The Bear & Blacksmith

The Bear & Blacksmith is an independent free-house pub and restaurant in Chillington, a village in the South Hams district of Devon, England. It is run by a couple, Lou and James, who describe themselves as partners both in life and in business. The pub presents itself as a community-focused destination for food, drink and hospitality, welcoming locals and visitors exploring the wider South Hams area. The kitchen is led by James, who began his cooking career at the age of 15 in Michelin restaurants around Kent, working through some of that region's finest venues. Lou brings a background in managing destination pubs and restaurants, and is credited with creating an atmosphere that is friendly and energetic. Their menus combine these backgrounds, offering what they describe as delicious, creative pub food cooked to a high standard, ranging from simple classics to dishes with a twist. A Sunday roast prepared by James is highlighted as a signature offering. The pub operates as a free house, meaning it is not tied to a particular brewery and can select its own beers and drinks. Its food offer includes a sample à la carte menu, a lunch menu, a set lunch menu, a kids menu and a Sunday menu. A recurring promotion, "The Bear's Bargain Lunch," runs Wednesday to Saturday from 12pm to 3pm during term time, with a set lunch menu priced at two courses for £18 or three courses for £22, changing monthly to reflect seasonal flavours. Beyond food and drink, The Bear & Blacksmith hosts regular events. An Open Mic Night takes place every second Thursday of the month from October to June, starting at 8pm, and is described as strictly "plug in and play," open to singers, musicians, poets and comedians. Live music, from local acoustic acts to lively bands, is also a regular feature, with upcoming acts promoted through the pub's Facebook Events page. The pub is dog-friendly and welcomes "woofers and wellies." The business represents a long-held dream for its owners. After years of working for others, Lou and James moved to Devon in March 2023 and found their pub soon afterwards. They describe the venture as a work in progress into which they are pouring their hearts and souls, aiming to make every experience, from the first sip of a pint to the last bite of a meal, a good one. The pub can be contacted on 01548 721696 and takes table bookings through its website.

The Bear & Blacksmith is a pub in Chillington, a village in the South Hams district of Devon, England. Its current chapter as an independent free house began with Lou and James, a couple who had spent years working for others in the hospitality industry and harboured a dream of running their own pub. James started his cooking career at the age of 15, training and working in Michelin restaurants around Kent, where he cooked through some of the area's finest venues. Lou built her career managing destination pubs and restaurants, developing a flair for creating atmospheres that are both friendly and energetic. Their complementary skills — kitchen craft and front-of-house management — became the foundation of the partnership they would later bring to Devon. In March 2023, Lou and James moved to Devon. They found their "perfect pub" soon after arriving, and took on The Bear & Blacksmith in Chillington. The pub operates as a free house, meaning it is independent of brewery tie and free to choose its own drinks range. The couple describe the business as their dream come to life and as a work in progress, into which they are pouring their hearts and souls. The pub's offer has been shaped around a combination of their backgrounds and personal tastes: delicious, creative pub food cooked to a high standard, spanning simple classics and dishes with a twist. James's Sunday roast has become a signature highlight. Menus include a sample à la carte menu, a lunch menu, a set lunch menu, a kids menu and a sample Sunday menu. A recurring set-lunch promotion, "The Bear's Bargain Lunch," runs Wednesday to Saturday from 12pm to 3pm during term time, priced at £18 for two courses or £22 for three, with the menu changing monthly to showcase seasonal flavours. Alongside food and drink, The Bear & Blacksmith has positioned itself as a community hub. It hosts an Open Mic Night on the second Thursday of every month from October to June, starting at 8pm, open to singers, musicians, poets and comedians on a "plug in and play" basis. Live music, ranging from local acoustic acts to lively bands, is a regular feature, with the line-up publicised through the pub's Facebook Events page. The pub is dog-friendly, welcoming "woofers and wellies," and takes table bookings via its website and by telephone on 01548 721696. The Bear & Blacksmith is recorded as a pub in Chillington, Devon, in Wikidata. It remains an active, privately owned independent business run by Lou and James, serving the community of Chillington and the wider South Hams, and welcoming visitors exploring that part of Devon.

• 2023

  Lou and James moved to Devon in March 2023 and took on The Bear & Blacksmith in Chillington.

• Open Mic Night established as a monthly event on the second Thursday, October to June.

• "The Bear's Bargain Lunch" set menu introduced, running Wednesday to Saturday during term time.

Independent free-house pub and restaurant offering creative, high-standard pub food and a warm, community-focused atmosphere in Chillington, South Hams, Devon.

• Sample à la carte menu

• Sample lunch menu

• Set lunch menu

• Kids menu

• Sample Sunday menu

• James's famous Sunday roast

• The Bear's Bargain Lunch (2 courses £18 / 3 courses £22)

1. 1The Bear and Blacksmith - Traditional Pub & Restaurant in Chillingtonthebearandblacksmith.co.uk
2. 2About The Bear and Blacksmith - Pub & Restaurant in Chillingtonthebearandblacksmith.co.uk
3. 3Bear & Blacksmith - Wikidatawikidata.org