Sophie, who is local to Woolsery, is the Assistant Manager at The Farmers Arms.
She’s been with us from almost the very beginning; joining two months after we opened in November 2019. She began her Collective career as a kitchen porter, then moved to the fish and chip shop before becoming part of the front of house team at the pub.
In her current role, she works alongside Head Chef Toby Neal, and the rest of the Farmers Arms team ‘to meet the best standards and ensure the customers have the best experience,’ she says.
‘I especially love working alongside Birch Farm! We make our own cordials and cocktails for the bar using ingredients grown there. We’ve also started to host functions at our Potting Shed on the farm. Whether an open day or private event, I love that the locals can come along and see everything we do. They also love a Friday night at our pub, when the atmosphere is buzzing.
‘The Farmers Arms is special to me because I’ve watched the pub go from a derelict building to the most amazing space; watching the project grow is so exciting. We have beautiful cottages and rooms, the restaurant, the shop and our farm. The Collective has brought our village back to life.’
Her hot tip for the best table at the pub is the one in the centre of the dining area: table 25. ‘It’s lovely in the summer when the garden doors are open and facing out onto the greenery of the garden. Our gardeners have grown some amazing plants out there and It always looks beautiful. Meanwhile, in the winter it’s the table next to an open fire, so it’s also the cosy spot,’ she says.
Right now – summer 2025 – her favourite dish on the menu is the nettle and ramson dumplings with crispy hen’s egg, mushrooms and asparagus. ‘It’s just beautiful.’
Image: Jon Carland