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A 15th century pub at the heart of Brede has risen to the challenge of meeting the village’s needs by baking its own bread.

It might be an unusual product for a pub but the Red Lion’s freshly made ‘Brede bread’ has proved popular and, with no grocery shop in the village, locals as well as hikers, walkers and campers at the Dogwood Cottage Campsite have come to rely on it.

Natalie Campbell-Crabb, who took over the running of the independent pub with her partner Philip Graham in September 2018, said: “We have a lot of hikers and walkers who pop in, who are delighted to see local produce.

“They love to see that we’ve got this, there isn’t anywhere else in the village unless you go to the farmers market on a Friday.

David Vaughan, Jackie Godley, Natalie Campbell-Crabb and Sue Medhurst with produce sold at the Red Lion

“You’ve got the church and then you’ve got the pub.”

As well as the homemade bread, which varies from white, wholemeal, spelt Roman or foccacia, the pub sells a range of other local produce made by villagers – including chutney, locally pressed apple juice, eggs and even chocolate from a local chocolatier.

Natalie said building this mutual relationship with residents was key.

“It’s important for us to support what’s going on in the village,” she said. “We are supported by the village, they are our bread and butter.”

How this historic Brede pub’s ‘unique’ products have helped it thrive