Mark Monkton has been appointed as the new General Manager of the Norfolk Arms Hotel, Arundel.

With 20 years’ experience in the hotel and restaurant industry, Mark brings a wealth of knowledge to the role having worked with Wildwood, Harris + Hoole, The Shoreline Hotel and most recently The Ship Inn, Itchenor.

In his new role, he will be responsible for the 37 bedrooms at the hotel, along with two function rooms, the Castle Restaurant and the recently launched Norfolk Tap, a craft beer bar and coffee shop.

On his appointment, Mark said: “It’s a great pleasure to be taking this role at such a historic and iconic establishment and I look forward to enhancing its great tradition.

“People in Arundel are very proud of the town and rightly so and I want the Norfolk Arms to epitomise that. I’ve lived in and around Arundel for many years so I know first-hand how people perceive the hotel and where we can improve. I’m looking forward to putting the Norfolk Arms back on the map in Arundel.”

Having started his working life in a pub, the majority of Mark’s career has been in hotels and restaurants with a strong food and beverage focus. Following the recent opening of the Norfolk Tap, serving the beers and ales from Arundel Brewery along with Teas and Coffees from Arundel-based Edgcumbes, Mark’s appointment also coincides with the relaunch of the Castle Restaurant situated within the hotel. A complete rebrand has taken place and new menu now available.

Mark added: “Obviously being a hotel, accommodation is a focus for us, but I want to bring a sense of community to the Norfolk Arms and that really needs to come in our food and beverage offering.

“We’ve recently opened the Norfolk Tap, which has been a great success so far and something we want to build on. We’ve not only drawn local residents back in, but attracted craft beer drinkers from further afield into Arundel. We now hope to relaunch the Castle Restaurant with similar effect.

“There’s many great restaurants in the town and therefore the competition is high, but we want to be competing with these and that starts with this rebrand.

“The Castle Restaurant will offer locally-sourced produce and will serve good, traditional English food that caters for the local people of Arundel. Our head chef, Ben Miller, has been working hard on the new menu which is far more extensive, and we’re sure it will be a hit with diners from both within the hotel and the local community.” To view the new menu from the Castle Room Restaurant, please click here.