Cotswolds pub to reopen under new owners after shock closure

The Rose & Crown in Ratley, a village new Banbury on the northern tip of the Cotswolds AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), shut down unexpectedly ahead of the festive period in December 2024, due to personal circumstances, according to the owners.

The village pub and restaurant, 10 miles north of Banbury, is now set to be reopened under new owners after more than a year on the market.

The quintessential Cotswolds village pub is under new ownership (Image: Christie & Co)

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In a statement released to introduce themselves, new owners Dee and Norm Knight-Barrett said: “We wanted to reassure everyone that we intend to reopen The Rose & Crown as a traditional British ‘pie and pint’ pub.

“There is quite a bit of work to do internally in particular the cellar and kitchen.

The Rose & Crown closed unexpectedly in December 2024 (Image: Christie & Co)

“We want to offer the best beers and pies that we can so we need to carry out some upgrades. We will keep you posted with regard to progress so please bear with us.

“We are looking forward to meeting you all and making lots of new friends.”

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New owners said they intend to reopen The Rose & Crown as a ‘traditional pie and pint pub’ (Image: Christie & Co)

The new owners revealed the plans include theme nights, pizza, curry and barbecues, live music, a pool table and sports games, and has invited further suggestions from the village.

The property is a grade II listed, detached building which is believed to have operated as a pub for more than 250 years.

No opening date has yet been announced and works to renovate and refresh the venue are ongoing.