East Grinstead’s “lovely country manor house” Gravetye Manor will close on 2 January for four months to develop a new space for the hotel’s restaurant. Reopening in May 2018 the new look restaurant, under head chef George Blogg, is being designed by architect Sir Charles Knowles, in collaboration with interior designer Claire Nelson (The Ledbury and Elystan Street) and will link the beautiful Grade II listed gardens with the dining space.

The transformation includes a new construction of floor to ceiling glass walls to provide uninterrupted views of the hotel’s grounds. The existing restaurant will become a private dining room for up to 40 guests.

The restaurant will continue to serve its signature modern British menu using homegrown, seasonal produce from the Manor’s 1.5 acre Victorian walled kitchen garden. The menu will change weekly, subject to produce available, but sample dishes might include: Smoked salt-baked celeriac with black truffle, Isle of Gigha halibut and Newhaven squid, or pine-smoked haunch of fallow venison alongside Crown Prince pumpkin, cavolo nero, venison stuffing and Chartreuse sauce.