The Bull Hotel

Thu 22 Jan 2015, 06:57

I am stunned by some of delusional comments on this thread. To choose a few: (1) the Bull will be kept going by 'walkers', clearly the view of a Sunday lunchtime-only visitor. I didn't see many walkers in there last night, but then I didn't see many of the people who reckon the Bull is an irreplaceable community resource either. (2) The situation with the Bull is comparable with neighbouring small villages where there is one pub which provides food, beer and lunchtime coffee and sandwiches. Actually in Charlbury four pubs, and now three cafés, split trade for food, beer and lunch between them, for a population of less than 3000. (3) The food was better ten years ago. Well I'm sorry, but I was a regular ten years ago, and I liked the previous owners as much I like the present ones, but it simply wasn't. You may not remember the under-salted chips and the steak and hooky pie where the beer was not cooked off enough - but I do. (4) It's too expensive. Well actually, allowing for inflation, I reckon the prices have changed very little over the nearly 20 years I have known the Bull, and they are comparable to neighbouring pubs like the Crown at Enstone, which does well for itself because in recent times it has been the only pub in the village. Given the location and size of the Bull I don't really believe anyone could make a living out of frozen scampi in a basket. (5) They need 'pub classics'. Well, yes: like burgers, fish and chip, or liver and bacon - all on the menu. Presumably the critics haven't actually seen a menu recently ... (6) 'They' should sell it as 'a going concern', when the clear evidence is that at present the Bull isn't a going concern.

I am heartened, on the other hand, by the eminently sympathetic and sensible comments made by the likes of Glena Chadwick, Diana Limburg, and others. The current crisis with the Bull ought to serve as a massive wake-up call to the people of Charlbury. Pubs and shops are not social services, but businesses, into which hard-working owners sink their own money and then attempt to make an honest living, working long hours and risking their savings in the process. Collectively and as individuals we all need to ask ourselves which local businesses we really value. Too often, it seems to me, the population of this town likes the idea of having places on its doorstep, fails to use them, and then complains when they fold up.