The Pony Group, a family-run hospitality business headed up by siblings Josh and Holly Eggleton, has acquired The Pelican pub in Chew Magna, North Somerset, with plans to add bedrooms.
The Eggletons have joined forces with life-long school friends and fellow publicans Lottie & Josh Bryant, also siblings, to launch the brand new addition to the hospitality group, which will open in two phases.
The ground floor pub opened last week serving beers, ales and ciders led by Bristol Beer Factory and Wilding Cider, alongside bar snacks including pickle pots and crisps, tinned fish and snacks from Somerset Charcuterie, such as fennel salami and blue cheese and cider pokers.
In spring/summer 2025, 10 bedrooms will open at the site. All rooms will feature kingsize beds and some will offer rolltop bathtubs.
The Pelican will form an extension of its sister restaurant, The Pony, (a five-minute drive or 40-minute walk across the fields) and will be very connected once the rooms launch – the room development and guest experience will be overseen by Holly Eggleton, as part of The Pony offering.
The idea is that overnight guests will be able to move between the places seamlessly, with the addition of bicycles and a complimentary shuttle service.
Josh and Holly Eggleton commented: “We have always wanted to have accommodation as part of The Pony family, it’s been an aspiration of ours for years and we’ve kept a lookout for the right location. We used to go to The Pelican as kids and have fond memories of it, so it’s a natural extension for us to give it a new lease of life while growing The Pony experience beyond the restaurant.”
Lottie and Josh Bryant added: “Having run a pub in the valley for the past five years, we’re excited to be teaming up with old friends to bring something new to Chew Magna. We share Josh and Holly’s love for hospitality and for the Chew Valley area, so teaming up on this project has been the most rewarding experience and we can’t wait to welcome people through the doors.”
The Pony Group includes The Pony Chew Valley with its panoramic views over the hills, a restaurant, cookery school, ornamental and edible gardens, beehives and orchards; renowned fish and chip restaurants Salt & Malt (Wapping Wharf, Chew Valley); neighbourhood pub and chophouse, The Kensington Arms (Bristol); and modern vegetable-led Root restaurants (Bristol, Wells).
Image: Ed Schofield
