THE QUEEN’S HEAD, WEST CHILTINGTON

New landlords have transformed The Queen’s Head in West Chiltington since their arrival one year ago.

Last summer, bar manager Mark Clements and chef Curtis Greenidge agreed a five-year contract with owners The Stonegate Company – the UK’s largest pub company. Since then, the couple have not only restored the pub’s standing at the heart of the community, but added a sprinkling of Caribbean culture too. 

Mark said: ‘Curtis arrived first, working under the previous management, while I joined the team a few months later. We quickly realised there wasn’t a good atmosphere, with locals rarely visiting their village pub. Even the next-door neighbours hadn’t stepped inside for two years. 

‘Speaking to regulars, it became clear that several tenants had come and gone in a relatively short space of time and the pub had lost its sense of community. The previous tenants tried their best and we wish them well, but the situation didn’t improve. When they were dismissed by Stonegate, Curtis and I put ourselves forward to take over. Having spent eight months working under the previous management, we felt we had some fresh ideas that would have a positive impact. 

‘We were handed the keys in August 2025 and opened the doors a week later. Immediately, we set about creating a warm, cosy environment, where guests could relax over a pint and enjoy a freshly-prepared meal. We invited the local W.I and Probus groups to meet here, free of charge, which brought life to the pub in traditionally quiet times. Soon, it felt like people were talking about The Queen’s Head again.

‘When the Post Office closed, locals were upset and perhaps some were left wishing they had used it more often. They wouldn’t want to lose the pub too, so they have made us feel very welcome and well supported. By Christmas, we felt the pub was once again central to village life.’

BAJAN SPIRIT

Curtis began his culinary journey in Barbados, where he was born. He studied interior design before running graphic design and marketing businesses on the island for over 30 years. From a young age, he loved Caribbean cuisine too, but was discouraged from becoming a chef by his father, who himself had experienced the ups and downs of the industry. 

Nonetheless, when returning to Barbados in 1984 after studying in England, Curtis worked at various bars and restaurants, when not busy with interior design projects. He also worked in private catering, cooking at villas and hosting Caribbean nights at his own home. During this time, he met Mark, who also had extensive hospitality experience, having worked at pubs, bars and restaurants, from Brighton to Ireland and the Caribbean. They have spent the last 26 years together – 18 of them in Barbados. They ran two restaurants on the island before selling their property, restaurant and businesses and moving to England in 2016. Over the next decade, they worked at various places on the south coast, until Curtis became chef at a pub in Amberley. From there, he joined The Queens Head and within months, was joined by Mark. 

Curtis has since shaped an exciting menu with a Bajan influence. He said: ‘We have lots of traditional Bajan dishes, including blackened catch, Bajan salt fish cakes and spicy Jamaican jerk wings. I love introducing dishes on the Specials board and have served Trinidadian yellow curry, which was hugely popular. We usually offer three specials, with at least one being a Caribbean dish. One couple book the same table every week and ask for Curtis’s Caribbean Special without even looking at the menu!’

The menu changes seasonally, with Summer’s appetisers including jumbo prawns (£11.75), crispy calamari (£9.50) and three varieties of chicken wings – jerk, buffalo and Thai. During our visit, we chose the Bajan salt fish cakes (£8.50) cooked in a Barbadian style and served with mixed leaves and a Mary Rose sauce. The fish cakes were coated in a delightfully light and crispy tempura batter, which nicely complemented the fresh seafood flavours. 

Main courses include fish and chips (£16.25), mussels with chips and warm bread (£17.50), and pasta dishes such as seafood feast (£19.75). ‘From the Grill’ options include flame-grilled double burger (£17.50) and a vegan bad boy Thai-infused burger (£15.75). We stuck to the main menu, ordering a Caribbean-seasoned pork of loin (£17.50), served with new potatoes, vegetables and a red wine reduction. The colourful dish was perfectly cooked, with tender meat balanced by subtly sweet seasoning and a rich, savoury sauce. The blackened catch (£17.50) sees the day’s fresh fish dipped in melted butter and coated in Cajun spices to create a Bajan favourite. It comes with yam (orange sweet potatoes) mash and a mango salsa.

Curtis said: ‘Even with our classic dishes, we inject a West Indian twist, and even our fries are Cajun style. The pie of the day could be mutton with an old-fashioned puff pastry toppling over the edge of the dish, but we also pack in Caribbean flavours. Our Sunday roast has become very popular too, but for this, we keep the traditional elements of roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, stuffing balls, pigs-in-blankets and home-made gravy. The only issue we face is serving dishes quickly enough. Everything is cooked to order, so when 10 people order blackened catch, it takes a little time. Some people who dine out at large chain pubs and restaurants are used to seeing plates arrive within 15 minutes. We don’t have an army of chefs, so we do ask for a little patience.’

The Bajan influence has led to a number of Caribbean-themed nights, forging a wonderful social scene too… 

HAUNTED HOUSE

The Caribbean Night has become a hugely popular event and celebrates the food of Barbados, Bahamas, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Many wear tropical shirts and dance to live music provided by reggae artist Keith Simon. The pub has also hosted Italian nights, steak nights and even ghost nights. These delve into the pub’s 300-year history and are the result of Mark’s steadfast conviction that it’s haunted by spirits. 

Mark said: ‘We have created a lively atmosphere and social scene, and now locals are thinking, “What’s on at The Queen’s Head tonight?” But this is a small village and we can’t rely solely on locals to keep us busy. It’s important that we make it a destination pub, drawing people from across Horsham, West Sussex and even beyond. This is starting to happen, with people camping nearby or staying at an Airbnb coming to visit. 

‘We also host a wide range of live music, as well as community events, such as vintage clothes sales. Soon, we hope to introduce an area where people can buy local produce too. Also, we are always open to the idea of local groups and organisations using the pub, and those looking to organise birthday parties, anniversaries, Christenings, wakes or even wedding receptions. The pub is becoming popular with younger people in the village too. We often see teenagers in the sports bar, playing pool and darts over soft drinks, which is great to see.‘

‘Running a pub is as hard as it has ever been, especially when it’s owned by companies like Stonegate, who of course need to take a share of profits. If we were in it for the money, we’d be in a very different business! Having been caught up in the fallout when the previous tenants left, we’ve been through a wide range of emotions with this pub. So, we’re grateful to have been made to feel very welcome, and delighted that we’ve been able to restore The Queen’s Head place at the heart of village life in West Chiltington.’ 

Further information:  Visit The Queens Head, The Hollow, West Chiltington, RH20 2JN. Visit: www.thequeensheadwestchiltington.com

Photos: Alan Wright Photography/Words: Ben Morris. Published on 1st September 2026.