Siblings Josh and Holly Eggleton have just taken on an exciting new project by acquiring The Pelican pub in Chew Magna, North Somerset. Sitting at the centre of this pretty village on the edge of the Mendips, Josh and Holly have joined forces with life-long school friends and fellow publicans Lottie & Josh Bryant, also siblings, to launch this brand-new addition to the much-loved hospitality group.
The project will be completed in two phases, beginning with the opening of the ground floor pub on 15th November to bring this popular watering hole back to the local community. However, the team have grander plans for the site with the addition of 10 bedrooms currently in progress and set to launch in spring/summer 2025.
The Pelican will form an extension of its sister restaurant, The Pony, (just a 5-minute drive or 40-minute walk across the fields) and will be very connected once the rooms launch – the room development and guest experience will be overseen by Holly Eggleton, as part of The Pony offering. The idea is that overnight guests will be able to move between the places seamlessly, with the addition of bicycles and a complimentary shuttle service. The team plan to build experiential stay packages around The Pony’s restaurant, gardens and Cookery School, so that guests can have real variety and immersion during their stay, while also being encouraged to explore the scenic Chew Valley – a hidden gem of northern Somerset.
The village of Chew Magna has a thriving community and high street lined with independent delis, gift shops and a wine tasting room. Nearby there is Chew Valley Lake, with the Salt & Malt fish and chip shop (part of The Pony Group), and Chew Valley Animal Park.
At its heart is The Pelican, which has been an inn or hotel of some kind since being first established in 1615. The team have worked hard to restore and renovate the entire property, while connecting the main pub to a barn that was formerly a private dining and events space. They have achieved this by working with a local architect and Josh Bryant’s own construction company to extend the pub into a glass room with herringbone terracotta floor tiles, and space for tables and chairs, creating two seating areas. The main bar benefits from an open fire, tall original sash windows and wooden shutters, and a large, open bar with stools. The walls will be lined with local vintage photos showcasing moments of Chew Magna’s history. The exterior has been repainted in a dark green and the courtyard to the rear will have planters and outside seating.
Phase one will involve the opening of The Pelican on 15th November 2024, aiming to provide a pub for the local community. It will be serving beers, ales and ciders led by Bristol Beer Factory and Wilding Cider, as well as a great wine list featuring guest wines from neighbours, The Wine Room. Later, there will be a programme of live music nights and events.
The opening menu will be a selection of carefully curated bar snacks, such as pickle pots and crisps made at The Pony using produce from its market garden and eggs from local hens. There will also be tinned fish and snacks from Somerset Charcuterie, such as fennel salami and blue cheese & cider pokers.
Local pizza truck Soul Dough will visit on Thursday-Saturday evenings, with Edd bringing his woodfired oven embedded into his Land Rover. The pizzas are made with flour milled in Wookey Hole and mozzarella made in Glastonbury, and there will be special toppings created for The Pelican visitors.
No reservations for the pub or pizza nights, walk-ins only.
For phase two in spring/summer 2025, the team will unveil 10 bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms and king-size beds, some with rolltop bathtubs. The vision is to create a feeling of deep comfort and calm in the country, through soft furnishings, homemade touches and timeless design. More details about the food offering and guest experience will be revealed next spring.
Josh & Holly Eggleton says: “We have always wanted to have accommodation as part of The Pony family, it’s been an aspiration of ours for years and we’ve kept a lookout for the right location. We used to go to The Pelican as kids and have fond memories of it, so it’s a natural extension for us to give it a new lease of life while growing The Pony experience beyond the restaurant.”
Lottie & Josh Bryant added: “Having run a pub in the valley for the past five years, we’re excited to be teaming up with old friends to bring something new to Chew Magna. We share Josh & Holly’s love for hospitality and for the Chew Valley area, so teaming up on this project has been the most rewarding experience and we can’t wait to welcome people through the doors.”
The Pony Group is a family-run hospitality business by brother and sister Josh & Holly Eggleton. With community at its heart, it has built a reputation for quality, locally sourced, artisanal dishes across its different venues. The group includes The Pony Chew Valley with its panoramic views over the hills, a restaurant, cookery school, ornamental and edible gardens, beehives and orchards; renowned fish and chip restaurants Salt & Malt (Wapping Wharf, Chew Valley); neighbourhood pub and chophouse, The Kensington Arms (Bristol); and modern vegetable-led Root restaurants (Bristol, Wells).
One of their key objectives is for their businesses to contribute to local communities. Josh has founded initiatives in their hometown city of Bristol such as The Anti-Banquet in February this year, which raised £100,000 for the Bristol Local Food Fund. He also founded Team Canteen, a community interest company spearheading numerous charity projects for food businesses and underrepresented communities, which will again provide meals for the homeless in Bristol this Christmas.
In 2021, Josh was awarded an MBE for services to the community in Bristol during Covid-19, having founded Cheers Drive – the precursor to Team Canteen – in partnership with Caring in Bristol, to feed the city’s homeless three meals a day.
Josh and Holly Eggleton grew up in South Bristol near the picturesque Chew Valley in North Somerset. They have become respected figures in the UK culinary scene and share a commitment to excellence and innovation in hospitality. Their passion for the industry, and Josh’s early fascination with food, reflect the influence of their grandparents and parents. Hospitality and hard work were defining parts of their childhood, sitting together at the table every evening as a family, with a vegetable patch in their garden for cutting herbs and digging potatoes.
Josh started baking at an early age and his first job was at a local fish and chip shop aged 15. Following an apprenticeship, he became Head Chef at Bristol’s The Olive Shed restaurant, and in 2003 won the prestigious Gordon Ramsay College Scholar competition. He established his name running a hugely popular Michelin-starred pub with sister Holly, as well as taking part in BBC Two’s Great British Menu three times, and Channel 4’s The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes, documenting a pop-up restaurant run by a team with early onset dementia. He focuses on elevated contemporary British cooking, taking inspiration from the local area. At The Pony, he is now learning more about growing and harvesting his own produce and sharing these skills with others.
Holly Eggleton was just 19 years old when she took on Front of House Manager at The Pony & Trap, managing front of house as well as weddings and private events. In 2014 Holly’s achievements were recognised with her being named Front of House Manager of the Year in the Top 50 Gastropub awards. In 2016, she was awarded The Caterer’s Acorn ’30 Under 30’ award. As the business has grown over the years, so too has her involvement, being integral to supporting across The Pony Group family. At the forefront of each restaurant’s operations and development, she manages all recruitment, HR, apprenticeships and local relationships. Having completed a BA (Hons) in Fashion and Textiles Design while running The Pony & Trap, she is also hands-on with design within the restaurant group. At the recently opened The Pony, she is responsible for front of house, weddings and private events, building bespoke packages and being on hand to help with planning and delivery.
Siblings Lottie & Josh Bryant have been running a popular local pub in the Chew Valley for the past five years, alongside their day jobs – Josh’s construction company has overseen the whole development of The Pelican, having also worked on the recent development of The Pony. They attended Chew Valley School with Josh & Holly, then Lottie worked in hospitality in the local area from a young age, always enjoying pub life from the other side of the bar.
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Image credits: Ed Schofield
