Cotswolds rival to Jeremy Clarkson’s pub opens in fully booked weekend

Nigel Bailey and his wife Rachael, who live in Brize Norton, became the new owners of the former Horse and Radish in Burford, Minister Lovell earlier this year.

The Minster Lovell tavern was on the market for £850,000 last summer although that fell to £650,000 late in 2025.

Now, the pub has reopened under the name The Fire Sprite Pub and Grill, with the owners it describing as ‘rooted in the Cotswolds, inspired by Texas’.

Rachel Minton-Bailey, spent time in Texas as a child, and was inspired by the abundant fireflies in the state, saying her grandmother would call them ‘Fire Sprites’.

Meanwhile, she says her husband has always dreamt of owning a pub.

The new owners promise ‘slow-smoked meats, hearty pub classics, and flame-grilled favorites are served in a welcoming setting where families, friends, walkers, and locals can gather together’.

The pub, which was fully booked during its opening weekend, also has Shepherds huts for visitors to stay overnight in.

Mr Bailey confirmed that they would give the pub a new name and said it would be based on English literature.

Boasting 2.092 acres of Cotswolds views, the pub is less than two miles away from Jeremey Clarkson’s boozer The Farmer’s Dog in Asthall.

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Horse and Radish in Burford Road, Minster Lovell (Image: Savills)

Mr Bailey said he expects the upgraded Horse and Radish to complement the former Top Gear man’s boozer as well as The White Hart in Burford.

The pub has already drawn attention for the owners use of AI in creating the new sign and for the complete renovation of the historic building.

It dates back more than 100 years to 1871 when it was first mentioned in The Census with the name New Inn.

Over the years the New Inn had several transfers of ownership with tenancies lasting on average two years.

It continued to be called the New Inn into the 21st century and then it reopened in May 2006 after a major refurbishment which included an extra single storey being built to the pub at the rear and side. 

In 2013 the Inn was renamed The Dovecote before being rebranded again as The Horse and Radish.

The pub comes with planning permission for eight shepherd’s huts in the adjacent wild paddock, granted in 2022 and – according to the Land Registry – it was last sold for £465,000 in September 2017. 

Inside the pub is a three-section trading area with multiple entrances, a raised bar section with 22 seats leading to three sets of customer toilets, a central bar-servery section split either side of a feature fireplace and a larger dining area suitable for 46 people at the back.