South Downs village pub brings a touch of the Alps to West Sussex

A South Downs pub has brought a touch of the Alps to West Sussex.
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The Fountain Inn at Ashurst has brought an alpine winter experience to the pub this Christmas with the recent addition of a Swiss-style ski chalet.

Since it opened under the name ‘The Covered 19 Lounge’, the pine-clad, bamboo lined chalet, which is decorated with sets of skis, poles and boots donated by customers, has already gone down as a firm customer favourite.

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The pub’s Christmas connection goes back over 40 years to 1979 when Paul McCartney used the site to film his music video for the festive hit ‘Wonderful Christmastime’.

The Swiss-style chalet at The Fountain Inn, Ashurst  eU-jpYE-89eiL_DiVPPTThe Swiss-style chalet at The Fountain Inn, Ashurst  eU-jpYE-89eiL_DiVPPT
The Swiss-style chalet at The Fountain Inn, Ashurst eU-jpYE-89eiL_DiVPPT

While the pub was closed for lockdown, the team continued to play a vital role in the community by volunteering help to locals, and beyond, with food shopping, lifts and errands.

Landlord Alex Tipping said: “In this pandemic, the advice and guidance has been constantly changing and updating. Rather than let it overwhelm us, we’ve been proactive, and we’ve adapted.

“By having this structure, we can account for all advice and be prepared for whatever changes the Government throws our way.

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“We can give our customers options and a choice for how they approach a visit to the pub that will hopefully accommodate all levels of confidence.

“We have listened to what our locals wanted, and we didn’t want them outside in the cold, especially during the cold winter months. So, we’re glad they’ve got an outside space at the pub where they can enjoy a drink or two now we’ve been able to reopen.

“We were devastated we had to close our doors again as we are a tight-knit community. We are a hub for our locals, so we hoped they would reach out over lockdown if they needed anything.

“However, we stayed positive and are so happy to get to see everyone again now we’ve reopened.”