News
-
31 January 12 New appointment for Brakspear Open
New appointment for Brakspear
Brakspear has appointed Gerard Winder as a business development manager, with responsibility for the company's tenanted pubs in and around its Henley-on-Thames heartland.
Winder joins from Greene King, where he was a BDM for four years. Previously, he worked for Scottish & Newcastle, initially as an acquisitions manager before moving into operations. In both 2008 and 2010, Winder reached the finals of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers' Business Development Manager of the Year Award.
Winder joins Brakspear to replace Peter Capon, who has retired after seven years with the company. Capon was previously with Greene King and before that with Morlands, where he became a BDM after a successful career as a pub tenant, running three pubs in Oxfordshire. He and wife Anita were named BII Licensees of the Year in 1988, for their sterling work at The Tandem in Kennington, Oxford.
Tom Davies, Brakspear chief executive, says, "We'll miss Peter's many years of experience in the industry, but wish him a happy retirement. We are delighted to welcome Gerard, who is taking on the Henley-on-Thames patch at a busy time, with several pubs undergoing refurbishments in the next couple of months."
Brakspear owns great pubs to rent, tenancies, leases, in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire and other parts of the south-east and south Midlands.
-
19 January 12 £500,000 investment for Brakspear pubs Open
£500,000 investment for Brakspear pubs
Two Brakspear pubs are undergoing major refurbishments at a total cost of over £500,000. The Crown at Playhatch has closed for a complete redevelopment and will reopen in late February, while The White Hart at Nettlebed is opening seven new bedrooms.
The Crown, one of Brakspear's most successful food pubs, is being redesigned throughout. The result will be a more open, airy pub-restaurant with additional tables for diners and a resited, larger bar area. Outside, the pub's attractive garden and patio areas are being re-landscaped to create more space for al fresco dining. All 10 bedrooms are also being completely refurbished.
The Barn Room, a characterful space already in demand for wedding receptions and other functions, is being redecorated for the key spring and summer period. A new entrance into the pub will lead guests straight into the new bar area, while the kitchen is being completely refitted with high-spec equipment. .
Both The Crown and The White Hart are run by The Tailor Made Dining Company owned by Ted Docherty and Dion Korving. Docherty said, "The redevelopment of The Crown effectively brings this 16th century inn into the 21st century, but without losing its traditional pub character. We're looking forward to welcoming more guests to drink and dine with us and hope that finally, we get a proper summer so that they can enjoy our wonderful new outdoor space, which we have more than doubled in size."
Developments at The White Hart in Nettlebed mark the second phase of this pub's transformation, following a £250,000 investment in April last year. The focus this time is on accommodation, with the addition of six new bedrooms and one new 'honeymoon suite' comprising luxury bedroom, lounge and en-suite bathroom. The new rooms have been created in a house adjoining the pub and bring to 19 the total number of letting rooms at the site.
Tom Davies, Brakspear chief executive, said, "These are challenging times for pubs, but we're confident that our investment in both these very successful sites will be worthwhile. Talented tenants like Ted and Dion are managing to grow trade, despite the downturn, by offering customers the 'pub essentials' of great food and drink, consistently high standards and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere."
Brakspear owns great pubs to rent, tenancies, leases, in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire and other parts of the south-east and south Midlands.
-
9 December 11 Brakspear reaps rewards from capital investment Open
Brakspear reaps rewards from capital investment
Brakspear is enjoying increasing levels of trade from its London pubs after a £500,000 investment in its estate in the capital over the past 18 months.
Although the company is best-known for its quality food-led pubs in and around Henley-on-Thames, Brakspear has a sizeable London estate: 25 of its pubs lie within the M25, including a handful in fashionable locations such as Shoreditch and Clerkenwell.
Chief executive Tom Davies says, "With the Olympic Games under 12 months away, we're confident our investment in our London estate will help Brakspear pubs capture a share of the estimated five million additional visitors to the city over the duration of the games next summer."
In its London developments, Brakspear has worked with small multiple operators, including Fiveeightzero and The Proper Little Pubco, as well as talented chefs. Similar partnerships elsewhere in the Brakspear estate have resulted in some real successes, such as Orwells, the gastropub near Henley taken on by Michelin starred chef Ryan Simpson, The Stoneham Pub & Pizzeria in Brighton run by Martin Webb and three sites in Oxfordshire with Tailor Made Steaks.
Pubs in London to have benefited from investment include:
The Bowler Pub & Kitchen, Clerkenwell: Tenant Lee Curtis trained at Jamie Oliver's 'Fifteen' restaurant before opening The Bowler in 2011. Food is freshly prepared from ingredients sourced as locally as possible, and the pub is targeting business customers with a range of pub classics and an 'express lunch' for £5.
The Owl & Pussycat, Shoreditch: After a major refurbishment in autumn 2010, this pub on the edge of the City reopened with new tenants Fiveeightzero. The downstairs bar buzzes with after-work drinkers, whose thirst has made the pub one of Brakspear's highest barrelage sites. An upstairs room offers more formal dining.
The Albert, Southwark: The pub reopened in summer 2011 after a £70,000 refurbishment including new kitchen and new decor inside and out. New tenants The Proper Little Pubco are targeting a slightly older clientele: classical music, good traditional pub food, emphatically no machines and a quality, 'home from home' pub experience.
Davies said, "Sales in our London sites have held better than elsewhere through the recession, as customers here continue to eat out and indeed 'trade down' from high end restaurants to quality food-led pubs such as ours. We're seeing a healthy uplift in sales at our recent investment sites in London and look forward to seeing this growth continue into 2012."
.jpg)
-
28 November 11 Brakspear pub ready for Olympic flame Open
Brakspear pub ready for Olympic flame
Brakspear pub The Pembroke Arms in Fovant near Salisbury is set to welcome the Olympic Torch bearers next year when Fovant, a village of just 680 residents, will be one of the smallest stops on the route.
The relay will pass through Fovant on 12th July next year. Tenant Anthony Marshall has already been interviewed for BBC South Today and is hopeful the crew will return next summer. He said, "Fovant's an interesting stop on the Olympic Torch route: as well as being the smallest stop, it is also one of the only places in the country that was also a stopping point for the Olympic relay when the UK last hosted the games in 1948.
"We don't yet know who will be carrying the Olympic flame through Fovant - though of course we've got our fingers crossed for Jessica Ennis! Whoever it is, we'll make sure they receive a champions' welcome at The Pembroke and we're putting plans in place now for this once-in-a-lifetime event for the village."
-
11 October 11 Brakspear tenant completes Highland Challenge Open
Brakspear tenant completes Highland Challenge
John Riddell, tenant of Brakspear pub The Fat Fox Inn, Watlington, tested his fitness to the full recently by completing the Invesco Perpetual Highland Challenge - a gruelling combination of 44-milecycle ride, 5-mile canoe paddle and a run up Ben Nevis all carried out in two days in Scotland.
John and his team of five co-participants including supporters, also from Watlington, raised money for the Mitchemp Trust, a charity which aims to help young vulnerable adults from rural areas. Through the generous sponsorship from clients, family and friends including activities in the pub such as raffles and a 'guess the finishing time' challenge, the team raised £5890 and overall the event raised £135,000.
After the event, John said, "Taking part in this challenge was an amazing experience - physically and mentally demanding, but also enormously satisfying. We're extremely grateful to everyone at the pub who supported us and who donated so generously. Our thanks also to our colleague Jonny, who climbed the Ben with us, and his father Malcolm who drove our van and supported us throughout." The team completed the race in 12 hours, 24 minutes, coming seventh out of the 37 teams to finish the course.
The Mitchemp Trust is a cause close to John's heart, as he explained, "I grew up in Canada and spent several summers at camps with other young people, some of them from troubled backgrounds. So I've seen firsthand how this 'adventure training' experience can build confidence, self-esteem and pride in oneself. For some of the guys I spent my summers with, these key building blocks in life were simply not available at home or school."
The Highland Challenge is unique as a fundraising event as the cost of the activities is completely underwritten by Invesco Perpetual, so all funds raised go to the Trust.
Caption to image: (l-r) Justin Gaze, John Riddell, Malcolm Vaughan, Jonny Vaughan, Kristian Overend & Murray Bishop
Brakspear offers pubs for rent or lease, many of them in Henley or Oxfordshire.
-
25 September 11 Five Horsehoes gives Brakspear a ‘double’ in Good Food Guide 2012 Open
Five Horsehoes gives Brakspear a ‘double’ in Good Food Guide 2012
Two Brakspear pubs have been named in the Good Food Guide 2012, as The Five Horseshoes in Maidensgrove, near Henley-on-Thames, joins Orwells in Shiplake in this highly-respected guide to the UK's best places to eat.
The Five Horseshoes has been run by Dan and Tracey Taverner for two years, while chef Sean Le Roux joined in January this year. Dan said, "We've put a lot of hard work into providing the highest quality food, while keeping a relaxed and friendly pub environment. We have a pub food offer as well as the a la carte menu, and all our food is freshly-cooked, using locally-sourced ingredients as much as possible. "
The guide describes The Five Horseshoes as a 'hidden gem'. Dan added, "A listing in the Good Food Guide is a recognition of what we've achieved here, and it helps to put us 'on the radar' of more customers, which is important as we don't have passing trade here - people have to know about us to visit us."
Orwells in Shiplake was taken over by Ryan Simpson and Liam Trotman in May 2010 and won the overall 'Readers' Restaurant of the Year' title in the Good Food Guide's Awards, announced in May this year.
The Good Food Guide 2012 was published at the beginning of September. It is based on anonymous inspections of restaurants and on reader feedback - restaurants are delisted if standards fall.
Caption to attached image: (l-r) Ben Taverner; sous chef Lee Welford; chef Sean Le Roux; Dan & Tracey Taverner; William Taverner
-
12 August 11 Brakspear posts ‘solid results’ for 2010 Open
Brakspear posts ‘solid results’ for 2010
Family-run JT Davies & Sons Group, owner of the Brakspear pub estate, has reported "solid results" for 2010, despite difficult trading conditions.
The group reported a £3.5m operating profit for the year ending 31 December 2010, in line with the prior year. Chief financial officer David Nathan said, "We're pleased with this performance, which we think was very respectable in the context of the continued decline in beer sales and pub visits. Our like-for-like sales were in line with those for 2009 and achieved our expectations."
During 2010, Brakspear invested more than £1million in upgrading and developing four sites, including The Chequers in Marlow, now operated by Tailor Made Steaks and The Owl & Pussycat in Shoreditch, run by Fiveeightzero. Nathan said, "Investment in the right place, with the right tenants, can turn a struggling pub into a star performer, despite the adverse conditions facing our industry."
Picture shows: the Chequers, Marlow, one of the pubs in which Brakspear invested in 2010
-
16 June 11 Henley Ale Trail returns with on-line presence Open
Henley Ale Trail returns with on-line presence
Brakspear this week launches its fourth annual Henley Ale Trail with, for the first time, a dedicated website www.henleyaletrail.co.uk and links to Facebook and Twitter designed to raise awareness, particularly among drinkers outside the town.
Nine pubs are taking part in the Ale Trail, ranging from traditional town-centre pubs to community locals and food-led outlets. Customers take a collector card, which is then stamped every time they buy a pint of Brakspear Bitter or Oxford Gold in a participating pub. Once the card is fully stamped, they redeem it at the final pub for a free pint and a limited edition Ale Trail T-shirt.
Tom Davies, Brakspear's managing director, comments, "The Ale Trail has become a popular fixture in Henley, with more people taking part every year. It's a great way to discover Henley and we find it appeals both to residents, who enjoy finding the 'hidden gems' on the trail, as well as to drinkers from further afield who aren't familiar with the town.
"The Ale Trail is a highly effective way to build traffic into a number of our finest pubs and to let customers know that Brakspear is the name to look for when choosing a pub in Henley."
The pubs taking part in this year's Ale Trail are: The Three Tuns, The Saracens Head, The Angel on the Bridge, The Little Angel, The Anchor, The Rose & Crown, The Boat House, The Row Barge and The Three Horseshoes. The trail runs until the end of December, though the majority of customers will complete it over the summer.
-ends-
Brakspear is a family-run pub company offering pub tenancies and pubs for lease in and around Oxford and other parts of the south east, including pubs on the Thames.
-
25 May 11 Brakspear’s Orwells lifts top food award Open
Brakspear’s Orwells lifts top food award
Orwells in Shiplake near Henley, part of the Brakspear estate, was this week named best restaurant in the south east in the Good Food Guide's awards. As one of 10 regional winners, Orwells will now be considered for the top title of Good Food Restaurant of the Year, announced next month.
Orwells opened in May 2010 when Michelin-starred chef Ryan Simpson and partner Liam Trotman took on the Brakspear property and turned it into an establishment that suits all customers, offering both fine dining in The Room and a more relaxed gastropub feeling in the Pub area. Orwells also has a great reputation for alfresco dining with some fantastic views and the site has quickly earned a reputation for exceptional food and professional service.
Simpson, who was named Up and Coming Chef in the 2010 Good Food Guide, said, "The Good Food Guide awards are based on customer feedback, so winning one shows that our customers are happy with what we offer at Orwells. It's a fantastic accolade for us and I'm grateful to our great team of staff, and to all the customers who nominated us."
Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies commented, "Ryan is an exceptionally talented, creative chef and we are delighted that Orwells has been such a success. We are always keen to work with chefs wanting to run their own restaurant and our business model provides a relatively low-cost, low-risk route for them. Winning this award within a year of opening is a great achievement and we wish Ryan and Liam well in the national judging."
Brakspear has attracted a number of chefs over the years, attracted by the quality of the pubs in the estate - many of them are attractive buildings in affluent areas - and by Brakspear's approach: giving them the freedom to build a business based on their culinary talent, while offering them the support they need to run a successful pub. In addition to Orwells, two Brakspear tenants are listed in the Good Food Guide: Paul Clerehugh of the Crooked Billet at Stoke Row, near Henley-on-Thames and Paul Bloxham of The Tilbury at Datchworth, near Knebworth
Caption to image: Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies (centre) with Liam Trotman (left) and Ryan Simpson (right) of Orwells at Shiplake
-
23 May 11 'The Big Interview' with Tom Davies Open
'The Big Interview' with Tom Davies
The current issue of The Publican's Morning Advertiser features Tom Davies as the subject of its regular 'Big Interview' aricle. Click on the pdf below to read it.
-
22 May 11 Three Henley pubs reopen their doors for summer Open
Three Henley pubs reopen their doors for summer
Pubgoers will soon be able to enjoy a drink and a bite to eat in three of the finest pubs in and around Henley, which are being reopened by Brakspear in time for the summer season. The Butchers Arms at Sonning Common opened last weekend, while The Three Tuns in Henley's Market Place and The Plowden Arms at Shiplake will both be trading by the end of May.
Tom Davies, Brakspear's chief executive, said, "We're delighted to be opening the doors at these pubs just as the summer season is about to start in earnest. All three pubs have excellent new tenants at the helm, who we're confident will make a great job of running them and offer excellent food, drink and service both to Henley's residents and to the many visitors to our town over the summer months."
At The Plowden Arms, the new faces behind the bar will be well-known to many in Henley. New tenant Julia Warriner worked at the very successful Rising Sun at Witheridge Hill for more than four years alongside Jude Bishop, who has also moved to the Shiplake Cross pub. Julia said, "We're looking forward to reopening The Plowden Arms, and are grateful for the support shown by many locals and potential customers. The pub will attract more passing trade than our last one and has a function room that we didn't have before, so there's lots of potential."
She added, "We'll be offering customers the same winning formula of great food and drink in a relaxed environment that made The Rising Sun so successful." In addition to the main food menu, Julia and Jude will be serving a new 'snapas' (snacks and tapas) menu.
At The Three Tuns, new tenants Mark & Sandra Duggan plan to offer 'really great food, beautifully served - but without any pretension' when they reopen the pub on May 27th. Their food credentials are certainly impressive: Mark is a classically-trained chef with many years of experience including a decade working for Carluccio's, where he met Sandra. Mark says, "Running our own pub was something we talked about for a while and we're delighted to have found The Three Tuns which we think has bags of potential." He is particularly excited about the function room, which he describes as "an underused gem of a venue - perfect for small parties, wedding receptions and other events."
The Three Tuns will be offering a main menu in the restaurant area and a more 'gastropub' style menu with lighter meals and sharing platters in the bar and terrace. A two-course menu for £12.50 will be available every day except Sundays, when it will be replaced by a roast meal. Typical items include pan-fried sea trout, local asparagus, steak frites - and "there will always be a pie on the menu, because it's a pub", adds Mark.
Finally, at The Butcher's Arms, new tenant Brian Thomas has returned to the pub trade after a number of years. Brian plans to attract local families to the pub as well as build on its reputation for cask ale.
Caption to image: Sandra and Mark Duggan, new tenants at The Three Tuns in Henley, with young son Oscar
-
13 April 11 Brakspear completes £250,000 redevelopment of Henley pub Open
Brakspear completes £250,000 redevelopment of Henley pub
Brakspear pub The White Hart in Nettlebed near Henley-on-Thames has completed a £250,000 redevelopment which has seen a remodelling of the drinking and dining areas, the introduction of the Tailor Made Steaks concept and a complete redesign of two letting rooms, being trialled as a 'bedroom blueprint' for accommodation in Brakspear pubs in future.
The pub is the third Brakspear site for Tailor Made Steaks (TMS) founders Ted Docherty and Dion Korving, and the second to offer the TMS menu, which has already proven a big success at The Chequers in Marlow since its reopening last summer.
The redevelopment of The White Hart has transformed it from a traditional village inn into a light and airy pub-restaurant-hotel. The design successfully combines the building's historical character - parts of it date back to Tudor times - with contemporary flair. In addition to the 120 cover restaurant, the pub now includes two informal drinking and dining areas and a fully-equipped conference room.
Ten of the pub's 12 letting rooms have been given a minor makeover, while two have had a more dramatic overhaul, creating a design blueprint that will be rolled out to other pubs adding or upgrading their accommodation in future. Brakspear is awaiting planning approval for six further letting rooms at The White Hart, and if granted these will be completed later this year.
The pub's food offer is focused on its steaks. Customers 'tailor make' their meal by selecting their preferred cut and weight of steak from a dedicated counter in the restaurant, with advice from an expert member of staff. The steak is then cooked to their liking and served with their choice of sauce, vegetables and other side orders.
The food menu also lists chicken and fish dishes, burgers, a range of sandwiches and vegetarian options. Drinks include a wide selection of wines from around the world and beers including Brakspear Bitter, Oxford Gold, Pilsner Urquell and Symonds cider on draught as well as a range of premium bottled beers.
Tom Davies, Brakspear chief executive, said, "We're delighted with the results of our investment in The White Hart, and pleased to be working once again with Ted and Dion, whose talent for developing successful pubs has been evident in the other Brakspear sites they operate. We're confident the site will be a popular local pub for residents of Nettlebed as well a destination food restaurant and a boutique hotel for overnight stays and weekend breaks."
Docherty added, "This is a great addition to the quality pubs and restaurants on the Henley scene, being only five minutes from the town centre with a large car park. We are looking forward to welcoming the residents of Henley to a pub restaurant that offers a lot more than great steaks."
Caption to image: Tom Davies, Brakspear chief executive; MP for Henley on Thames John Howell and Ted Docherty, founder of Tailor Made Steaks, at the official opening of The White Hart Nettlebed
-
29 March 11 Two new faces at Brakspear Open
Two new faces at Brakspear
Brakspear has made two new appointments to strengthen its operations team, based in Henley-on-Thames.
Amanda Windows joins as tenancy recruitment manager, a newly-created position designed to ensure a seamless recruitment process for all prospective Brakspear tenants. Her appointment also frees up Brakspear's four business development managers to spend more time helping existing tenants.
Amanda has lived in Henley for the last 10 years and has worked in a number of marketing roles, most recently at local company Invesco Perpetual. She says, "The Brakspear name appears on the best pubs in and around Henley, so I'm looking forward to recruiting the best people to run them."
At the same time, Mat Aket joins the company as a business development manager, looking after its pubs in London and along the M4 corridor. Aket has worked in the pub industry for 18 years, most recently for Geronimo Inns, where he was firstly a general manager, then launched their airport operation and finally managed a cluster of three sites.
Tom Davies, Brakspear chief executive, said, "We're delighted to have Amanda and Mat on board. Having a dedicated recruitment manager will help us to place the right tenant in the right pub, which is crucial to the on-going success of our business."
Caption to image: (l-r) Mat Aket, business development manager and Amanda Windows, tenancy recruitment manager, of Brakspear
-
8 February 11 Reopened sites boost last quarter sales at Brakspear Open
Reopened sites boost last quarter sales at Brakspear
Brakspear saw a 12% increase on turnover in the last quarter of 2010, compared to 2009, thanks largely to the reopening of several high-trading sites during the year.
The Owl & Pussycat, in Shoreditch, reopened last autumn with Fiveeightzero as tenants and has been trading 'phenomenally well', according to Brakspear. Brighton pub The Portland became The Stoneham Pub & Pizzeria, while in Brakspear's Thames Valley heartland, The Chequers in Marlow reopened with a £500,000 investment. The site is now run by Tailor Made Steaks, who also opened the redeveloped White Hart at Nettlebed, near Henley, before Christmas.
Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies says, "It's very good to have these high-profile pubs open again. Despite the challenges facing our business, these sites shows that investment in the right place, with the right tenants, can turn a struggling pub into a star performer. We hope for similar success with the investments we have planned for 2011."
Pictured right: The Chequers Marlow, which reopened in July 2010
Brakspear is a family-run pub company offering pub tenancies and pubs for lease in and around Oxford and other parts of the south east, including pubs on the Thames.
-
10 January 11 Mystery visits lift standards at Brakspear Open
Mystery visits lift standards at Brakspear
Brakspear has achieved an impressive 4.3% uplift in the average customer service score across its 145 pubs, as measured through its new mystery customer scheme.
Under the scheme, introduced in May last year, all pubs have been visited twice. A gap of at least three months between visits allowed tenants to study their report from the first visit, identify areas needing improvement with their business development manager and implement changes before the second round.
Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies said, "Mystery customer visits were something completely new for most Brakspear pubs, so we're delighted that they have had such a positive effect on standards so soon after launch.
"Through the scheme, we are able to provide all our tenants with regular, objective reports based on the customer's view of their pub. It's an extremely powerful business tool and tenants who have used it to its full potential - by using it as a basis for staff training, for example - have seen very impressive uplifts in their scores."
The mystery customers score the pubs on everything from the tidiness of the car park and the greeting from staff to product knowledge, food quality and speed of service. The estate has been divided into four segments, based on style of operation, so tenants are able to compare their score against those achieved by similar pubs.
Davies added, "It was good to see significant increases in scores across all styles of pub in the areas that really matter to customers - friendly staff, a great pint of beer and clean premises. The reports have been valuable in highlighting where pubs were falling short, and the vast majority have responded by putting systems in place to ensure they get these basics right for every customer."
Brakspear is rewarding pubs for their performance in the mystery customer visits with its new Brakspear Hospitality Awards. The most consistent achievers and most improved pubs will be presented with their Award and a £1,000 cash prize later this year.
Brakspear is continuing the scheme this year and is currently reviewing the questionnaire completed by the mystery customers. The programme is being implemented by The Silent Customer, who are based, like Brakspear, in Henley-on-Thames.
Brakspear is a family-run pub company offering pub tenancies and pubs for lease in and around Oxford and other parts of the south east, including pubs on the Thames.
-
4 January 11 Brakspear’s third beer price freeze Open
Brakspear’s third beer price freeze
Brakspear has cancelled its January beer price rise for the third consecutive year, in a bid to help its tenants through the New Year 'trading blues' created by belt-tightening among consumers, the second VAT increase in 12 months and the knock on effect of the bad weather before Christmas. The price freeze will apply to all Brakspear beers supplied to its 145 pubs.
Chief executive Tom Davies said, "Many of our pubs face a fairly bleak start to 2011. Trade in our destination pubs was inevitably dented during December due to the snow and now we have a VAT increase adding pennies to the price of a pint, at a time when consumers can least afford it.
"Cancelling the January price rise on our beers gives our tenants some respite during this post-Christmas period, and we hope that the Budget in March will contain some signs that this Government is sympathetic to the ongoing plight of the nation's pubs."
-
16 November 10 Brakspear joins the family brewers Open
Brakspear joins the family brewers
Brakspear has joined the Independent Family Brewers of Britain (IFBB), the membership organisation representing this unique sector of the UK brewing industry.
The IFBB was formed in 1993. It now has 29 members across the country, all of them passionate about the need to protect great pubs serving great cask ales. Brakspear is the first IFBB member to brew its beer under license rather than directly.
Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies said, "Brakspear is a family company with strong family values, which means we have more in common with other members of the IFBB than with large, anonymous pubcos. We are delighted to be part of an organisation which is doing so much to promote the two great British institutions of pubs and cask beer and are confident that membership will bring many benefits for us and for our tenants."
The IFBB's key aims over the next year are: recruiting the brightest talent in the pub industry into family brewer-owned pubs; maintaining the quality of cask beer served in IFBB member pubs through training and attracting the next generation of cask ale drinkers. Cask ale is currently outperforming the rest of the on-trade beer market and last year attracted 121,000 new drinkers including younger and female consumers.
For more information on IFBB, visit their website www.familybrewers.co.uk
Brakspear is a family-run pub company offering pub tenancies and pubs for lease in and around Oxford and other parts of the south east, including pubs on the Thames.
-
8 October 10 Good Food accolade for Brakspear's Three Tuns Open
Good Food accolade for Brakspear's Three Tuns
Just months after taking over at The Three Tuns in Henley, tenants Simon Bonwick and Oliver Reichhold have scooped one of the most prestigious awards in the industry - Best New Pub in the Good Food Guide 2010.
The pub, in Henley's market place, reopened in May this year after a major refurbishment of the 700-year-old building. Simon (pictured right), was previously at Brakspear pub The Black Boys Inn in Hurley and describes his style as 'progressive domestic cooking', creating dishes that rely heavily on the quality of ingredients and careful preparation, with a minimum of fuss.
Meanwhile, Oliver has put an equal amount of care into the diner's experience front of house, with a concise and accessible wine list, and a selection of aperitifs and alcohol free cocktails. The pair have also put their stamp on the pub interior, which comprises three interlinked dining rooms with whitewashed wall and a rustic, homely feel.
Simon said, "Winning this Award was a thrill, and a complete surprise. The Good Food Guide is well-respected among restaurateur and 'foodie' customers, so to be singled out for inclusion in it so soon after opening is a real honour. It has helped to pub The Three Tuns on the map and, while we were starting to make a name for ourselves in the Henley area, this helped to spread the word and we're attracting customers from further afield."
The Good Food Guide was first published in 1951 and is now the best-selling restaurant guide in the UK. It does not accept advertising and pays for every meal it reviews, ensuring it is completely independent and impartial. It includes reviews of the very best establishments in the UK, from great value pubs to fine dining.
-
20 September 10 David’s Race the Sun challenge raises £3,500 for charity Open
David’s Race the Sun challenge raises £3,500 for charity
Earlier this month, Brakspear's chief finance officer David Nathan took part in the annual 'Race the Sun' challenge in aid of children's charity Action Medical Research.
Race the Sun is a triathlon style team challenge in the Lake District which, as its name suggests, has to be completed daybreak and sunset. The three events are a 50-mile cycle ride, a climb to the summit of Helvellyn - England's second-highest peak at 3,116ft - and, finally, a 2.5-mile canoe course on the Thirlmere reservoir.
David (pictured second from left) and his team of three completed the challenge comfortably within daylight hours, taking nine-and-a-half hours. They also raised an impressive £3,500 for Action Medical Research.
Reflecting on the day, David said, "This was a fantastic event - physically exhausting, mentally challenging but also exhilarating. Crossing the finish line felt very good after a day spent cycling, climbing or canoeing - it's just a shame I couldn't find a pint of Brakspear Bitter to celebrate with!"
Action Medical Research is the UK's leading medical research charity dedicated to helping babies and children.
-
26 July 10 Brakspear reopens flagship pub in Marlow Open
Brakspear reopens flagship pub in Marlow
Brakspear's flagship pub, The Chequers in Marlow, reopens today (26th July) following a £500,000 investment from the Henley-based pub operator and new tenants Ted Docherty and Dion Korving.
The refurbishment has retained the pub's historic character, while adding modern touches, such as an open kitchen. The pub will offer the Tailor Made Steaks menu, which has been very successful at other pubs run by Docherty and Korving. Customers 'tailor make' their steak meal by selecting their preferred cut and weight , which is then cooked to their liking and served with their choice of sauce, vegetables and other side orders.
To complement the food, The Chequers will offer a wide selection of wines from around the world and beers including Brakspear Bitter, Oxford Gold, Hobgoblin, Peroni and Symonds cider on draught, in addition to a range of bottles.
The Chequers is a landmark building on Marlow High Street. The building dates back to the 16th century, and has been owned by Brakspear since 1896. Its size - over 4,000 sq ft of trading space - and prime location have made it one of the jewels in their estate.
The pub had been closed since 2008, following the collapse of previous leaseholders Massive Pub Company, and local and industry interest in its reopening has been intense; Brakspear received over 100 enquiries from prospective tenants when the pub went on the market last autumn. The tenancy was awarded to Docherty and Korving, who run two other Brakspear pubs: The White Hart at Nettlebed near Henley-on-Thames and The Crown at Playhatch, near Reading.
Tom Davies, Brakspear commercial director, said, "We're delighted to be reopening The Chequers with Ted and Dion, whose talent for developing successful pubs has been evident in the two other Brakspear sites they operate. We're confident that, under their direction, The Chequers will once again become the thriving, popular and high-earning pub it was for many years. This is a good day for Marlow and for Brakspear."
Caption to photo: at the offical reopening of The Chequers, Marlow (l-r): deputy mayor councillor Jocelyn Towns, tenant Ted Docherty and Brakspear chief executive Don Bridgman
-
24 July 10 Butcher’s teams up with Brakspear Open
-
6 July 10 Brakspear’s Ale Trail back for third summer Open
-
7 June 10 New chief finance officer joins Brakspear Open
New chief finance officer joins Brakspear
Brakspear has appointed a new chief financial officer, David Nathan, to its board, as part of the restructure of its senior management team.
Nathan joins Brakspear from business services provider Casper Group, where he was group finance director. Previously, he worked at Belron, the company behind Autoglass, and for the Lex automotive group.
Commercial director Tom Davies said, "We're delighted to have David on board. Although new to our industry, he has already demonstrated a clear grasp of the issues and challenges we face. We're confident David will make a valuable contribution to our business and will help our talented and hard-working tenants to run thriving, successful pubs."
Nathan's appointment frees Brakspear chief executive Don Bridgman from his responsibilities for the finance function. Bridgman has announced his intention to retire from Brakspear in September, when he will be succeeded by Davies.
-
25 May 10 Brakspear invests in mystery customer scheme for tenants Open
-
28 April 10 Election candidates urged to celebrate with beer Open
For further information on any of the above news stories, or to obtain a high-resolution image, please contact our PR consultant Ros Shiel on
07841 694137 or ros@shielcomms.co.uk.