The Swan Inn

No expense has been spared in restoring this Grade II-listed inn with rooms three miles from Petworth. In the comfortable bar (popular with local drinkers), there’s a mix of solid oak, ancient beams, a herringbone parquet floor and a brick-built inglenook fireplace, while panelling in the 46-cover dining room lends a touch of formal elegance to what is essentially a cosy room. On offer here is a keenly priced menu of pub classics and more modern bistro-style dishes, all cooked with aplomb, whether a hearty starter of grilled octopus with chorizo and peas in a buttery sauce, a classic ribeye with peppercorn sauce, or a generous serving of Normandy roast chicken. ‘Puddings’ (not 'desserts') such as apricot frangipane tart are a highlight, too. You might bump into adopted locals including Bryan Ferry, designer Martin Brudnizki or Mumford & Sons’ Ted Dwane, who supplies The Swan with his locally made Two Orchards cider, but this is no rural Groucho Club. For all its luxurious touches, it feels genuinely welcoming and is also mercifully affordable.