Blue Ship

23/10/2026

Due to the storm and subsequent cancellations we will be closing this evening. We shall reopen as usual tomorrow.

16/10/2026

Is anyone missing a dog....we are not at the pub but our cctv has picked up this dog who has been trying to get in our garden and looked quite stressed so we wanted to put out a picture in case anyone is looking for him / her...

12/10/2026

This is the reality of running a pub right now...its all about survival, minimising overheads and making it work. Some are quick to criticise our business plan and reduced opening hours but the reality is...that is why we are still here 15 years on and now a Freehouse. But be that as it may, summer trade is over and its quietened right down now Autumn has arrived so we need customer support, just like all rural village pubs do.
Show your support and book a table using Our Autumn discount code AUTUMN20 and receive 20% off your total food bill. T&C's apply.
🍁🎃🍁

🍻Britain is set to lose one pub per day throughout 2026 following nearly 300 permanent closures during the first nine months of this year, according to industry figures.

👉Analysts at the British B**r and Pub Association (BBPA) said they anticipate the closures will result in approximately 5,000 job losses throughout the sector.

Publicans have attributed the latest wave of closures to the heavy tax burden and regulatory expenses impacting the industry, despite recent business rates relief for pubs.

Fresh data from the BBPA revealed that 295 British pubs closed their doors permanently by the end of September since the beginning of the year.

England experienced 226 pub closures in total during this period, while 64 shut in Scotland and five closed in Wales.

Across England, the South East and North West witnessed particularly elevated closure rates, with 42 and 39 closures respectively.

The trade organisation predicted that approximately 360 pubs will close permanently by year's end.

This is expected to lead to roughly 5,000 job losses, with over half of these positions being occupied by under-25s, the BBPA stated.

The pub industry has received a 15% reduction to business rates for the current financial year with a 20% reduction coming next year.

Industry leaders acknowledged recent support will provide significant assistance but called on Andy Burnham to address other taxes and employment costs affecting businesses.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said: "When a local closes, the damage is felt far and wide.
"It's not just workers, communities, our heritage and high streets who lose out when a pub closes – the Treasury loses, on average, £200,000 in tax receipts every time a local calls last orders.

"The Prime Minister has pledged that the cavalry is coming, which is why we're asking Government to tackle the root of the problem through a permanently fair and sustainable rates burden, freezing b**r duty, increasing draught relief and reviewing employment costs for under-25s.

"This will mean we can carry on keeping people in jobs, boosting the economy, and being at the heart of communities."

✍Kate Lally

09/10/2026

The weekend is here and it definitely feels much more autumnal suddenly...so what could be better than true comfort food in the form of a delicious Sunday roast! Or dont fancy a roast...don't worry as our full menu is served on Sunday's so there is still plenty of choice 😋
All of our meat is local, our b**rs are local, we even have local w**e...so why not support your local pub and book a table this weekend 🥰

07/10/2026

And this is why village pubs, just like us and others local to here (some of whom have been very vocal just recently about serious lack of trade) need support, especially as we now approach winter and summer trade comes to an end....
Given that Clarkson has possibly one of the busiest pubs in this country and says he would not take on another one knowing what he now knows...what hope does that give the rest of us!
And yet the general public still have the perception that running a pub is easy and must be brilliant...the reality could not be further from that!
https://www.facebook.com/share/1JomcHowvD/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Jeremy Clarkson says he wouldn’t open another pub in the UK.

Stats this week suggest footfall at pubs has fallen, but is up at chicken shops.

With fewer under-40s drinking regularly, have we reached last orders?

Nicky Campbell asks: “Is there a future for pubs?”

28/09/2026

We are selling our shepherd hut which is currently fully set up and operational as a mobile bar with b**r pumps, b**r cooler, w**e fridges and fridges, spirit shelves and counter areas for making / serving drinks and a sink. Also includes a basic till. Power set up so just plug and play. Lights.
Four new tyres have just been fitted (not shown in photos) and included is a mobile towing kit as we never wanted to install lights and ruin the look of the hut but these could be added if buyer wanted to do so. It has just been repainted inside and out too so is in good condition and ready to use.
The use could easily be altered to a coffee bar or food type unit, equally it could be turned in to a glamping type unit easily enough, options are endless or it is ready to go as a fully functional bar.
We are selling as we don't utilise this anywhere near as much as we used to, our land is now primarily used mainly for camping and far less frequently for weddings and events so the bar is no longer required. Any questions please ask.
Collection from Billingshurst.

27/09/2026

And thats another camping season finished here at the Ship!
Its not been as busy a season as the last few, the extreme heat resulted in quite a lot of cancellations for us regrettably, but we thank all of our lovely guests that did camp with us and we look forward to seeing you all again next season 😎

27/09/2026

A reminder that we are closed today for a private function

26/09/2026

Perhaps someone knows who this man is that went nosing around our property this morning when we are closed, looking all around our outbuildings and even trying a door!!

It never ceases to amaze us quite why people think they somehow have the right to do this because we are a pub...would you walk in to someone's driveway to their house, go poking round their property and outbuildings...probably not...so why is this any different...it is private property in exactly the same way and when the pub is closed you are trespassing like you would be on any other private property. We have signs stating it is private property, the car park is chained off and its very obvious access is not permitted.

Entirely unacceptable.......Im sure this man would not like it if we went to his house and did exactly the same thing!!! 😳

12/09/2026

PLEASE NOTE:
SUNDAY 13th & SUNDAY 20th SEPTEMBER WE ARE CLOSED AS WE ARE CATERING FOR TWO PRIVATE FUNCTIONS.