Pub news:

• Huge congratulations to Liam (pictured left with Branch Chair Graham Hards) and Kim, licensees of the Plough in Long Wittenham, in winning our Pub of the Season award for Summer 2023. As well as serving three excellent cask ales, the pub is very much the heart of the community, hosting the Mikron travelling theatre group each year and numerous village functions including the charity music festival Wittfest. We hope they both continue an already impressively lengthy tenure of 11 years well in to the future!

• SODC has withdrawn permission for Oak Taverns’ pubs to have mobile street-food vendors on or around their premises. This was apparently triggered by a resident’s complaint alleging litter outside the Greyhound in Whitchurch. This has of course caused the pubs and the vendors considerable financial loss. It is unclear what the current position is, or indeed what the problem is since other district councils don’t seem to have the same approach. Branch Chair, Graham Hards has written to the Henley Standard on this matter, and we are now optimistic that a solution is forthcoming. The good news is, as of the start of September, some of Oak Taverns pubs have restarted hosting mobile street-food vendors, so some sort of solution has been found.
• A new planning application has been submitted for turning the Horse & Harrow, West Hagbourne into dwellings. It appears to be hardly any different from the previous one that was turned down. The closing date for comments was 21st August.
• The George at Upton at Upton has now reopened after some internal renovation.
• The Perch & Pike in South Stoke is closed. Brakspear seems to be having problems finding a new tenant.
• The owner of the Crazy Bear at Stadhampton has gone into administration. Ownership has been transferred to another company.
• The Red Lion, Britwell Salome, reopened in August.
• New licensees have appeared at the: Red Lion, Drayton; Boat House; Bell and the George Hotel, Wallingford.
• Currently being advertised are: Chequers, Berrick Salome, the White Hart and the Maltsters Arms, Rotherfield Greys.
• Corinne Cook, licensee of the Red Lion, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, has signed a new lease renewal from Wellington Pub Co for another 10 years. This is great news as it secures what has proven to be a successful operation of the pub for some time to come.

Brewery news:

• Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company is closing Wychwood brewery. More information can be found in this Oxford Mail article. It is currently not confirmed where Brakspear beers will continue to be brewed, although it is most likely to be at Marston's brewery in Burton-upon-Trent.