Christmas without The Stag and Huntsman, Hambleden

So the Christmas season is upon us and for the first time in more than 400 years, Hambleden’s residents are having to live without the Stag and Huntsman. Christmas at the Stag has always been something special as the village regularly retires to its friendly bars after the traditional events in the lead up to the festivities. I predict that attendance at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve will be down on last year and that those who do attend will not sing with such gusto as a direct result of the Stag’s closure. Who’d have thought the church would be an indirect ‘victim’ of the closure!?  :)

I’m not alone in already looking forward to next year and the return of the Stag and Huntsman from May onwards. Work is certainly progressing well with the footings now in on the squaring off of the lounge with the public bar. The new roof is taking shape and the walls are going up on the large new extension down the side of the garden. As for the inside, I’ve not seen in there yet but some investigative snooping will take place shortly so watch this space for a report and perhaps some photos from my hidden camera. 

As 2011 closes, we continue to watch developments closely. The vibe around the place is becoming increasingly positive with many friends passing on comments from the wider community that expectations are high for the new Stag and Huntsman. Excitement therefore mounts; it’s just a shame that we have to live through this Christmas season without our local friendly pub. I for one am missing it this year. Bring on 2012.

Exclusive! Opening Date for The Stag and Huntsman, Hambleden

So according to official sources at The Culden Faw Estate, the Stag and Huntsman will reopen for business over the weekend of May Bank Holiday, 2012. What's more, there is a strong commitment from the Estate to preserve the character of the pub right down to reusing some of the old furniture in the areas not affected by the build.

And according to the same source, the quality of the food will be much improved although the menu will not read like a gastro pub. This will be music to many people's ears as the big fear is that The Stag and Huntsman goes the way of so many local pubs and becomes a glorified restaurant.

All in all a very encouraging picture of a pub that, with luck, will open bigger and better than before. And if the menu caters for local tastes and those of the hundreds of walkers that frequent its garden and bars, then the Culden Faw Estate will be onto a winner.  And with the build ahead of schedule thanks to the wonderful Autumn weather, it seems it will not be long until we return to The Stag and Huntsman and the pub we know and love!

Nuclear Bunker & Indoor Pool @ The Stag and Huntsman?

The hole in what was the garden of The Stag and Huntsman is sparking a lot of debate by all accounts. According to one of the hard working builders (on-site on a Saturday), rumours abound as to the purpose of the near 20 foot deep excavation. Nucelar bunker for the village? Fitness pool for the farm boys?  Both have been put forward as suggestions.

While both have their benefits, the answer is perhaps unsurprising. The new cellar, for that is what it will be (no s**t Sherlock) will contain a plant room and a bank full of fridges and freezers for what we presume will be the new gastro element of the pub.

What is certain is that the builders are getting a move on. Work seems to be taking place seven days a week which suggest The Culden Faw Estate wants to meet the six month build window they have been talking about. And rather encouragingly, word from the builders suggests that the character of The Stag and Huntsman is going to be retained. But judging by the work going on, we'll see some dramatic changes over the next few weeks running toward Christmas.

Who is Robin Hartley?

So the builders behind the renovation of The Stag and Huntsman, Hambleden are Robin Hartley & Company, a local Henley builder by all accounts.

For obvious reasons, it would be good to see examples of their work and to see the quality of the end product they build. So it's rather strange that they don't seem to have website. I would have though that any builder commissioned to renovate a building with such history, character and reputation would be able to show a strong track record.

I guess this is another example of the trust we are all placing in The Culden Faw Estate and Mr Schwarzenbach's advisers and staff. With luck, Robin Hartley and Company will build to a design that will win awards and win over the doubters such as yours truly. But the fact that they seem to not be of any great repute judging by their online profile, is going to be of concern.  Again, only time will tell.

The Stag and Huntsman Digs Deep

There's no sign of a let up in the digging around the back of The Stag and Huntsman. Check out the hole as it stands this weekend. Has to be +20ft in depth.  All we can say is that it's a good job the water table is so low otherwise the contractors would have a major pumping job on their hands

Also of interest is the façade of the old drinks store / laundry alongside the lane. Does this mean the new Stag and Huntsman will look as it did before - at least from the front? This begs the question of what else the National Trust and the planners have requested are preserved. Just a shame the atmosphere cannot be placed under a preservation order.

The Builders Move Into The Stag and Huntsman Hambleden

So it's a couple of weeks now since the pub was drunk dry and the builders have been busy. In fairness to the Culden Faw Estate, they haven't hung around. The place has been abuzz with the sound of diggers, builders, demolition and site clearance. And by all accounts, there were some dark secrets lurking in the kitchen - secrets you really wouldn't want to think too much about! 

 

So as the Stag and Huntsman was cleared, many of us have been wondering what became of some of our much loved artefacts from the various bars? For example, the Tug of War trophy so proudly won at the last Hambleden Fete; the Tommy Helmet that sat with proud of place in the Public Bar; and the dart board which in days gone by was the scene of such competition. Several regulars spoke of taking a screw driver to time honoured signs such as the 'Public Bar' sign on the door.  What became of all of these things will hopefully become clear when the Stag and Huntsman reopens.

But as you can see from the photos, our beloved pub has taken a battering in the past two weeks. The 'quaint'  outside men's toilet is no more. The garden bar has been assigned to history. The digging has begun on the new extension in the garden. Who knows what skeletons might be uncovered but we all hope that the fact that the builders have got a move on might mean that the six month build schedule is met and that we have a pub back in the village before too long. 

No Banter @ Rugby World Cup

What a difference four years makes. Back in 2007 The Stag was the focal point of our support for England's bid to retain the Rugby World Cup. Our passion for the game was heightened by the fact that the Raging Bull - Mr Phil Vickery - was a resident in the village at that time. Phil was a frequent visitor to The Stag and liked nothing more than a pint or two and a game of darts. Having our resident hero leading England only served to bring the tournament closer to Hambleden and made games viewed in the Public Bar even more tense. For those of us who witnessed South Africa lift the cup in Paris that year, our disappointment was certainly pretty intense as we felt for Phil as well as for the whole England team. But overall, The Stag was for those four or five weeks, the focal point of our support for England and once again brought everyone together.

So here we are in 2011. And this weekend as England scraped past Argentina with a sole try from Ben Youngs, we watched in isolation away from the banter and spirit of The Stag. We have to ask why the Culden Faw Estate chose to close the pub just at the start of the Rugby World Cup. Surely the next four weeks would have been highly profitable if they had been sensible and put on breakfasts and screenings (as Andy Stokes did during a memorable Lions Tour back in 2001). But then I guess they don't breed die hard rugby fans in Switzerland where Estate owner Mr Schwarzenbach comes from.

Drink The Stag Dry - No Last Night Blues

So last night was the night. After a suitably stormy day in the village, the evening sun shone for the swansong of the Stag and Huntsman as we know it. An excellent turn out witnessed the loyal staff receive gifts from the Culden Faw Estate for their valued service (so valued in fact that everyone of them was made redundant....). With a buffet served in the dining room and the best staffed bar for some years, the regulars of Hambleden bade farewell to The Stag for the time being.

Talking to friends around the pub, the general sentiment is one of trepidation and sadness. Trepidation at what might emerge from the rubble of the rebuild and sadness at the loss of old friend. That said, the community holds out hope that the new Stag will retain some of its much loved character and that the developers and interior designers manage to understand the customer base that will frequent it day in and day out. It's not about well heeled shooting types looking for a gastro boutique at which to soak their aches in mock Victorian roll top baths. The Stag is a locals pub that serves a diverse community with good beer and (hopefully) honest decent food!

So farewell to The Stag. Watch this space for reports on the build and for the gossip and feedback from those close to this process.....

The Stag and Huntsman Hambleden

This blog will be a chronicle for the major changes about to start at The Stag and Huntsman pub in Hambleden, Oxfordshire. This much loved local hostelry is at the heart of the village and has been for generations. A traditional, unspoilt  local boozer, it attracts a loyal following from the Hambleden Valley and provides a focal point for friends across all generations and walks of life to meet, engage in healthy banter and to enjoy the company and community we are so fortunate to have around us.

Sadly, the pub is about to close (this Sunday, September 4th September) for at least 6-months of major renovations and building work. This is under the orders of new owner, Swiss Financier Urs Schwarzenbach who bought the village from the much respected and sorely missed Henry Smith three or four years ago.  Mr Schwarzenbach has spent a small fortune bringing the fabric of the village up to date and now it is the turn of our beloved pub.

As a regular of the Pub and resident of the Village, I am concerned at what will result. Like most others, we understand that The Stag needs updating -- let's face it, it is a bit frayed around the edges. But for many of us, that's the appeal. But business is business and it's clear the The Stag could be doing better. So as Mr Schwarzenbach embarks on this project, we hold our collective breaths in the hope that his plans do not rip the heart out of The Stag and that the final build keeps the character and atmosphere that has made The Stag such a special place for me and many of my friends here in Hambleden.

Mr Schwarzenbach -- we watch with keen interest and this blog will be an honest, fair and constructive mouthpiece for the mood of the village as the development takes shape. Watch this space for progress.  And do follow updates on Twitter using @StagandHuntsman.