Masoom’s Indian Kitchen and Bar will open in Church Street, Bodicote, near Banbury, in the coming months, with the owner declaring ‘the countdown has begun’.

The new owner behind the endeavour is Mijan Ahmed, 44, who worked in the renowned kitchens of Malik’s in Cookham, the owner of which is his cousin, and other respected Indian kitchens.

Mijan Ahmed, 44, is opening Masoom’s Indian Kitchen and Bar in Bodicote (Image: Mijan Ahmed)

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He’s owned and successfully run a restaurant in Goring since 2005, and is now planning to bring the flavours of those kitchens to Bodicote.

A statement from Masoom’s said: “Our stunning new MASOOM’S Indian Kitchen & Bar sign is now proudly in place, and we couldn’t be more excited. Every day we’re getting one step closer to opening our doors and welcoming you all.

Mr Ahmed plans to bring the flavours of the kitchens he’s worked in to Masoom’s in Bodicote (Image: Mijan Ahmed)

“From the luxurious interior to the incredible food our chefs are preparing, we’re creating something truly special an experience unlike anything else in the area.

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Beer on tap at the new establishment (Image: Mijan Ahmed)

“A huge thank you to everyone for your continued support and patience. We can’t wait to share this journey with you.”

The grand opening date has not yet been announced, but Mr Ahmed said he hopes to open the doors before the end of the month.

Masoom’s will open in 1 Church Street, formerly the home to The Spice Room which closed after it was given a zero star hygiene rating by Cherwell District Council in 2022.

With big names like Prunella Scales, Connie Booth, John Cleese, and Andrew Sachs backing the original Fawlty Towers television run, it’s hard not to walk into the New Theatre to watch its first night without a bit of doubt.

But I can assuredly say the play did not disappoint.

Fawlty Towers checked into the New Theatre Oxford with a gloriously chaotic stage adaptation that feels like a love letter to the original series.

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Danny Bayne and John Cleese (Image: Trevor Leighton)

Even if you know every episode by heart, this stage version serves up enough new flourishes and perfectly executed farce to make a return visit to Fawlty Towers feel irresistible.

Standing in for Danny Bayne, understudy Adam Elliot played the eternally exasperated Basil, capturing Cleese’s Fawlty’s wit and sarcasm but ensuring the live audience see and laugh at every moment.

Mia Austen, a heavy weight in West End theatre, played the razor-sharp Sybil Fawlty nailing everything down from her walk to her outrageous shrill of a laugh, with her typical phone call to avoid doing any work sending you right back to the original episodes.

Paul Nicholas plays the delightfully bumbling Major in Fawlty Towers: The Play, capturing the character’s absent-minded eccentricity with gentle humour and old-school charm. His performance mirrors the beloved TV original while adding a stage-friendly warmth that lands especially well with live audiences.

Joanne Clifton’s Polly is sharp, capable and quietly exasperated, grounding the hotel’s chaos with quick thinking and dry wit.

The ensemble timing is tight, the set cleverly evokes the shabby Torquay hotel, and the famous set pieces – from malfunctioning catering to catastrophic guest relations – are reimagined with inventive physical comedy.

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John Cleese (Image: Trevor Leighton)

Born out of a stay at the now-demolished Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay while filming Monty Python, John-Cleese based his Basil Fawlty on the hotel’s owner who he later called “he rudest man I’ve ever come across in my life”.

From critcising guests table etiquette, throwing their briefcases out of a window in case it “contained a bomb” and a view from Michael Palin that his guests were seen as a “colossal inconvenience” Cleese certainly didn’t have to dig deep for his rude Fawlty.

No comedy show has had quite the impact that Fawlty Towers does, with only two series consisting of twelve episodes overall it would be remiss to say an audience couldn’t even build a fan base of of it in the modern world.

The Crazy Bear hotel in Stadhampton has ripped up the rule book to offer a table-loaded tea party of delights, according to its owners.

Forget dainty – in Crazy Bear style the new ‘Afternoon Tea Feast’ concept is a twist on the conventional.

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An endless spread of finger sandwiches, warm scones, homemade macarons, cakes and patisserie-style treats are piled high on a bespoke wooden feasting table, a handmade feature piece in the new residents’ lounge.

Complete with a vintage vinyl record player, cocktail trolley, and snug seating, the residents’ lounge is a place where guests can relax.

The Afternoon Tea Feast starts with a glass of Prosecco.

Afternoon tea at the Crazy Bear (Image: Nick Tucker Photography)

“Our new Afternoon Tea Feast is a sight to behold,” said Jen Needham, marketing director at Crazy Bear.

“It’s the latest step in our food and drink revamp and an appetite is essential as this is not a run-of-the-mill, dainty afternoon tea and going for it is encouraged.

“Whether it’s enjoyed in our relaxed residents’ lounge or outside across our gardens, you won’t find better than the Afternoon Tea Feast anywhere else.”

Booking for the Afternoon Tea Feast is recommended but customers who turn up without booking will be accommodated where possible.

Served between 2pm and 5pm on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, the Afternoon Tea Feast is priced at £40 per person.

An afternoon tea feast at the Crazy Bear in Stadhampton (Image: Nick Tucker Photography)

You can check the Crazy Bear’s social media channels for availability as pre-booked events, including weddings, birthday parties and anniversaries, might be taking place.

The launch of the new afternoon concept follows a relaunch at Crazy Bear in June, as a new era was kicked off with a refreshed menu, hedgerow cocktail range and refurbished spaces.

Hundreds of guests packed the venue near Wallingford and were treated to acts including festival favourites The Cuban Brothers, a dance-off led by leading Latin dancers Ksenia Zsikhotska and Krystof Grzelak, and award-winning comedian and presenter Matt Richardson.

Former The Xtra Factor presenter Mr Richardson is originally from Didcot.

Founded in 1993, the Crazy Bear in Stadhampton is complete with 18 rooms, a cosy 16th century pub, an eclectic choice of indoor and outdoor spaces to eat and drink, plus secret garden and woodland.

It hosts weddings and its public areas are dog-friendly.

Its sister site in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, has 35 individually designed bedrooms, restaurants, bar and an outdoor swimming pool, and is less than 30 minutes by train from London.