Sussex village pub notches up eight years of success ... This is how

The Bat and Ball in Wisborough Green has pulled out all the stops since the pandemic and is now set to celebrate its eighth birthday under current management.

General manager Daniel Webber puts its success down to paying attention to detail in all it does, its dedicated staff and its venue.

"We are obsessed with homemade and homegrown,” said Daniel. “A couple of years ago we built a 1,300 square foot polytunnel where we use recycled water to grow all of our own leafy greens and other kitchen produce.

"We blend and roast our own coffee; smoke our own meats and cheeses; and make homemade Limoncello. We have a highly qualified mixologist who uses local ingredients in our bespoke cocktail menu.”

And, he added: “The Bat & Ball is a beautiful venue. Alongside that polytunnel are several greenhouses where we grow thousands of decorative flowers. In the summer, we are a 400-seat venue with five separate outdoor areas. Each area has a specific theme and feel.

"We regularly get asked about our grounds crew team, and customers are regularly surprised when they find out we don't have one.

“Although the venue is impressive by nature, we work hard to ensure that our finishing touches set us apart. We installed over 200 smart bulbs during lockdown that automatically dim according to sunset to ensure the right atmosphere is achieved. We use about 120 candles a week.

"During winter months, we have three log fires that are lit every day. In summer and winter, weather permitting, we have outdoor firepits lit daily on our front patio.”

But, says Daniel, the pub could not achieve the success it has without the benefit of its staff and three ‘lifers’ running the business. Both Daniel himself is well experienced in the pub industry, along with his mum Caroline and her partner Richard Hayward.

They head ‘an incredibly close’ team. “We work hard to make them feel valued and involved in the business. From day one, I made a point of giving complete transparency of the business workings to our staff. Our weekly newsletter lets every staff member see our takings, gross profit, and other key numbers.

“We employ a young team who are very close. Last year we had our first Bat & Ball staff members get married, with another staff member being the best man – they did not know each other before joining us.”

And he credits the pub’s staff for getting the business back up and running after Covid. “We managed to retain almost all of our team of over 40 staff members throughout Covid, and they paid that off every time we were open.

"It was touch and go for a while coming out of Covid and we struggled with some of the rules and cash flow etc but our team got us through.”

The pub currently employs a team of seven professional chefs, nine back of house support staff, 27 front of house employees and five managers.

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And they are all getting ready to celebrate the business’s eighth birthday. “Being open for eight years is no small feat in the restaurant industry and we have always had really good support from our local community,” said Daniel.

The pub is marking its birthday by launching a new menu in its Haywards restaurant on Friday (September 29) with a meet-and-greet with new chef Peter White. There will also be a live acoustic set that evening from Ellie Baker and a complimentary Champagne toast.

"We are inviting as many local and regular customers as possible to dine and celebrate with us,” said Daniel.

The Bat and Ball hit the headlines last year when it launched a series of quirky electricity-free ‘blackout nights’ as energy costs soared across the country.

The pub turned out all the lights, unplugged its tills and muted all its speakers for what it called ‘an intimate electricity-free dining experience.’