Crime & Safety
‘Forgotten’ Oxfordshire village pub now has opening date
Restaurateur Tom Rainey, who runs the Porterhouse Grill off Botley Road, west Oxford, and The Punter, on nearby Osney Island, has bought the freehold of The Black Horse in Gozzards Ford near Abingdon.
Renovations have been taking place, and the pub is expected to reopen on Sunday, June 7.
READ MORE: ‘Most forgotten’ village pub now has new owner
The former Greene King pub was closed for about five years until new tenants surprised drinkers by reopening it in 2024.
The pub then closed again, and now Mr Rainey and his team are looking forward to serving drinks and “high end pub food” to customers.
He said: “Everything is going very well and we are looking forward to a private lunch for guests on Saturday, June 6, followed by opening for customers at noon on Sunday, June 7.
“Renovations include new wood panelling on the walls, and one of the rooms has been turned into a conservatory – the old skylight was leaking and we have created a much larger new one.
“There are new stone floors, new parquet floors and new loos. The builders from Abingdon have done a fantastic job. They’ve been great to work with.”
Some dishes from the menus at The Porterhouse Grill and The Punter will feature at The Black Horse, which is being renamed The Blackhorse.
“We have also been painting the pub black – it makes sense because of the name,” Mr Rainey added.
Veggie scotch eggs from The Punter will feature on the menu, together with cheeseburgers, steak, venison haunch, seabass, oysters, and pies.
Hofmeister and Estrella lagers will be served, together with Westons cider, and Butcombe Original beer.
Oxford artist Mani, whose real name is Andrew Manson, has been asked to design the new pub sign.
Mr Rainey said he had been getting “lots of good feedback” from people looking forward to the pub reopening.
Earlier he said the hostelry, part of which dates back to the 1700s, would be like “a phoenix rising from the ashes”.
Another major focus for renovation are the pub’s gardens, which Mr Rainey said will be landscaped over the coming year.
He said earlier: “The gardens are quite extensive and we want them to be landscaped with new pathways, and tables dispersed throughout, but that will take some time to complete.
“We want to welcome everyone from the surrounding villages and remind the people of Abingdon that they will soon have an excellent village pub right on their doorstep.”
The pub was reopened in 2024 by managers Manol Mitre and Dennis Yuri following a long period of closure.
When the pub was shut, Dave Richardson, a spokesman for the Oxford branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), claimed it was Oxfordshire’s “most forgotten pub” and called for it to be reopened.
Gozzards Ford is a small village about two miles from Abingdon, so the vast majority of customers drive to the pub.
The boy, 14, had got into difficulty close to Donnington Bridge on Wednesday evening, May 27 when emergency services were called.
Around 20 land and air emergency vehicles, including police, ambulance and fire, responded to the report at 5.45pm.
READ MORE: Oxford teenage boy dies after River Thames incident
The incident closed the bridge and concluded the first day of Oxford University Boat Club’s Summer Eights ‘bumps’ races early at 6.52pm.
Thames Valley Police confirmed the sad death on Thursday afternoon, saying his family has been informed and are being supported.
The thoughts of all of us at the Oxford Mail are with the boy’s family and friends at this difficult time.
Tributes can be left below.
Clarissa’s Home Healthcare Services was visited by inspectors in February with the report only published last week.
The leadership and safety of the company was highlighted as needing ‘improvement’.
Meanwhile the effectiveness, caring, and responsiveness of the service was deemed ‘good’.
The Bicester service provides care to people living in their homes with physical disabilities and dementia.
Inspectors found the service was in breach of legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment and fit and proper persons employed.
The inspection revealed that for one person receiving care, the log stated, “aggressive behaviour,” however, there was no information recorded on how staff could support the person when displaying behaviours that challenge.
Inspectors found the provider did not always make sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff.
READ MORE: Reaction as 20mph limits set to spread across Oxfordshire
And the provider did not always make sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences, the report says.
The main concern for inspectors was the leadership of the business. The inspection stated “the provider did not have clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance”.
It also found “they did not act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, or share this securely with others when appropriate”.
However the inspection report stated that “people and relatives told us staff were polite, friendly, kind, patient, absolutely wonderful and caring”.
And another person said “they always give me dignity in the shower, they never rush me or are never abrupt, they let me take my time”.
In January, it was announced that the cook, who lives in Moreton-in-Marsh just over the Oxfordshire border, would bow out of the Channel 4 show after nine series and judging more than 400 challenges.
The 86-year-old has been a judge on the popular baking show alongside Paul Hollywood since 2017, when the series moved from the BBC to Channel 4, replacing Henley resident Dame Mary Berry.
It was then announced on Monday, January 26, that Oxford University graduate Nigella Lawson will replace her as the judge on the Bake Off.
READ MORE: Mary Berry finds ‘peace’ after ‘joy’ at retirement home
Now Dame Prue has recounted the time when she called up Michelin to ask why her restaurant, Leith’s in Notting Hill, London, was not given a star.
Speaking at Hay Festival in Hay-on-Wye, she said: “I finally rang up the Michelin Guide because I was indignant, I knew we were good enough.
“Now I think, how could I have done that? My restaurant did eventually get a Michelin star, but it took me 25 years.
“I rang them up and, to my surprise, they put me through to the editor. I said I wanted to know why we haven’t got a star.”
READ MORE: Major changes being made as Le Manoir undergoes historic renovation
To her surprise, Dame Prue got through, and the pair, including an inspector, went to the TV cook’s restaurant for lunch.
“We sat down, and it was fantastic,” added the 86-year-old.
“I was listening to this and thinking that was when we had a fantastic baker, and then he left… and then the chef went on strike about making the bread.
“They were absolutely right. We did all the things he told us and, the next year, we got a Michelin star.”
Oxford boy 11th person to die in water during heatwave
Tributes for Oxford boy, 14, who died in River Thames
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