Chris Evans’ ‘fab food havens’

Newbridge Inn - Usk The menu has a traditional backbone, but new chef Lee Milne's CV includes stints at high-end establishments such as Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and The Vineyard at Stockcross

The Mulberry - Chiddingfold A log fire often blazes in the bar and there's an attractive covered terrace for al fresco meals. The Mulberry still sees itself as a modern-day country pub with real ales on tap and serves traditional roasts for Sunday lunch

'I love our pubs, love them,' enthuses Chris Evans, celebrity owner of a clutch of 'fab food havens with magical menus'. His nephew Mark Evans is the cheffing talent behind The Mulberry and the Lickfold Inn, and ensures that the output of the kitchens is local, seasonal and on-the-money.

The team currently has three venues under its belt (including the Newbridge Inn in Wales), and the signs are good. Evans Pubs are also in the business of doing good works: 50% of the group's profits now go to local children's charities.

The Lickfold Inn - Petworth Dating back to 1460, the centuries-old, timber-framed Lickfold Inn can be found in a pretty hamlet of handsome houses not far from Petworth. It's a lovely setting, with the trickling River Lod close by