The Three Bells, Hordle, New Forest (From Daily Echo)

The Three Bells, Hordle, New Forest

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IT used to be a tiny village separated from its nearest neighbours by miles of farmland.

The New Forest settlement of Hordle, situated between the towns of Lymington and New Milton, had just 446 residents at the beginning of the 19th century.

The figure had jumped by more than 1,000 by 1931 and has continued to grow ever since.

Today, Hordle has a population of more than 5,000. The Three Bells has also grown in size but, like the village itself, has managed to retain its rural character.

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The pub was closed for six months last year while the building was refurbished and a 20- bedroom Premier Inn was built at the back.

Described as more of a restaurant than a pub, it attracts diners from as far afield as Christchurch and Holbury and serves up to 100 meals an hour.

The open plan venue boasts 150 covers – and is currently offering a recession-busting deal of two meals for £9.

Hordle – thought to be short for Horde Hill – is only a few miles from attractions such as Hurst Castle and Sway Tower.

However, the village is away from the main tourist trail in the Forest and most of the pub’s customers are local.

The Three Bells tends to be used by older residents during the day.

In the evening they tend to make way for a younger crowd, who like to play the fruit machines or watch the large plasma screen TV in the corner of the bar.

Situated next to the crossroads in the centre of the village, the pub is the only Brewers Fayre in the area.

The manager is Rosie Horne, who worked at The Balmoral in Southampton and The Somerford in Christchurch before moving to the Three Bells at the beginning of the year.

She said: “It has a welcoming environment and is very much a home from home. It’s also very cosy in the winter.

“There are sofas in the bar area so you can relax in comfort and do some work on your laptop.”

Key members of staff include deputy manager Spencer Chamberlain, kitchen manager Vernon Webster and the three team leaders, Jenni Wheatley, Jackie Kipling and Louise Rayner.