Winter is very much upon us now - the leaves are all but gone in the garden; the wind and rain has arrived but so too have sparkling lights and the excitement for the festivities ahead.

It is a time when the dark nights allow us time to reflect on both the past and the future. It is also a time when we can make plans for when warmer days arrive, all the while snuggled up with hot drinks and hearty foods.

It has been a beautiful year for The Grain Store team. We welcomed new members, we met new guests and we got to greet familiar faces too. In this blog post, we wanted to share some of our favourite moments from the year past; but also give a little glimpse of what the year ahead promises. Grab a cup of tea and enjoy this warm moment of nostalgia with us.

A Year of Connection

…For our guests

The Grain Store was always designed to be a space in which people could rest, relax and explore but also find connections again. From our visitors - whether those who book to stay or those who come for a day event - we know this is something we have achieved.

It is a place that offers access to the stunning South Downs, where you can ramble and chat; but also a perfect base for exploring Sussex and the wider South Downs National Park. We have shared our favourite places with you in blog posts and newsletters throughout the year - from family days out to our five top gastropubs.

You have shared back with us how you have loved exploring the county and how this has given you a chance to spend time, laugh and chat with your friends, family or colleagues. We also know that for some, staying at our place is an opportunity to just be still. This is what our founder, Anni, wanted for the space and you have told us it is just that.

…For our team

This year has been a chance to work closely with some incredible people from our community. We have sat down to chat with a different person each month for our Friends of The Grain Store series, spotlighting local Sussex makers, writers, artists and creatives. Among them was artist Chris Drury, whose book launch we were lucky enough to attend in the Spring. Sussex-based artistic duo, kin’d & kin’d – as @kaysyrad & @clarewhistler call themselves - and their book, The Cloak of Courage in the Anthropocene, featured in our monthly book club, and we also shared a chat with Marco Crivello, who works from his space, Continuum Studio, in Lewes. In fact, creativity is deeply embedded in everything we do here at The Grain Store - our founder, Anni, is a talented photographer, whose work has appeared in some wonderful exhibitions.

We have also found even more connection with our local town, Lewes, where we work closely with business owners to find out what they are offering - from creative days out to book launches - so we can share this with our guests. Flick from Menteath even offers massages and facials in our space. These are people that we have forged connections with over years; and know that they will offer unique and wonderful experiences for our guests visiting Sussex.

A Year of Community, of Team Meetings, and Gatherings

The Grain Store has been a hub of activity this year, hosting launches and away days for companies looking for peaceful corporate retreat spaces. The Walking Partnerships™ team gathered here before heading out onto The South Downs where ideas were shared as the attendees breathed the fresh air and took in the natural world.

We have also welcomed Collaboration Equation™ who brought people together to talk about inclusive cultures and diversity of thought. The space was then brimming with inspiration when identity coaching and personal stylist service, New Chapters Studio, held its launch event in The Grain Store. The space hummed with laughter and warmth as 20 inspiring women came together to talk, share and celebrate - this is the power of collaborative working and The Grain Store is the perfect venue for Sussex workshops, events, gatherings, and small corporate retreats.

We have strengthened our ties within our local community this year. Our garden has again been the home of the hives from Littledown Apiary. It was a moment of immense pride seeing jars of golden honey stacked on our table in the sunshine.

With Sussex vineyards absolutely blooming, we were excited to announce a partnership with Sugrue South Downs. Our guests will be able to book cellar door tours at a discounted rate to enjoy the incredible vintages this innovative vineyard produces.

Our beautiful relationships with local makers have continued strong this year, and we have nodded to some of our favourites in our Sussex gift guide. In fact, we love these products so much that we have bought them to share with our guests. From the cushions designed by Molly Mahon to the bodycare from Freight - these are wonderful things made by wonderful people right here in our county.

A Year of Transformation

Refresh

This year marked our five-year anniversary and it was time for a refresh. We took two weeks in January to redecorate The Grain Store from top to toe. Fresh paint brightened up the space for guests and made it feel brand new again. It was also a chance to celebrate all that we have achieved in this time and the fact that Anni’s vision - as she stood in front of a derelict building all that time ago - has absolutely surpassed her hopes.

Reinvigorate

Central to everything we do is treading lightly. The Grain Store sits next to one of the UK’s most stunning National Parks; and so we have always had a strong commitment to sustainability. It is reflected in our decision to reject any single use plastic and to use eco cleaning products.

In our garden, Sam and his team at Porter-Hardy Designs planted a wildflower meadow at the back of the garden, which attracted bees, butterflies, and all sorts of wildlife. Sam continues to make garden improvements to ensure our plants are suited to our changing climate throughout the year.

We have always been powered by green energy and this year we continued to improve our commitment with a new heat pump. We have also bought a thermal hot tub lid, which is a more eco friendly choice as it uses less power, has major heat retention, and faster heat-up times.

The Year Ahead

We know that our guests love the small touches at The Grain Store. We want to offer a unique UK staycation in the South Downs that goes above and beyond your standard self catering accommodation.

In 2026, we can promise to keep doing what we do well. We deliver luxury accommodation with a hot tub, but also so much more. We will continue to delve into local life to find the best makers, artists and businesses to enhance your visit. Look out for blog posts on events and happenings in Sussex we know you’ll want to attend; and sign up to our newsletter where we share availability, deals and our news.

In January, we have some exciting news that will heat up the appeal of our space - that’s all the hints we can share at the moment!

From now until then, we hope you have a beautiful Christmas wherever you are and look forward to welcoming you back to The Grain Store next year.

Community and Connection - What 2025 meant to us at The Grain Store