The Woodcote Redevelopment

The Woodcote is already a popular brasserie and restaurant that is well used by people from the village and surrounding area. 

However, the expansion is needed to ensure that the Woodcote is a financially viable business in the face of the ongoing significant challenges facing the hospitality sector, particularly in rural areas.

The reality is that the former pub model was not viable. Indeed, according to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) between 1st January 2025 and 22nd October 2025, the UK saw the closure of 901 pub businesses - 15 of which were in Sussex. A further 185 pubs - four of which were based in Sussex - were lost for ever, due for example, to demolition. Given that a typical pub employs around 15 people, these closures in Sussex resulted in the loss of as many as 285 jobs. 

To avoid The Woodcote becoming another one of these statistics, we consciously decided to take it on a different route by becoming a restaurant with guest rooms. 

The pub will be restored and refurbished and it will retain its original character, placing a strong emphasis on preserving much of the existing building fabric.

The plans outline a modest cluster of new buildings set behind the pub, including a fine dining restaurant, which will aspire to Michelin Green Star credentials and seat up to 40 guests. It also includes a new high-end accommodation lodge, housing 16 boutique rooms. Our lodges are designed to be like bird hides for nature lovers. 

The placement of the new buildings will follow the natural contours of the area so they will sit low in the landscape and remain clearly secondary to the historic pub.  

We employ 18 local staff, which includes some who live in Graffham, and we support many more jobs indirectly by using local farmers and suppliers. We plan to expand the number of full-time and part-time staff as the development gets underway and we remain committed to employing local people.

Stable year-round employment, apprenticeships, and the use of local trades and suppliers all depend on having a business that is viable beyond peak seasons. Without that stability, it becomes impossible to retain and train staff, maintain quality, or continue contributing to the local community.

The current site has been subject to ecological appraisal, which confirms that the existing fields have limited biodiversity value.  The Woodcote’s new proposals will deliver net ecological enhancement through the creation of wooded areas, meadows, orchard and restored hedgerows alongside sensitive management of existing trees, including the mature oak that anchors the courtyard layout. 

The final scheme will sit comfortably within its setting, and support the National Park’s aims by respecting  landform, restoring field structure and allowing the site to mature naturally within the wider landscape.

The new site supports the local landscape character by reinforcing rural patterns of settlement, retaining key trees and views, and working closely with the existing topography.

The new buildings will be deliberately modest, agricultural in character and made using locally appropriate materials - timber, flint and clay - so that they feel part of the landscape rather than placed upon it. They are designed to weather, to settle, and to belong. 

Our new drainage strategy will restore a marshy landscape that provides specific habitats for wildlife. Meadows, hedgerows and scrub are managed as habitats, not decoration.   

The intention is to leave the land richer in wildlife, more resilient to climate extremes, and more legible as part of the Downs.

We are seeking is a balance between conservation and viability, between tradition and change, between restraint and the practical needs of running a rural business that can survive for decades, not just years.  

We are fully committed to supporting village life. Along with others, we have made financial contributions to the village playground and church, and we believe The Woodcote is already providing a local community benefit which would be lost if it was not financially viable and had to close.

The wider community benefit is reinforced through local employment, the use of Sussex suppliers, engagement with local cultural initiatives and a strong emphasis on local produce and sustainability, which delivers both environmental and economic benefits. 

We will look to work with local schools to see if they want to use our land to support their curriculums. For example, we have already reached out to Graffham Infant School on this matter.

We believe the investment enhances the appeal of Graffham as a beautiful downland village, strengthens its position as a desirable and well supported village and contributes positively to the wider community and local economy.

We are planning a fine dining restaurant, which will aspire to Michelin Green Star credentials, and we will have managed sittings that encourage longer dwell times. The development is supported by 16 guest rooms which again is part of being a destination restaurant  We want guests to stay in and enjoy what it has to offer, from a traditional village pub in The Foresters, to beautiful countryside which they can explore.

No, weddings or events are not proposed as part of our planning application.

Supporting local farmers and suppliers is at the heart of our business.

As part of our ambition to qualify for a Michelin Green Star - which recognises restaurants at the forefront of sustainable practice - the Woodcote’s food ethos is based on seasonal produce and local sourcing. The menu will use ingredients grown on site where appropriate, supplemented by nearby Sussex suppliers. This reduces transport, supports the regional food economy, and allows the use of heritage and local varieties. 

We know that working with local farmers, growers and producers supports nature-friendly land management, including hedgerow restoration, mixed cropping and woodland edge planting. These practices reinforce the ecological setting of the site. The food approach aligns with the purposes of the South Downs National Park, linking the restaurant to local culture, biodiversity, landscape character and sustainable rural enterprise.

Tranquillity is a defining special quality of the National Park and has been treated as a core design and operational consideration. We are absolutely committed to preserving the peace and tranquillity of Graffham and will proactively manage any traffic to the site through planned arrivals. Diners are encouraged to stay in our accommodation which reduces traffic and noise. There will be an electric shuttle vehicle service that will be made available to staying guests, delivery scheduling and we will encourage walking and cycling.  

Noise impacts will be formally assessed through a Noise Impact Assessment in line with BS4142 and BS8233, as requested by Environmental Health. Mitigation includes acoustic insulation, careful siting of plant, low-noise electric vehicles and operational controls. The relationship with nearby residential properties and public rights of way has been carefully considered, with distances of over 150 metres to the nearest dwellings and extensive landscape buffering.

From an operational point of view, the design supports tranquillity, which is important to our guests, neighbours and business model. Lighting is minimal, and parking is carefully screened, and  there are no proposals for weddings or large events. Our lodges are designed to be like bird hides for nature lovers.

No, under the noise mitigation plans, there will be clear restrictions on delivery hours. 

The site sits within the South Downs Dark Sky Core Area, and an assessment of The Woodcote’s plans complies with relevant lighting guidance. Low-level warm colour lighting will be used along with a fully shielded scheme using motion sensors and curfews.

The proposal retains the existing public right of way while making it far easier for walkers to use by creating a clear and accessible opening in the hedge.

New parking area has been designed as permeable or no-dig surfaces to manage drainage and avoid flooding.

New areas of mixed native scrub are proposed alongside the permeable car park where a thickened hedgerow is indicated in the landscape strategy. These areas will function as dense, low-level habitat and shelter for local wildlife.

The scheme targets BREEAM Excellent and incorporates passive design, heat pumps, water-saving measures, rainwater harvesting and smart controls. Demolition of existing buildings is justified on functional and sustainability grounds. They are not of heritage value (they were built in the 1980s) and their replacement allows for significantly improved energy performance. Materials will be reused where possible, supported by a pre-demolition audit and resource management plan.

The expansion is needed to ensure that the Woodcote is a financially viable business in the face of the ongoing significant challenges facing the hospitality sector, particularly in rural areas.

We are not trying to change the spirit of the Woodcote but rather protect and enhance it. They allow us to run a thoughtful, well-managed rural business that serves both locals and visitors, while respecting the landscape that makes this place special.

Graffham is a wonderful village and we are lucky to be part of this community.    As conditions become more challenging for the hospitality sector, we are determined to ensure that The Woodcote remains a vibrant destination at the heart of village life, providing not only a place to socialise over a drink and food or to enjoy a short break, but also delivering essential jobs and training which help the local economy.

We would ask people to see our proposal as an act of long-term stewardship – one that aims to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of this place and become a custodian of the natural beauty of our part of the South Downs National Park.   

Working together with our many partners on this journey,  we hope to create a legacy that we can all be proud of while ensuring the Woodcote remains alive, useful and valued.