Food sourcing: A tradition worth keeping at the Coach & Horses

A return to the traditions of local sourcing is paying dividends for a 300 year old village pub. The pub the Coach and Horses in Lubenham, Leicestershire, dates from the 1700s, but Everards tenants Andy and Dawn Moore believe their approach is right up-to-the-minute, with local food what today's customers want.

Since a major refurbishment in 2006, the pub has become more food focused. Its menu uses local, seasonal produce and aims to respond to the tastes of its regulars.

The Coach and Horses' new menu, which launches this month, expands choice, with affordable specials such as sausage and mash and liver and onions.

Dawn, who cooks at the pub with help from son Peter, says: "We are managing to sustain the same level of trade as last year but we are not complacent. We listen to what our customers say about our food. People want value for money but they want quality too.

"We buy all our meat from butcher Joseph Morris of Lutterworth who sources his British meat from local farms and a number of our customers buy their meat from him too. We are very impressed with the quality."

Andy has a small allotment in the village which grows seasonal produce for the pub. In summer this includes nearly all the salad leaves needed, as well as cherry tomatoes. In winter the pub gets leeks, parsnips and onions from the allotment.

Other vegetables are bought at the Farndon Farm Shop a couple of miles away, with larger orders delivered daily by a Harborough greengrocer, trading as Five a Day, who goes to markets for the vegetables.

Dawn is a self-taught cook, using the internet for ideas and adapting recipes. Peter has more formal experience and started working in kitchens at the age of 16.

Home-made food is a feature, from pies with traditional short crust pastry to the pub's own puddings. Seasonal produce sourced as available - in winter, for example, the local shoot provides pheasant for Dawn's game pies.

The pub has a restaurant area that can seat 48 wit food also served in the lounge, bar and patio area. Affordable lunchtime menu deals are available for all, not just pensioners, and Andy and Dawn are also considering an 'early doors' option to provide further value.

The Moores have worked closely with Everards to develop the new menu, including using the company's design and print expertise. They have also benefited from marketing advice with ideas such as money off vouchers and promoting calendar events.

A staff incentive scheme for up-selling on food to encourage customers to order coffees and desserts was another idea they are keen to follow up and they are finalising the details before putting it into operation.