Latest news with #TickledTrout
South Wales Argus
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Newport pub The Tickled Trout is city's best kept secret
It looks rather unassuming, but upon stepping through the doors I am greeted with warmth from managers Poppy Morgan, 29, and Lesley Davies, 36. The pair took over the pub not too long ago, turning it from a tired Spanish tapas bar to somewhere that you can take part in a leisurely lunch, a drink over a boardgame, or even a 'Taylor Swift cake decorating class' – I'm promised that these themed classes are extremely popular and not as strange as they sound at first. Poppy and Lesley have turned the Tickled Trout into a place for everyone (Image: Supplied) It has a cozy atmosphere and the welcome from the staff on duty is incomparable – it feels like they truly care about this venue and want customers to care too. Strictly speaking, The Tickled Trout is not a really a pub - it's in the no-man's land between restaurant and bar, but this doesn't bother them one bit. The people are Newport are beginning to love the Tickled Trout, as are customers from further afield. Poppy and Lesley detail how just last week they had a customer travel to visit all the way from Oxford, and they couldn't speak highly enough of the relaxed and cosy atmosphere of the pub. With five separate food menus to choose from, there is something on offer for everyone. The Tickled Trout has aimed to redefine traditional Spanish tapas to include flavours from across the globe, changing customers' perceptions on what they already know of the small dish options. The Tickled Trout is redefining traditional tapas (Image: Supplied) The pair are proud of the fact that the basis for every single item on their menu is gluten free, vegan and created using fresh ingredients. It creates an inclusive dining experience and ensures that everyone is catered for with no risk. Lesley said: 'We get a lot of praise for our vegan menu. 'We get the ingredients in fresh every day, and our chefs create the dishes from scratch. Rather than buy pre-made sauce mixes, all our aioli's and anything else we use and serve is made from scratch.' The Tickled Trout creates all their dishes from scratch (Image: Supplied) Alongside their usual menus, they offer a daily bottomless brunch that brings together an extensive cocktail menu full of well-known favourites and their varied tapas dishes. Poppy laughs: 'We get everyone in for bottomless brunch, from the 18-year-olds who drink actual cocktails to the older ladies who usually prefer a glass of prosecco.' Lesley said: 'People usually go to a bottomless brunch and expect either good food, or good cocktails. We're proud that with us you get both.'
South Wales Argus
04-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
The Tickled Trout in Newport gets three-star hygiene rating
The Tickled Trout, in Market Street, was visited by inspectors on March 26, 2025, who rated the cleanliness of the facilities, the food safety management, and the hygienic food handling as "generally satisfactory". The pub, which serves a range of traditional pub food, was told that its facilities, including its layout, ventilation, handwashing facilities and pest control, were "generally satisfactory" at the time of the inspection. The establishment was also told its preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage of food was "generally satisfactory". It was also given the same rating for its management of food safety, which checks that food sold or served is safe to eat, that there is evidence staff know about food safety, and that the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future. The Food Hygiene Rating Act 2013 became law in Wales on March 4, 2013, requiring all businesses selling food in Wales - including pubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels, takeaways, schools, hospitals, canteens, care homes and corner shops – to display hygiene ratings in a prominent place, and to provide the information verbally if requested over the phone. Inspections are carried out by the local authority officers, and ratings - from zero, meaning urgent improvement is necessary or they may risk closure; to five, meaning standards are excellent - are updated on the FSA website. Businesses have the right to appeal against ratings. Each inspection is carried out under three categories - hygienic food handling, which covers preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage, cleanliness and condition of facilities and building, covering including having appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control, and the management of food safety, which is defined as the system or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future. A spokesperson for The Tickled Trout said: "The recent hygiene score of three stars was primarily due to maintenance work currently taking place in the basement, as well as a water leak from the neighbouring building that caused some damage. "Additionally, some key documents were digitally available at the time of inspection but had not been physically printed, which contributed to the rating. "We take food safety very seriously and are highly confident in our practices. "We have requested a re-evaluation and look forward to receiving a score that properly represents our establishment. "We are actively addressing the issue and expect the necessary repairs to be completed soon."
