Award-winning licensee Amy Glenie has acquired her second pub with Shepherd Neame.

Amy Glenie, who has been running The Blue Anchor in Crowborough since 2018, is now expanding her portfolio with a second East Sussex pub, The Royal Sovereign in Bexhill-on-Sea.

This charming local pub enjoys a prime location in the heart of the coastal town, situated opposite the train station and just a five-minute walk from the seafront.

Her husband, Jordan Foster, who has been supporting her as head chef at The Blue Anchor, will now transition to a front-of-house role, managing The Royal Sovereign.

Glenie said: 'The Blue Anchor is well established, so we were looking for a new challenge, and when we saw that The Royal Sovereign was available, it seemed the perfect opportunity.'

She added: 'It is a fantastic building in a great location with lots of potential, and it is also just a short walk away from our new home.'

Under Glenie's leadership, The Blue Anchor has earned several prestigious accolades, including two Beautiful South Awards and the Shepherd Neame Pub of the Year title in 2022.

At their new venue, the couple has transformed part of the ground-floor bar into a galley kitchen and is now offering a menu of contemporary light bites. Dishes include prawn and scallop toast bao buns with togarashi kewpie mayo, beef onglet tacos, DIY platters featuring locally sourced cheese and charcuterie, and tartiflette doughnuts.

The pub currently features a ground-floor bar and dining area, but the Glenies plan to transform the unused first-floor space into a restaurant named Rock and Coral.

'We are delighted that Amy and Jordan have taken on a second pub with us,' says Shepherd Neame’s director of tenanted pub operations Greg Wallis. 'They have done a fantastic job at The Blue Anchor, and we look forward to supporting them as they bring their exciting vision for The Royal Sovereign to life.'