Singh the praises as community-owned pub near Farnham set for handover

The Cyder House rules are coming to a pub kitchen in The Sands as its popular landlord has begun an emotional handover.

There will be beers, cheers and tears at The Barley Mow as its ‘legendary’ and much-loved landlord and chef, Lee Francis, is retiring in September.

Villagers were thrilled to get Lee and his late wife Helen onboard when they saved the watering hole from closure in 2024 through a community buy-out.

The pair were already well-known in the area having run The Donkey for many years, bringing their great food and hospitality a couple of miles up Sands Lane.

While Lee has been cooking up a storm at the Barley Mow ever since, his wife, Helen, sadly passed away in June 2025 following a short illness with hundreds attending her funeral at Guildford Cathedral.

A transition in the kitchen has begun as Stefan Singh will arrive in September. The “young and hungry” new head chef is leaving The Cyder House Inn Shackleford following its closure on Tuesday (August 4).

“Lee has been at the very heart of the success of The Barley Mow and we shall miss his cheerfulness, good humour and terrific food,” said director, Peter Lawrence.

“Stefan is young and yet has an expansive background in fresh, local, seasonal cooking, and an array of experience in fine dining and quintessential pub classics.

“He is very focused on his career, driven and sees the long term opportunity of running the pub as a logical next step.

“He is part of the planning process for the new kitchen development and he is in tune with the ‘small beautiful pub owned by locals’ vision.”

Stefan is going through a “familiarisation” but was recently given a warm welcome with dozens of villagers and regulars taking part in a meet and greet.