The Pig & Whistle is an old fashioned pub, owned by Simon Rogan in the village of Cartmel, Cumbria. For a long time the pub was Rogan’s local – a classic country pub in the village where he set up his Michelin-starred restaurant, L’Enclume – and he has looked to maintain the place’s aesthetic since taking control.
Rogan has some incredible credentials which would suggest that the food here is above and beyond your standard pub grub. L’Enclume has just been named the best restaurant in the country and he’s also taking over from Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s next spring. He won the dessert course of the 2012 Great British Menu as well as coming in the top 3 in all the other courses. With Rogan’s pub in Cartmel, the same village as his award winning restaurant, he seems to be recreating Heston Blumenthal’s empire in Bray, where the Hinds Head pub is down the road from The Fat Duck.
Unfortunately, when The Pig & Whistle initially opened the views seemed to be that it wasn’t living up to that sort of hype. However, things do seem to have improved and though it might not have had the most auspicious reopening, it seems to have really come into its own this year. It is, as intended, a laid back British boozer offering real ales and great food that can be enjoyed in comfort. Children, dogs and muddy boots are very welcome!
The disabled access is generally good but they don’t have an adapted accessible toilet. They have told us that they do plan to have something installed in the future – apparently they need to wait for the brewery to help develop the plans. At the moment the male toilets are step free but they don’t have any grab rails. The female toilets have no rails and a step to get in. Aside from the toilets the pub is all on one level and step free.
The Pig & Whistle is a pleasant traditional village pub with reasonable access. It’s just a shame about the toilets. We give them a provisional 1.5 BBS Ticks for now, hopefully they’ll get a disabled toilet soon.
