News and events

• 26 July 10 Brakspear reopens flagship pub in Marlow Close
  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
  Butcher’s teams up with Brakspear

  Canines of the countryside unite! Dogs get their own pub 'pawtions' as Butcher's teams up with Brakspear

  Butcher's Pet Care is starting a pub food revolution to celebrate the launch of its new chunks varieties with Brakspear - but only if you've got four legs.

  The family-owned pet food company has teamed up with Brakspear to offer a 'doggy menu' in pubs to mark the launch of its new chunks varieties. From 23 July, two Brakspear pubs will offer pub-goers' canine companions a selection from Butcher's new 'Meaty feasts' chunks in gravy recipes and 'Special Fayre' chunks in jelly range.

  The pubs involved are the Five Alls near Lechlade, Gloucestershire and the Catherine Wheel in Goring-on-Thames, Berkshire - both of which are popular with dog walkers taking advantage of the pubs' dog-friendly policy after enjoying a walk in the countryside.

  The 'doggy menu' will be offered alongside the gastopubs' human one, giving family hounds the chance to chomp when their owners sit down for a meal. The food will be served in specially-made Butcher's branded bowls and dogs will be able to take their pick from nutritious meals such as mouth watering 'Liver & Garden Veg' chunks in gravy and 'Chicken & Beef' chunks in jelly.

  Butcher's and Brakspear believe that after a long walk it's not just humans who will have built up a hearty appetite, our four legged friends will have as well. They also deserve the chance to relax and enjoy a hearty meal to refuel. 

  Caroline Coombs, Brand manager at Butcher's Pet Care said: "A family walk is a great way to strengthen that special emotional connection with your dog and stopping off at a country pub to enjoy a drink and bite to eat is a great British summer institution. Now dog owners can sit down to lunch happy in the knowledge their dog is enjoying their meal as much as they are. We've built our business on feeding generations of family dogs and all our recipes are naturally nutritious and contain all of the vitamins and minerals your dog needs to keep him healthy, happy and fit as a Butcher's dog."  

  Tom Davies, Brakspear's commercial director, said, "Many of our pubs are located near popular walking routes and attract customers out to enjoy the countryside with their four-legged companions. For many dog-owners, being able to source a meal in the pub for their pet as well as for themselves will be an attractive option and we're pleased to be offering the Butcher's meals, which we hope will be a further boost to the dog-friendly reputation of our pubs." 

  The new Butcher's ranges will be stocked by all major supermarkets.

   
• 6 July 10 Brakspear’s Ale Trail back for third summer Open
  Brakspear’s Ale Trail back for third summer

   

  Brakspear's Henley Ale Trail returns this month for a third year, with more pubs than ever taking part in the promotion, which has proved popular with drinkers and tenants alike.

  Eleven pubs in Henley are running the scheme this summer. Consumers receive a collector card, which is stamped every time they visit one of the participating pubs and buy a pint of Brakspear Bitter or Oxford Gold. Once they have collected all eleven stamps, they can redeem their card for a limited edition Ale Trail T-shirt and a free pint. 

  Tom Davies, Brakspear's commercial director, comments, "The Ale Trail is a simple and effective way of driving traffic into our Henley pubs.. Last year, we extended the promotion for a couple of months past the summer, in response to demand from our tenants and from consumers who were keen to finish the trail and claim their prize. It encourages drinkers to visit pubs they might not know in the town, and it draws in new consumers from outside Henley.

  One of the pubs taking part in the Ale Trail for the first time this year is The Three Tuns, in Henley's Market Place, which was taken over by new tenants Simon Bonwick and Oliver Reichhold, who commented, "We were keen to join in the Ale Trail as it has a strong following in Henley. For us, as a new pub, it's a way to attract people who might not come in otherwise, and for them to see what changes we've made. We're very food-led now, so this gives customers a preview of what we offer and hopefully they'll come back to eat."

  The pubs on this year's Ale Trail are: Little Angel, Angel on the Bridge, Three Tuns Three Horseshoes, Saracens Head, Queens Head, Old Bell, Row Barge, Rose and Crown, Ko-Ko's and The Anchor.

   
• 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.

  

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.

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