If you've been following the Instagram account of Max Halley - the sandwich king behind Max's Sandwich Shop in Crouch Hill - you'll know that he's gone and opened a pub. Max has joined forces with West Country publican Ethan Davids to open The Five Bells in Salisbury which sounds like the perfect out-of-town destination for any Londoner.
Intrigued, we caught up with Max to get a little bit more info on his real-life Escape to the Country.
First things first - what made you decide to open a pub, and why in Salisbury?
Bucket list shit really isn't it!? Who doesn't want their own boozer? And the truth is, I've got pub landlord written all over me.
I grew up in Somerset and have a long love affair with the west country generally. After spending a year at my parents' house in deepest darkest Somerset during the lockdowns I realised how strong my love of the countryside was, so I live in rural Wiltshire half the time now and near the sarnie shop the rest of the time.
I wanted a boozer that wasn't completely a city-centre pub, but wasn't a country pub either and Salisbury's near where I live and the perfect size. Oh, and my friend Ethan, who I've gone into business with on The Five Bells, already operates four pubs in the area, so he knows how to run a real business much better than I do!
Does this mean you're going to be spending all your time in the country now or will you split between Salisbury and London?
I'll split between the two! Best of both worlds etc and it means I've got somewhere that's a real hoot to, um, enjoy myself in, whether I'm in London or in Wiltshire!
What sort of food can we expect at the new pub?
It's a boozer not a gastropub in ANY SENSE! There's pie, mash and gravy (recipes designed by my dear friend and the best cook ever Owen Barratt), Scotch eggs made by Rory from Naked Bagel in Salisbury, hot sausages and pickled eggs and bags of crisps. That's it. Forever and ever. Amen. Oh, apart from peanuts, and scampi fries.
So you put a speedboat in the garden. May we ask why?
My mate Stretch-Tent Ed got really pissed in Southampton about five years ago and bought the Bullseye Speedboat off a guy. It's been sat in his garden since then so we figured it might as well sit in The Five Bells' garden. It's basically a grown up's version of one of those kid's playground things that look like a tree, that pubs had in their gardens when I was a kid!
Anything else we should know?
I've really tried to make what I believe is the best pub ever - my idea of The Moon Under Water. With slightly louder music.
More about The Five Bells
Where is it? 28 Salt Lane, Salisbury SP1 1EG
Find out more: Visit their website or follow Max on Instagram @lunchluncheon
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