Celebrating 15 Years of @the_pig_hotels in our latest in-house paper, HOGWASH. And what better way to mark this fabulous decade and a half than with a montage of the biggest PIG moments AND a guest book entry from the one, the only, the truly lovable @elizabday
Got my tickets to see @patienceplease99 perform their brand new EP live at Dingwalls 1 on Friday 27th March, 7pm.
I might be a little biased (their bass player happens to be my daughter, Tilly 😄), but honestly the tracks are fantastic - loads of energy, sharp lyrics and real musicality.
It’s shaping up to be a great night at what will be their biggest gig to date. Would love to see some familiar faces there! X
#livemusic #newmusic #camdenmusic #supportlivemusic #gignight
In 2000 (aged 25) my very first client in Travel PR was the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. They were launching their new, all-singing, all-dancing, state-of-the-art spa which lifestyle media were racing to review. It was a gift of a client and an even greater gift of a news story. Wind forward 26 years and my dear friend @chris_orlikowski has invited me into the spa at the @mo_mayfair for an afternoon of steam, sauna, pool and massage.
I love it when things come full circle and it makes you stop and reflect on the crazy ride that has been the last 2.5 decades in PR. Back then it was all about print, print, print. The internet was in its infancy. Anything that ended up in the pages of the FT, Telegraph or Times made hotel or tour operator phones go crazy. Back then we drank champagne at every journalist lunch. As PRs we’d sit on the phone all day long peddling our wares to journalists - landline to landline. To send images to picture desks we’d select a transparency out of a folder and order a courier (a chap on a bicycle) who would appear moments later and cycle our image to Vogue House, Telegraph Towers, Derry Street - and so on. We would send press releases in the post every Friday night to land on editors desks for Monday morning.
2026 you’re beautiful - and crazy fast. The technology that has infiltrated our lives has made work easier in so many ways - but PR circa 2000 was ‘absolutely fabulous.’ The stories! And being in this beautiful spa on a rainy Thursday afternoon in February has made me stop, think back, appreciate the madness of the blessed industry that is PR and fully celebrate this crazy ride. As a PR never off duty, definitely check-out the spa and wellness area at the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair. It offers total tranquility in the very heart of our beloved capital city. When I waft to the @countryandtownhouse Great British Brands party later tonight, I know I’ll feel utterly zen. And yes, I will be raising a glass of champagne to the past 26 years. Bien sûr
In just over a week, Wednesday 28th January, the Roxhill Media Awards will take place at The Cinema in the Power Station. Though only in their second year, these awards have been dubbed ‘The Oscars of the PR industry’. They celebrate the best of the best in the world of publicists and will ooze glamour at every turn. Champagne Bollinger is our fizz sponsor on the night, Pantalones Tequilla the cocktail and Luscombe the soft drink - for those who aren’t going to royally bring Dry January to a close. And as if that isn’t enough, we have the one, the only Elizabeth Day hosting the evening PLUS our prestigious journalist judges giving the awards to the chosen winners. Join us! Ticket link in bio.
🥂🍷🎬 Watch the next episode of WineAlive’s Christmas Sipping Seires.
🔗 Link in bio
@the_pig_hotels - just the mention conjures up thoughts of escaping to cosy hotels nestling in the most beautiful parts of the English countryside and menus bursting with delicious locally sourced ingredients. But did you know that they produce their own wines? Oz Clarke and Susy Atkins journeyed to The PIG at Combe to meet the man behind the wines, Luke Harbor and to taste along with him.
Susy and Oz tasted the following carefully-crafted wines with Luke:
Pig Reserve 2020, Northbrook Vineyard, South Downs, England
Field Blend, Alpaca Block, 2023, THE PIG in the South Downs, England
Bacchus, “A Moment in Wine” Artefact, 2022, Devon, England
THE PIG CUT Rosso (Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon) 2020, Maremma, Italy
#sipsplendidly this Christmas 🥂🍷🍾🎄
#winetasting #winelovers #wine #threewinemen
I know that we Brits are pretty good at Christmas decs but, in my entirely biased opinion, nobody does it better than @the_pig_hotels Each PIG seems to effortlessly pull off understated style using whatever can be found in their gardens or nearby hedgerows. Proof that we don’t all need to rush out and buy bits and bobs to have ourselves a very chic Christmas.
New Year - New Creativity✨
With THE PIG
I’m so excited to begin the year with something truly special - a cosy, creative lunchtime at the wonderful @the_pig_hotels on January 13th.
The weeks after the holidays can feel a little flat, so we thought: what better way to ease into a new year than by hunkering down together in the most atmospheric of settings. A chance to slow the pace, nourish ourselves in inspirational rooms, spark ideas, and talk all things home, creativity and the stories that make our spaces feel alive.
We’ll gather in the original Georgian kitchen at THE PIG-at Combe for an intimate conversation, before heading to The Folly for a two-course feasting lunch. We will chat about my books, interiors, the creative journey, and the gentle rituals that help us reconnect with our own way of seeing and feeling at home in our spaces.
This year’s events have felt incredibly special - full of thoughtful conversations and meaningful connections - and I’m so grateful for every person who has come along with such openness and curiosity.
THE PIGs are the perfect backdrop: houses layered with original features, mismatched china, old furniture and well-loved pieces that all hold a story. It’s in these quiet histories that a home gains its soul - and why this setting feels so right for gathering together.
I’ll be in conversation before lunch with the wonderful @emmacripwell THE PIG’s brilliant PR guru - if you feel drawn to begin the year gently, creatively and with good company, we’d love to welcome you.
Tickets via THE PIG website - link in bio. A gorgeous treat for yourself or a special Christmas gift for you and a friend to enjoy time away for the day. ✨
Images 1-6 @the_pig_hotels 7,8,9 @abbie_melle 10 @brentdarbyphotography@octopus_books_ #cocoonthebook
cocooning in comfort /
Such a gorgeous afternoon cocooning at THE PIG near Bath with a group of truly wonderful women, one very lovely man, and one of my oldest friends from university, who all inspired such interesting conversations around the idea of home, cocooning and creativity - such a treat for me to get to meet and interact with such a brilliant group of all ages - all carving out their passion and careers at different stages of life. The joy of sitting around a table like this chatting openly and sharing ideas and experiences is truly a gift. I have come away with a heart full of gratitude to have been able to share the afternoon with you all - and for the real and open chats that happen when likeminded people come together like this and share their knowledge, experience and vulnerabilities.
I have shied away from doing events with the other books - but have loved getting out of my comfort zone with Cocoon and meeting so many brilliant people. There is a lot of creativity out there and we all need to support each other - it makes me very excited to see the next generation of talent come through and for so many women in the 40s and 50s make career changes to follow their dreams. Anything is possible at any age - we just have to believe in those dreams and keep pivoting and evolving.
Thank you so much to @the_pig_hotels for hosting us all so beautifully and to the hotel’s fabulous PR @emmacripwell and brilliant events manager @meganistheway for making this wonderful event happen. Emma and Meg were amazing and such fun to do this with - and all the hotel staff incredible. Thank you all very much X
To the very gorgeous @abbie_melle who I am so delighted is now in the UK (and who shot @satelliteisland in the book) - thank you for sharing the afternoon and for taking all these wonderful photos.
In love with the hotel and it’s interiors - such an inspiring, cocooning space for us to all relax in, and with the log fire roaring in the magnificent dining room it couldn’t have been a more perfect space to all come together. Days like this truly are soul food.
#cocoonthebook @octopus_books_
Ten years today @oliviadear_ and I started working together. I’m not quite sure how I’d cope without her by my side during our fun but very busy days @the_pig_hotels . Thank you for everything O 💕💕💕💕💕💕
😝😝😝😝 A career highlight in every single way!! THANK YOU gorgeous @elizabday for being the perfect interviewee, thank you @the_pig_hotels in the South Downs for hosting us so generously, and thank you to all of the guests who came along to hear Elizabeth talk about her epic new novel, One of Us.
THE MOST perfect place to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary! @the_pig_hotels in the New Forest is so beautiful. The welcome and hugs from the super-spesh team made our stay completely magical. ✨
