Hook Norton, the Oxfordshire brewer and pub operator, is gearing up to add to its managed estate and has launched a chef’s academy to try to tackle a chronic lack of chefs in the area.
Managing director James Clarke told MCA that the Fox in Chipping Norton had performed well, particularly in terms of accommodation.
He said trade had picked up across the 37-strong estate after a quiet January.
He also said that in its brewing arm, the group continued to see a strong appetite for lower ABV beers.
On the Fox, he said: “Soho Farmhouse is just down the road so we’re getting a halo effect from that. The train times from London to Banbury are under an hour and I think the Cotswolds are moving eastwards.”
On future growth, he said: “We’ve got a number of sites we’re looking at but our next directly managed operation will be our visitor centre. We will roll out the disciplines we have learnt.
“We are splitting up the café and bar to create a separate bar. We will be putting a kitchen facility in, which will also act as a training facility for our chefs. We’re about to link up with a local college.”
