The White Swan at Fence

Some folk in the village still refer to The White Swan at Fence as The Mucky Duck and you can still order a pint of Timothy Taylor’s at its very pubby bar. But over recent years The Swan has established itself as a destination fine-dining spot thanks to young chef Tom Parker from up the road in Burnley.

At 16, Parker begged a start at Michelin-starred Northcote, becoming a protégé of Lisa Allen and scooping a Young Chef of the Year award. That prodigious talent is evident throughout the short menus here, which change daily on the back of produce turning up on his doorstep.

Maybe you’ll get a blob of luscious, home-smoked mash atop a seared fillet of Longhorn, or a lobster raviolo, one large pasta parcel encasing the sweetest claw meat, matched by equally sweet butternut squash puree.

A five-course tasting menu is the perfect introduction. Though you might struggle to bag a seat since they were awarded a Michelin star.

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