Review

The Griffin Inn
Fletching
East Sussex TN22 3SS
01852 722890

I had a vision for our weekend away in the country. It involved the perfect country pub in the perfect English village, muddy walks, a roaring fire, hearty fare and plenty of good quality liquid nourishment. On all counts, the 16th century Griffin Inn, in the idyllic village of Fletching, hit the mark.

Since being taken over by the ebullient Pullan family, the inn has gone from strength to strength and was crowed with locals and London escapees alike when we arrived. The first thing that strikes you about The Griffin, which is divided into a cosy bar and white tablecloth dining area, is that it still feels like a proper pub rather than a restaurant in pubs' clothes.

There are bar and restaurant menus, and the food is modern British with European influences. The oft-repeated mantra of seasonal and local is put into practice here, with meat and veg supplied by local farmers. We even caught James Pullan talking on the phone to his fisherman in Rye. Prices in the late teens for m...