood was trying to get Mark Ronson back for the third slot but we’ll have to see who the opening night act is.
The Goodwood Racing season doesn’t start until early May but, in the meantime, Fontwell Racecourse is hosting its CICRA Raceday on 20 April. We’re not too far away for a pre or post raceday pint and meal.
If those weather predictions do prove to be true and we have to entertain ourselves inside, when you can drag yourselves away from the Horse & Groom bar, Uncle Vanya is playing at the Minerva Theatre and, based on all the reviews, it’s a bit of a must see. Timothy West is among the stellar cast. There’s also the chance to get backstage at one of five theatre tours that start in 21 April.
Going back to June, I’ve seen adverts for the Chichester Festivities and this one-man tribute show to Oliver Reed caught my eye. It would be rude not to have a couple of liveners before seeing this one (not to mention a few more after it!).
For more info on the Horse & Groom or to book a table or a room, contact Mike and Michelle on 01243 575339 or info@thehorseandgroomchichester.co.uk

Sunshine and Easter at the Horse & Groom

Horse and Groom — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:00:54 +0000

Spring has definitely arrived – the garden has been busy and some of the regulars have been eyeing up the water. I hope the sunshine stays around for the Easter weekend: it would be the perfect excuse to book accommodation in Chichester at the Horse & Groom for an Easter break.
But before then, there are a couple of special events only a stone’s throw from the pub that are well worth catching. Goodwood Breakfast Club is holding its second meet of the year, Everything but the Car, from 8am at Goodwood Motor Circuit on 1 April (it’s free!). Once you’ve refuelled with one of Mal’s lunches, Chichester’s very own best-selling author Kate Mosse is in audience with Francesca Simon, author of the Horrid Henry series, (there are still tickets available) at West Dean College from 2pm.
Getting back to the Easter week, book a stay in our converted barn and there are some hearty walks to enjoy, including up the Trundle and around Kingly Vale. If you’re bringing the kids or just out and about locally with them, the Weald and Downland Museum, Pallant House Gallery and Chichester Festival Theatre are all putting on children’s activities during the school break.
If the weather doesn’t play ball, there’s an Antique and Collectors’ Fair at Goodwood Racecourse on Easter Monday. The Art of Chichester Festival Theatre exhibition continues at Pallant House Gallery, and you’ll find The Iron Lady and George Clooney’s latest The Descendants on at the New Park Cinema in Chichester.
And, of course, there’s a bar stocked with some great real ales (and plenty other drinks!) and a lovely restaurant just waiting to be enjoyed at the Horse & Groom!
For more info on the Horse & Groom or to book a table or a room, contact Mike and Michelle on 01243 575339 or info@thehorseandgroomchichester.co.uk

Rugby Sunday and Mothering Sunday at the Horse & Groom

Horse and Groom — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:10:18 +0000

Not so much rugby and romance at the Horse & Groom as rugby and regret against Wales, and all without Charlie in the end. We should have beaten them and hopefully we’ll take the same drive into the showdown with France in Paris on Sunday. We’ll have all the action here.

We’re also showing the last round of games the following weekend (17 March). England versus Ireland should be good but Wales against France might be the one to watch over a couple of pints of real ale. No doubt there will be plenty of daffodils being waved about in Cardiff, which should serve as a good reminder of Mothering Sunday.

If you do forget, then the combination of Mal’s menu and the Weald and Downland Museum could get you out of trouble. The nearby Weald and Downland Museum is putting on a daffodil-themed open house for Mothering Sunday, where you can probably pick up a bunch or two. After a visit there, you’ll be ready for our delicious Mothering Sunday lunches.

If you really want to make a weekend of it for mum, and if she likes opera, there is another chance to see the West Sussex Opera production of Dido and Aeneas on 17 March at West Wittering Hall. She might also like the designing your own garden course at West Dean College, which runs from 16 to 19 March.

If you prefer the beat of hooves to the beat of classical music, Fontwell Park is hosting the first of its Spring Afternoon Racing meets on 22 March. We’re always good for a post race drink and bite to eat.

For more info on the Horse & Groom or to book a table or a room, contact Mike and Michelle on 01243 575339 or info@thehorseandgroomchichester.co.uk.

Culture, classics and more Charlie at the Horse & Groom

Horse and Groom — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:00:30 +0000

Rugby and romance at the Horse & Groom – well, it all turned out lovely for England in the end, but only just (and thanks largely to comeback king Charlie Hodgson). Next up is Wales and that game will be a lot harder without doubt – more edge-of-the-seat stuff at the Horse & Groom I think.

The Wales game takes place at Twickenham, where I’m sure we’ll hear a few renditions of Swing Low and Jerusalem. The latter might also crop up on the play list at the Chichester Festival Theatre on 24 February as it hosts the BBC Concert Orchestra as part of Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night programme. Expect show tunes, film scores and more.

I would recommend some great British food courtesy of Mal before such a performance and I think it would also go down a treat after a morning at the first Goodwood Breakfast Club meet of the year. The theme to kick it all off is Tax-Free Sunday, which means lots of pre-73 classics to enjoy.

From one type of classic to another – as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations for the Chichester Festival Theatre, Pallant House Gallery is showing the Art of Chichester Festival Theatre exhibition from 3 March. It will show how sets and plays have been designed around the famous stage.

For a double bill of culture, book a night in one of our rooms and get a ticket to a West Sussex Opera production of Dido and Aeneas at Chichester University on 7 March. Mal can be relied on for a fine pre-show dinner too!

For more info on the Horse & Groom or to book a table or a room, contact Mike and Michelle on 01243 575339 or info@thehorseandgroomchichester.co.uk.

Rugby and romance at the Horse & Groom

Horse and Groom — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:14 +0000

From politics and beer to rugby and romance – we take it all in our stride at the Horse & Groom. I mention rugby because we’re gearing up for the start of the 2012 6 Nations. It all gets going with back-to-back weekends of bruising ball chasing, all of which you can watch in our bar.

England against Scotland is the big match here and it looks set to be an enthralling game, not least because England will field a host of new caps. Oh, and then there’s the fact that the Auld Enemy are bristling for revenge after their defeat at the World Cup. After that, we’ll see how the new boys take the sunshine of Rome.

February means romance as well as egg chasing and the Horse & Groom is still the place to come! We’re taking bookings for Valentine’s (Mal is a man of many culinary talents and a fine Valentine’s menu is among them). Our cosy restaurant is the perfect place for a romantic dinner.

If you want to make a night of it, Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr are longing for each other in An Affair to Remember at the New Park Cinema in Chichester and, at Chichester Festival Theatre, there’s the choice of The Sound of Music or Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe. And, if you want an extra-special night, you can follow a show and dinner with a stay in one of our charming rooms.

A few days earlier, just down the road, the Kennels in Goodwood is hosting a Valentine’s Opera Gala. The Night at the Opera evening on 10 February features operatic duo Jon Grave and mezzo-soprano Susan Legg.

For more info on the Horse & Groom or to book a table or a room, contact Mike and Michelle on 01243 575339 or info@thehorseandgroomchichester.co.uk

Politics and beer at the Horse & Groom

Horse and Groom — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:00:18 +0000

You can get politics and beer at the Horse & Groom in East Ashling almost any night of the week, but occasionally I like to broaden my horizons and there are a few good reasons to do so in Chichester over the next couple of weeks.

It may be only the older regulars that remember this on television, but Yes, Prime Minister is coming to the Chichester Festival Theatre on 26 January for a short run (and the original writers are in charge)– well worth making a mini-break for and booking one of our cosy rooms.

Talking of cosy rooms, the seating at the Chichester Cinema is a lot more comfortable these days, and for a completely different slice of UK politics, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy starts there on 10 February (nicely timed for the awards season).

Staying with cosy rooms, rarely is there reason to venture outside of the Horse & Groom bar, beautifully warmed by our open fire, in search of decent beer, but West Dean College is hosting a day course on beers for gastronomes and guzzlers on 4 February. Highlights include matching beers to food and a visit to a local brewery – I recommend once school has finished putting the theory into practice in a lovely pub just down the road! There’s also another food course – spicing up your winter (28 January) – that looks good: something spicy and a few beers sounds like a perfect recipe for winter!

Keep warm and see you soon at the Horse & Groom!

For more info on the Horse & Groom or to book a table or a room, contact Mike and Michelle on 01243 575339 or info@thehorseandgroomchichester.co.uk

Blustery beginnings for 2012 at the Horse & Groom

Horse and Groom — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:00:57 +0000

Well, the hatches are truly battened down at the Horse & Groom at the moment. Any cobwebs from a busy Christmas and New Year have certainly been blown away, which is all the more reason to get comfortable in our cosy bar with a plate of food!

But despite the wind, it’s not too cold out, which is a good excuse to stretch your legs. There are plenty of good walks around here, such as at Kingly Vale or Goodwood, and I think the views are particularly refreshing at this time of year (particularly if followed by a pint and something warming to eat from Mal!).

Another way to burn off some of that festive indulgence (and prepare a bountiful harvest for later in the year!) is a no-dig gardening course on 23 January at West Dean College. If you want your hard work and creativity to produce more immediate results, a marmalade masterclass on 20 January might be a better bet.

The first local race meeting of the year takes place at Fontwell Park on 12 January for anyone who wants a bit more action from a day out. If staying in the warm is more your thing, Swallows and Amazons comes to Chichester Festival Theatre for a short run from 17 January, while the Edward Burra and Bloomsbury and Beyond exhibitions continue at Pallant House Gallery throughout the month. There’s also a free tour of the gallery buildings on 12 January.

Everybody says that January is a quiet month but it seems pretty busy to me – country walks, racing, gardening and cookery classes, shows and exhibitions: well worth booking one of our lovely rooms in Chichester and making a break of it!

For more info on the Horse & Groom or to book a table or a room, contact Mike and Michelle on 01243 575339 or info@thehorseandgroomchichester.co.uk

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the H&G

Horse and Groom — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:00:13 +0000

Only a few days left to Christmas. We haven’t had the snow we did last year but the fire in the Horse & Groom bar is still roaring away regardless.

As usual, we’re open till late on Christmas Eve, 12-2pm on Christmas Day and 12-6pm on Boxing Day, the 27th and the 28th. It’s normal hours between the 29th and 31st, and then on New Year’s Day it’s 12-6pm. There’s always plenty of Christmas cheer, so pop in whenever you fancy.

Talking of being festive, there are still a few local Christmas carol concerts to enjoy. Chichester Cathedral has free concerts on the 22nd and 24th, and Pallant House Gallery has its own free sing-a-long on the 22nd.

If the vocal chords need a little encouragement, a real ale or two should do the trick, although you may not want to leave our cosy bar. Either way, add in a hearty meal and you’ve got the ingredients for a very festive evening.

As the weather is likely to be a bit milder, there will be plenty of regulars getting out and about. If you fancy a little bit more than a stroll to make room for some more fodder, the nearby Weald and Downland Museum is holding its Sussex Christmas until 1 January and Fontwell Park has its Boxing Day Racing.

We’re all looking forward to a festive couple of weeks and hope to see you. If you can’t make it in, merry Christmas and happy new year from everyone at the Horse & Groom!

For more info on the Horse & Groom or to book a table or a room, contact Mike and Michelle on 01243 575339 or info@thehorseandgroomchichester.co.uk