Hare and Hounds tops Sunday Times best small hotel list

The Hare and Hounds in Bowland Bridge the 2023 Times and Sunday Times list for best small hotels. 

Landlords Simon Rayner-Langmead and Andrew Black opened the pub in August 2021. 

Simon said they were 'absolutely flabbergasted' to come first on the list.

He said: "We were like really? We've only been open for a year. I never expected that we would get this award and we were absolutely blown away.

"From a team morale point of view, it has been incredible. It has been amazing for them to already be acknowledged for their hard work."

When asked why he thought the pub had done so well, the publican said: "We didn't want to be another Michelin star restaurant but wanted to get quality local food and have some interesting dishes. Simple but elegant. Last year we had evenings called summer sessions."

One of the bedrooms available to guests of The Hare and Hounds (Image: The Hare and Hounds)

These sessions had different events and styles, including Lebanese evenings, BBQ, Filipino tasting menus, visits from the wine supplier and gin blending sessions. 

The pub has not only generated interest from the Times but also from the Guardian, the Financial Times, the Daily Mail and the Telegraph. 

READ MORE: Residents congratulate best pub in Furness according to CAMRA

However, Simon does not want to alienate the locals: "Something that has been a huge deal is keeping a bar area for drinking. We wanted to keep an area so our locals can just hop in and have a pint.

One of the dishes available to guests (Image: The Hare and Hounds)

"The Hare and Hounds is an old coaching inn. Your visitors who were on coaches would spend time talking to locals, and locals would impart their knowledge on the local area to visitors."

On the coronation weekend, the Hare and Hounds is going to do an auction where people give their time rather than their money. 

Simon said he was surprised to hear that the inn had done so well (Image: The Hare and Hounds)

This is based on the principle that the Saturday will be for family, Sunday for friends, and Monday for your community. 

Simon said: "We are asking people to donate their time. Time is so precious for people that it means more than giving things. Someone will come and do your garden, someone has offered to do a takeaway and bring it to your house. Somebody is donating a day at their boathouse on the lake."