This summer heralded the much-anticipated opening of a new Cotswold pub from the West-Country’s best-loved pub landlord pair, Tom Noest and Peter Creed. Shining examples of country publicans, the two perfectly encapsulate hard work and graft and as a result have built up their own independent monopoly of country pubs over the last 7 years, and quite the reputation too. Tom and Peter met whilst working at The Wheatsheaf Inn, in Northleach over a decade ago, with Tom manning the bar and Pete taking the helm as Operations Director for the larger group, The Lucky Onion.
The dynamic duo started their independent pub group with the opening of the much-lauded Bell Inn in Langford in 2017, which earned huge recognition from restaurant critics just weeks after opening. Dolly Alderton was 'charmed into submission by a Cotswold Classic' and their bone marrow flatbread become known as Giles Coren’s favourite, indeed it was his 'best mouthful of the year, best mouthful of my life more like'.
This was swiftly followed by an approach from Nick Jones at Soho Farmhouse, where they operated The Little Bell in 2019 for five years, and then followed The Lamb Inn in Shipton under Wychwood, a 16th-century pub with a lively bar, a delicious and locally sourced menu and beautifully done bedrooms. It went on to be named The Sunday Times pub with rooms of the year in 2021. One would think that two inns, and a popular pop-up at Soho Farmhouse would be enough to keep the pair busy, but their story continues to grow.
2023 saw the culinary duo return to their roots. The Sherborne Arms in Northleach, just a stone's throw across the marketplace from their original haunt, the Wheatsheaf, had been derelict for 3 years until Peter and Tom took on the lease. A quintessential Cotswold village pub dating back to the 1700’s, they restored the 100-cover pub and added 3 en-suite bedrooms. Steeped in history, the Sherborne began life as a blacksmiths’ forge, and in the early 1900’s, when it was repurposed into a pub, the publicans used to cook food in the original forge. It quickly became a local favorite. That year, they also took over The Fox Inn, Broadwell.
It’s the little details and nuances that distinguish the pair’s pubs - that and their names which are painstakingly hand painted above the front door of all of their buildings.
And so, to their latest opening, The Tivoli in Cheltenham. which flung open its doors at the end of July, epitomising the essence of country life - in the heart of a bustling town. Situated on the corner of Andover Street, The Tivoli gives the feel that it’s always been there. The Tivoli is their first venture with a more urban location, yet the pub is in-keeping with their decidedly rural ethos and aesthetic, both in terns of interior design and food direction.
‘We noticed more and more that people we’d consider ‘locals’ in our village pubs were actually flocking to the countryside at the weekend, from Cheltenham and some of the bigger towns around us,’ says Peter. ‘It seemed like there was a gap for a pub like ours in town, and after a few false starts we got the keys to The Tivoli. We’re so enthused by the response so far, and we absolutely love being in the mix in Cheltenham. The area we’re in feels like a real sense of community in the town, sort of like Notting Hill in London. There’s a mega deli down the road, Maison Chaplais, which literally kept us going through the refurb and build; The Tivoli Wine Shop is fantastic and there is a brilliant market every month - we’re really, really enjoying our time here so far.’
The new seasonal menu offers a well-rounded array of dishes inspired by local produce and a nose-to-tail philosophy. Leading the way with both authentic and innovative takes on pub classics, the pub serves dishes that are both understated and delicious, many using traditional recipes - sharing pies are on weekly, blackboards are chalked up with steak options, devilled kidneys on toast are an evergreen dish; mussels come with cider and bacon, and fat Rollright cheeses are baked and served whole. There are also lighter options, with fresh and thoughtful salads available year round that change regularly - although the proper chicken caesar stays on. Noest says ‘We are so fortunate to have some absolutely exceptional suppliers around us in the Cotswolds, so we keep things simple and let the work of these wonderful producers sing for themselves. Our veg supplier is based in Aldsworth - Cotswold Market Garden - and he does really brilliant at-home boxes as well. Our meat comes from Walter Rose; our venison is usually shot and supplied by Pete! And we have a great relationship with the Barington Estate - we do the food for their shoots in return for their game.’
The group of pubs has cultivated a fantastic team of staff members - many of the fresh-faced staff at The Tivoli beam as they buzz around. The opening has created around 30 jobs in the town. What does the future hold for the pair - are there any new openings to keep an eye out for? Peter laughs. ‘We’re fine for now. We revamped The Bell and all the rooms earlier this year, and we really wanted to get this place open during summer, so that’s us for the rest of the year. We’re independently funded which we love, but it does mean that we are limited with our expansion - which suits us just fine. Next year though… well, we’ll see, shall we.’
thetivolicheltenham.com
