AN INSPECTOR CALLS

His mission: To test hotel hospitality to the limit

THE George & Dragon is a little pub with a big soul — and it will restore your faith in British hospitality.

Not that everything is perfect. A half-drunk bottle of water loiters in the fridge of my room in a building that used to be stables and I’m not taken by the fake flowers.

But Jon and Simon, who bought the place six years ago, have become an asset to the local community, supporting other businesses and putting on events that entice people from far and wide.

‘It’s more of a lifestyle than a pub,’ says my wife. Which means live music, a ukulele club, quizzes, an open mic night, helpful service — and (sometimes wild) parties galore.

The bohemian vibe is reflected in the garden’s Bedouin tent, where we shelter from the sun during an al fresco breakfast. Inside, the flagstoned bar is the definition of cosy. There’s a dynamic selection of real ales and ciders and the food is all local produce cooked simply and priced sensibly.

Rooms cost just £75 midweek, rising to £90 at weekends, breakfast included. It’s pretty, too. A red-brick facade, low, old wooden doors (on

which one sign reads: ‘He too proud to bend his head takes an aching pate to bed’), all hidden down a little lane near Shipley, West Sussex.

Jon looks weary as he arrives with our eggs and bacon. He’s been helping out at a friend’s party and hasn’t had any sleep. He’s a party person — and this is a party pub with its heart in the right place.