LIVE24SEVEN // Wining & Dining Lovely Pubs, LOVELY FOOD, LOYAL TEAM….


The Crabmill, one part of the ultra-successful Lovely Pubs group, has been at the heart of the foodie scene in Warwickshire for many years. The success of the group stems from the creative owners right through to the dedicated team, all handpicked and often with a wonderful story of their own.


Take Dillyn Saunders, who started his career in hospitality in 2002 having arrived in the UK from South Africa to play rugby. His passion for hospitality soon took over his love of the game and the rest, as they say, is history.


Dillyn joined the Lovely Pubs group in 2009, working at The Farm at Monkspath where he honed his skills before taking on responsibility for Mortons in Dickens Heath, which Dillyn described as, “Completely different, something very new that helped develop a whole new set of skills for me”. Being young and hungry, he wanted to test his skills elsewhere and a stint at Carluccio’s meant he gained experience in a different dining environment whilst also allowing him more time with his family – a ‘patient wife’, as Dillyn describes her, and three little ones that keep him on his toes!


Commenting on his 20 years plus with the business Gavin said, "There are lots of reasons for remaining loyal to Lovely Pubs, but the most significant for me is that I have a strong appre- ciation and respect for the owners and the way that they’re not afraid to get stuck in when we’re busy. It’s this ethos that ensures that staff feel part of a family and that the owners understand the demands not only on the staff, but those of our customers too."


Like many people that work for Lovely Pubs, the lure to work for the group is very strong and in 2015 the owners offered Dillyn a job at their prestigious venue in Preston Bagot, The Crabmill, popular for its setting, great food offering and social scene. “I jumped at the chance to work with Lovely Pubs again, the timing for me was perfect,” Dillyn commented. “ The Crabmill is a very unique building and as a restaurant it offers far more than just food and drink, it’s a social establishment, a meeting place for friends, colleagues, families, anyone that wants to enjoy what is an amazing menu and atmosphere.”


Joining Dillyn at The Crabmill is long-serving member of the group, Head Chef Gavin Nixon, doing a job he loves and has earned through over 20 years of hard work and dedication to the group.


Gavin believes the keystone of Lovely Pubs boils down to the original vision of Paul Salisbury and Paul Hales: good honest food, great service, in a stylish traditional pub with a twist!


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Joined by Adam, The Crabmill’s sous chef, Gavin puts together an incredible seasonal menu that evolves around the very finest fresh local produce, and if that isn’t available, the best of British! Customers enjoy the taste of quality combined with an eye for creativity, tasty dishes that include the likes of ‘Pan-fried hake, first of the season Dorset peas, Mudwalls Farm celeriac, Hereford white asparagus, summer girolles and Oxsprings’ air dried ham’, as well as ‘Pan-fried seabass, English heritage tomatoes, burrata, sea vegetables, orange infused extra virgin olive oil’.


With numerous great venues within the group, to include


The Boot in Lapworth, The Orange Tree, The Queens Head and The Moat House, guests can also hire out the stylish teepees available at several of the venues, which are ideal for private parties this summer.


Visit their website for more information Lovelypubs.co.uk or speak to any member of the team for details.


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