The Lion Brasserie in East Bergholt has been named winner of the Pub of the Year award, sponsored by Everard Cole, at the East of England Tourism Awards 2022-2023.

The Lion Brasserie is an 18th century pub located in East Bergholt, Suffolk. It was purchased in 2014 by Jonathan Peachey, who lived next door and wanted to turn the space into a simple, elegant eatery for locals and tourists alike.

Mr Peachy closed the pub in 2018 and carried out a major refurbishment project, re-opening in September 2020.

The pub is passionate about sourcing local, sustainable produce, with head chef Ashley Robertson sourcing fish from West Mersea, meat from John Coleman Butchers in Colchester, and fruit and vegetables from a supplier nearby in Lawford.

It also has a scheme that enables customers to sell their surplus homegrown fruits and vegetables to the pub in exchange for ‘Lion Pounds’ – which can be put towards food and drink in the bar and dining rooms.

The Lion Brasserie will also soon open four B&B rooms on its upper floors.

Initial impressions of The Lion Brasserie were “very good” on arrival for the judges. They said the planting in the gardens and terrace were “outstanding” and the wooden sculpture of a lion was “a lovely feature”.

They said that “from arrival to departure, all team members were very friendly, courteous and helpful”. In addition, the food arrived quickly and was “beautifully presented and cooked to perfection”.

Overall, the judges said the “quality of the food”, together with the “exceptional service from the team”, made The Lion Brasserie stand out as a winner in this category.

 

The finalists

Silver - The Angel at Watlington

The Angel is located in Watlington, just outside of King’s Lynn in Norfolk, and offers a menu with a huge emphasis on local produce.

The pub also offers children’s menus and board games in the snug bar and has two horses on site.

The judges said that they were “well looked-after” by the team and that the food was “well-presented” and “tasted amazing”. They added that the pub has “a definite focus on highquality food served efficiently and always with a smile”.

Bronze - The Kings Head Bawburgh

The Kings Head is a familyrun gastropub and B&B in Bawburgh, Norfolk. It offers a wide range of local ales and wines and a seasonal ’48.5’ menu in its AA rosette restaurant – featuring produce from suppliers located within 48.5 miles of the pub.

The judges praised the “amazing” food and drink at The Kings Head and “loved the emphasis on local produce”.

They also said that “all team members were focused on providing excellent customer service and a positive experience for all guests”.

 

About the sponsor

Everard Cole is a commercial property consultancy specialising in the licensed, leisure and hotel sector.

The company provides professional advice in all areas of commercial property.

It has a unique insight into the licensed leisure and development sector gained from many years working for leased and managed pub operators, the private market, hotels, restaurants, as well as a wide spectrum of leisure operators.

The company’s expertise lies in property acquisition, disposal, valuation and professional work. It can also assist with rent reviews, lease renewals, valuations for bank lending and pension funds.

Everard Cole operates nationwide but has an expert knowledge and a detailed understanding of local markets throughout East Anglia.