All posts in the topic Fw: Black Boy (Short link)
Summary
- There are 16 posts — by 9 authors — in this topic.
- Latest post made by A Wyatt Rose at Oct 03 20:14 UTC
Below is the latest information I have about The Black Boy which I've sent to a
few interested residents in Old Headington. Apologies for any cross-posting,
but I thought you might like to see this update.
Dear all,
I'm writing to you because we've previously been in contact about The Black Boy
and, as many of you know, the present manager is leaving very soon. I've been
in contact with him and with Greene King and thought you might like to know the
latest information.
We all know the problems that there were with the pub up to a year ago and how
it has really transformed under the present management. Charlie, the excellent
present manager, rents from a small company called The Mustard Group who, in
turn, lease from the brewery, Greene King. I understand that The Mustard Group
gave three months notice on their lease and that Charlie will therefore be
leaving this coming Tuesday (15th July). The first The Friends and myself heard
about this was late last week.
This is certainly sad news for Headington. A key factor in the change is the
downturn in the economy, though I can't help thinking that a lack of publicity
It is sad to see such an enthusiatic team, not getting the custom they deserve. Here are a few suggestions: Do some market research into the demand for that type of resturant. Does the menu meet local tastes etc. Improve the marketing, so more people are aware of the existence of such a quality eating place in Headington. Make the outside appearance more noticable and inviting. Stage local events like quiz nights, jazz events, art exhibitions, poetry readings etc to attract the punter in. http://www.oxfordprospect.co.uk/HEADINGTONNEWS.htm
I think that sadly the Black Boy needed more time to recover from its
reputation as a dreadful rough old pub. Besides, people are set in their ways.
I wanted to patronise them but couldn't bring myself to transfer my custom from
good old Cafe Noir, it just felt wrong somehow.
What Headington realy needs is a good old fashioned bakery, where they bake
fresh bread on the premises. Just like Berry's and Valis used to do.
Perhaps the next people who take over the Black Boy pub could convert it into a
good old fashioned bakery cum resturant and internet cafe. Also the building
would make an ideal location for Headington's new library.
Just an update on the Black Boy. In the end, it was only closed for a day and
a half before a temporary manager was put in. He is holding the fort with a
basic menu for four weeks, and then it will close for some refurbishments and
open under a new permanent manager.
On the subject of pubs morphing into restaurants, a letter in today's Oxford
Mail says that the Somerset on the Marston Road, which has been for sale for
some time, is going to become a Chinese restaurant, with only a small bar
retained for drinkers. Does anyone know if this is correct? And is it a good
thing?
Dear All,
A note to keep you up to date: Chris and I will be taking over The Black Boy on
Monday and will be re-opening on the 30th September.
We're both very excited and looking forward, hopefully, to seeing you there on
the 1st October!
All the advice has been extremely welcome, and if there is any more to offer,
we are all ears.
Regards,
Abigail Rose
Hello All,
For those who may be interested, Chris and I, and my son with his God-sisters,
will be on BBC south at around 8.15am on Monday morning to talk about The Black
Boy and our cookery classes for children. We're very lucky that the Oxford Mail
has picked up the story too - many thanks to Chris Kearney for that one.
It's all coming together, and although covered in paint, we're very excited
about opening and looking forward to seeing those members of the forum who are
coming on the 1st October. I'm afraid we won't be serving food until 7th
October as we still need to finish off the kitchen!
Thank you all again for your support to this stage, and to Pippa for her
wonderful vegetarian books which are inspiring and useful!
Regards,
Abi Rose
Dear All,
With regards to the article today in The Oxford Mail - may I make it clear that
we're using mine and Chris's recipes, not Raymond Blanc's! I think he'd be
rather annoyed if we were. Although we are very proud having worked with
Raymond Blanc, this is our idea and our business.
Regards,
Abigail Rose and Chris Bentham
For news update on Black Boy, Headington's First Gastro Pub see http://www.oxfordprospect.co.uk/THEBLACKBOYPUBHEADINGTON.htm
I am intrigued by the term God-sisters, and I wonder what it means.
Maybe you could explain?
Good luck with your cookery lessons for children, a very worthy cause.
Personally, I have seen quite enough of Raymond Blanc on TV and think that his
current series is sheer sadism. It gives the impression that he is a really
horrid man who enjoys humiliating other people in public. "Do i 'ave to teach
you to buyl an egg?" "No, no, zat is how to get ze buyled beef..." I also doubt
whether he knows what the word "simmer" really means.
The cult of the super-chef does NOT encourage ordinary people to cook. In fact,
I think it does the reverse. It surrounds the subject with mystification and
makes people feel that cooking is too specialized and difficult for them. So
they just live on takeaway or ready-frozen meals.
And then there are more homely ones like River Cottage or one I've
just been watching with a nice down to earth young chap called
Valentine Warner entitled "what to eat now" both of which present a
vision of squires and peasants wandering along together collecting
green hazelnuts, trapping signal crayfish or shooting your own autumn
wood-pigeons and the whole parish dining round an impossibly large
oaken table that only a tiny proportion of the population have the
remotest hope of emulating even if they wanted to.
But actually, I do think "super chefs" can do something
inspirational; I frequently find myself watching Ramsay or Oliver or
some such, thinking "you got a Michelin star for *that*?" And come
the revolution, Heston would be well suited I think to inventing
scientifically perfect self heating ready meals for the homeless
bankers' meals on wheels service...:)
There was nothing wrong with Delia! So long as Norwich City does well
in the cup I suppose!
My pleasure Abi. I'm looking forward to your kitchen being finished and the pub established once more. BBC South is the telly, yes? I'm usually a Today person so I'll make sure I put the right programme on. PG ----- Original Message ----- From: A Wyatt Rose To: Headington & Marston Neighbourhood Forum Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 8:57 PM Subject: Re: [HMNF] Fw: Black Boy Hello All, For those who may be interested, Chris and I, and my son with his God-sisters, will be on BBC south at around 8.15am on Monday morning to talk about The Black Boy and our cookery classes for children. We're very lucky that the Oxford Mail has picked up the story too - many thanks to Chris Kearney for that one. It's all coming together, and although covered in paint, we're very excited about opening and looking forward to seeing those members of the forum who are coming on the 1st October. I'm afraid we won't be serving food until 7th October as we still need to finish off the kitchen! Thank you all again for your support to this stage, and to Pippa for her wonderful vegetarian books which are inspiring and useful! Regards, Abi Rose Abigail Rose Quarry Area, Oxford county Council Info about A Wyatt Rose: http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/1P4xWhiFN5Rc9RdZHHtfmQ This topic's messages may be viewed at: http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/4AJF6rwhgRr6CXGt5Egixz ----------------------------------------- To post, send your message to: <email obscured> To leave or for daily digest, type "unsubscribe" or "digest on," in subject line and send to: <email obscured> More info about Headington & Marston Neighbourhood Forum: http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/oxford-hm E-Democracy.Org rules: http://e-democracy.org/rules ----------------------------------------- Technical assistance thanks to our friends at http://OnlineGroups.Net
It has taken me ages to find the piece about the Black Boy (articles seem to disappear without trace on the new Oxford Mail website), so here it is for anyone who would like to read it: http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/3707737.Learning_how_to_be_a_petit_Blanc/ I hope that forum members will come if they can to the Black Boy on Wednesday night (1 October) at 7pm: it will be an opportunity to meet Steve of e-Democracy and each other.
Jock wrote:I frequently find myself watching Ramsay or Oliver or
some such, thinking "you got a Michelin star for *that*?"
Actually, I think Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver got their Michelin stars for
cooking six different three-course meals simultaneously for up to fifty people,
using top-quality ingredients they had bought from a market at 6am the same
morning. And for the menu-planning, of course. That is amazing, but it is not
the sort of cooking that most people need to do, and it can only be done in a
professional kitchen with half a dozen assistants. More stuff about how
ordinary people can cook jolly good meals at home using what they find in the
local shops is more helpful. Delia Smith does relate to that, and cookery
lessons for children might help to improve their health and reduce their
reliance on packaged convenience foods.
Dear All,
It was lovely to meet those of you who came along on Wednesday night, it gave
our first night a lovely buzz!
We will be closed to finish the kitchen until Tueday 7th October, and then open
for good!
Hopefully, we will see you there!
Regards and thank you,
Abigail Rose