We visit a much-loved pub at the beating heart of an idyllic Shropshire village - where everyone feels 'part of the group'
It's a pub which has become the central part of an idyllic village on the outskirts of Wem, full of food, beer and a warm welcome to all.
In small villages, pubs can become central hubs for all activities and a place where people meet up to eat, to drink or simply to catch up and also make newcomers feel welcome.
Set just to the south of Wem is the small village of Tilley, home to around 20 houses with Tudor frames and other historical touches.
It's also home to the Tilley Raven, a pub which has stood on the same site in the village since the 18th century and is a prominent sight on the road leading through the village, resplendent in white with bronze-coloured windows.
It had been closed for a number of years before it was rescued by the Craft and Jam Venues group and reopened in late 2020, having been fully modernised and opened up inside with a contemporary look full of wood-panelled flooring and modern furniture.
The Tilley Raven is currently managed by general manager Kerry Taylor, who said she had been part of the Craft and Jam group for seven years and had always worked in hospitality.
She said that the pub's setting and feeling was what had attracted her to the pub in the first place.
She said: "I wanted to come here because it's a lovely little country pub in a quaint village outside of Wem, which means that's far away from everything else.
"The setting helps, as do the views from the pub and the village, and it has built a good reputation, which is why people want to come here and they enjoy the location and leave good reviews.
"When someone walks in for the first time, they can expect a very warm welcome from everyone who is in the pub and you certainly feel like you're part of the group when you come in."
The Tilley Raven is a restaurant, pub and coffee house rolled into one and carries a mixture of classic and contemporary décor which is very much in keeping with the Craft & Jam feel.
Ms Taylor said the pub was about 50/50 between being wet-led and dry led, with head chef Mark Prescott one of the main reasons why the food was becoming increasingly popular.
The menu at the Tilley Raven is a mix of pub classics and American smokehouse favourites, while there is also a wide choice of mains ranging from beef Wellington or a full rack of BBQ pork ribs to vegan moussaka.
She said: "We work along the lines of being a gastro pub, with all the pub classics, lighter items like nachos and wings and a full Sunday roast.
"What I find a lot of the time is that more and more people are coming in for food and, towards the end of the evening, the majority of people are here for food."
While the food is a popular part of the pub's setting, the drink side is still very central to how it makes money and Ms Taylor said the pub had a wide range of drinks on offer.
She said: "We have Hobgoblin stout and Kronenbourg 1664, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, Carlsberg, Somersby cider and we also have two handpull ales on, with Wainwright's Pale always on and one which is changeable and depends on what is selling well.
"We also have an excellent spirits selection, with a lot of gins, including flavoured ones, whisky, rum and pretty much something for everyone.
"I love this pub and everything about it as it has become my life and my love, with the people always being great and the view from the pub.
"I even love the layout of the pub.
"It's a tiny village and this pub is a great community hub at the centre of it."
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