From the Potting Sheds to the garden beds and our central office to the restaurant floor – plenty of our talented PIG team members have been with us since day one on our 15-year journey.
Here’s a glimpse into the PIG Tales they’ve collected along the way – and what it really means to them to be a PIG ‘OG’…
How did you start at THE PIG, and where are you now?
Ollie: I was the first gardener at THE PIG in the New Forest, back when it was still known as Whitley Ridge – some of my first jobs were helping rip apart parts of the hotel as it transformed into THE PIG!
I stepped up to be Head Kitchen Gardener and recruited some more team members by the veg beds, before helping open THE PIG-near Bath in 2013. I’m now Group Head Kitchen Gardener, where I now look after the design and build of all our gardens and grounds.
Jacqui: I started working for our founder, Robin Hutson, in May 2011 before THE PIG had even opened.
I went for an interview and met Robin, who explained he was opening a new hotel in Brockenhurst – it sounded incredibly exciting and like something really special. He asked if I fancied being his PA and I said yes… it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Heidi: I’m the Head Therapist at THE PIG in the New Forest, and I started in the Potting Sheds here in September 2011.
The original Potting Shed still stands where it did all those years ago, surrounded by nature and enveloped in sounds of birdsong. That lovely wooden walkway over the pond with its lilies and Koi still makes me smile, all these years on.
Gary: I joined 6 or 7 months after we opened THE PIG in the New Forest. I’d been made redundant from my bookbinding career, and I just came in to ask for a few bar shifts to tide me over – but I never left.
Alan: I had a really bad motorbike accident over 15 years ago and was told I would never be able to work again, so I did what I could to help out my dad.
We had a herd of deer at Hunstrete House (now THE PIG-near Bath), and I was helping repair the fencing when THE PIG asked me if I wanted a job. I explained my situation, but they were really supportive and just asked me to do what I could. Now, I work full time.
What are some of your fondest memories from those early days?
Jamie: A taste that brings me right back is our infamous Bath Chap dish. We had it on the 25 mile menu when THE PIG first opened and I hear it is coming back to mark our 15-year anniversary. I will absolutely be having one of them… it’s been a while!
Gary: One of my favourite early door memories was meeting Oasis when they stayed at THE PIG in the New Forest for a night. I was the Night Manager at the time - it was around 1am and all the guests were asleep, when I heard the front door open and the band stumbled in singing Wonderwall.
I hurriedly shuffled them into the bar (which was closed) and opened it up again for them, serving them drinks and chatting all night. They went to bed, just before breakfast set up!
James: I’m a Groundsman, and I’ll always remember Kylie Minogue telling me how beautiful the gardens looked back when we first opened. That made me feel really proud - it makes you realise how much the guests appreciate what we do.
Ollie: In the early days, we had just one small polytunnel at THE PIG in the New Forest… there was no greenhouse, no mushroom house and no herb garden.
Since then, we've added all those elements and our original PIG now has four polytunnels. Seeing the gardens evolve has just been remarkable.
Alan: I always loved working Glastonbury weekend, driving the guests to and from the festival – and I still do. Jarvis Cocker always requests that I drive him now… he’s such a great guy!
Can you share one of your funniest moments from your 15 years?
Gary: The funniest thing I can recall was when I checked in two gentlemen to their room. I was carrying their suitcases in my hands with the two gents right behind me - and when I reached the door to their room, I didn’t put either case down and tried opening the door using my body. This made my belt get hitched to the doorknob, leaving me hanging on the door!
One of the gentlemen just turned to the other and said: "See, I told you it would be a great stay!". We couldn’t stop laughing.
Jacqui: To be honest, I love a party, and we have always done them really well at THE PIG!
Our opening parties have been such fun and are completely unique - from drag queens at THE PIG-at Bridge Place, grannies in mobility scooters at THE PIG-on the beach, to acrobatic dancers and the “Fashion Police” at THE PIG-at Combe. There was always something unexpected and memorable!
James: I once left our old John Deere Gator at the top of a slope on the grounds at THE PIG-near Bath, having checked twice that the handbrake was on (I even checked the CCTV back to prove I’d done it!)
I came back to find it had rolled down the hill and straight into a guest’s car… thankfully they were really nice about it. I will never do that again!
What moments have made you most proud to be a PIG Person?
Faye: Can I say all of them?! I’ve had ups and downs like we all do, but I’ve always felt valued and genuinely cared for by the company. Of course, a lot of this is down to the many amazing people I have met along the way… I even made one of them my husband.
Emma: I feel so proud when I’m asked where I work and the response is “ooh, I love THE PIG!”. I’m so glad to have been here all these years – it’s not bad for an industry where people tend to move around a lot!
Ollie: The hotel openings have always been special, and bringing these new sites to life and creating productive gardens from the ground up is something I'm incredibly proud of. But, more than anything, I’m proudest of my 50-strong team of gardeners and grounds people.
Heidi: I am quietly proudest of being THE PIG’s original therapist… and 15 years later, I’m still here! I'm so glad to have helped develop the template for our Potting Sheds. It's wonderful to see how that original idea has grown into its own distinctive little brand, with a reputation for excellent therapists delivering outstanding holistic treatments.
What do you think is the secret sauce that makes THE PIG…. well, THE PIG?!
Jonathan: Despite being 15 years old, the core of THE PIG is still the same – the same charm, the same good old-fashioned hospitality and the same slightly mad energy that makes it such a brilliant place to work.
The personality of THE PIG is in the people – we’re warm, informal, and we never take ourselves too seriously.
Jacqui: Seeing our founders’ passion, belief and determination has been infectious. They were incredibly hands-on, working all hours because they truly believed in the concept and completely lived and breathed it.
Being able to see guests arrive and experience THE PIG for the first time is just incredible. You can still see the excitement and surprise on people’s faces – that’s what makes you really realise we have created something very special.
Ollie: We often talk about the "extra 5%", and I genuinely think that's what makes the difference.
The smallest gestures often create the biggest memories for guests and it's those little details that help us stand out.
Authenticity is another huge part of it. Lots of people talk now about plot-to-plate dining, but we can genuinely look people in the eye and say that's exactly what we've been doing since day one. I think our guests recognise and really value that.
What does celebrating 15 years mean to you, personally?
Ollie: It’s a real mark of pride to have been part of the journey. I've had a front-row seat to the growth and evolution of the company and, in many ways, I've grown alongside it. I joined as a sprightly 25-year-old and I'm now a slightly more weathered 40-year-old!
So much of my life has happened during my time at THE PIG. I've met my wife, had two children and built a career I'm proud of. It's always been a family business and I love that my children enjoy visiting the hotels and feeling part of it too.
Jamie: I have felt part of this place and evolved with it in my career and in my family as well. I joined when my then girlfriend (and now wife) Tasha was pregnant. Now, my daughter is a teenager, I’m a Hotel Director in my hometown, and we’ve just had another baby. Life is good!
I'm still here after 15 years because I love it. I’ve been looked after very well, it’s been so fun and the fun continues.
Krys: THE PIGs have been with me personally & professionally through many a rollercoaster moment and they have taught me how to always keep trying.
Our Chief Finance Office has taught me it’s OK to challenge, I am stronger than I think and has always helped me to be a better “me” and has supported me far more than a manager ever should, I am so grateful.
Jonathan: Despite being here for 15 years, I’ve never really felt like I’ve been doing the same job for very long; there’s always been another challenge, another opportunity and something new to learn. I’ve been lucky enough to grow alongside THE PIG and to be given the freedom to shape my own path along the way.
Lucy: I’m so proud to have been with the company for so long to see and be part of its evolution. I did wonder if it was a bit lame to be in the same job for so long… but it’s one of my greatest achievements.
What do you think success looks like for THE PIG for the future?
Jamie: Us long-timers have had a blast and now it is up us to pass on everything that we’ve learnt. Our PIG values and hard work will continue to go a long way.
Ollie: Looking back over the last 15 years and everything we've achieved… it's fascinating to think about where we'll be when we're celebrating 30 years of THE PIG.
The business has evolved so much already and I'm looking forward to seeing how it continues to grow while staying true to what really makes it special. I'm excited to see where our next chapter takes us.
Discover even more PIG Tales from our people, our patches and beyond (with a few classic recipes thrown in) in our PIG Book: 500 Miles of Food, Friends and Local Legends.