Inside The Stag and Huntsman - First Look

Last Tuesday I was granted 'rare' access to the interior of the Stag and Huntsman courtesy of Hillbrooke Hotels and Lisa Hughes from the Culden Faw Estate. This 'unfettered' access, albeit with Lisa leading me quite briskly around the site provided more than a glimpse into what we can expect when The Stag reopens in late May. And I have to say, it looks encouraging.

This photo shows the Public Bar. Key features will remain including the dart board (no 'knock through' into The Snug as feared). However, the popular bench seat and the corner stool by the bar hatch are going to be lost for a doorway into the new seating area destined for the area that was the garden bar. 

The Estate and Hillbrooke are very clear that significant parts of the The Stag will remain authentic to what was there previously. There'll be no poncy floors, many fixtures and fitting will remain, and the fireplaces will still be used. Good news in the Public Bar I would say which is unbeatable on a cold day with the fire in the grate. 

The Snug itself will welcome back the Saturday crew and they will not be disappointed. Bar fittings remain as were, even down to the wrought iron glass rack. And shock of shocks, the old heavy red velvet curtains will make a reappearance. Hopefully having been thoroughly washed clean of decades of nicotine staining and god knows what else!

For anyone who has eaten at The Stag, the thought of what might lie ahead in the culinary department will be of some interest. And so the construction of a new kitchen in the block running along side the car park is significant. Not only do we get a new chef with a new menu working in a new kitchen, but the weekend BBQ will be expanded through the bespoke BBQ 'bay' with the addition of a pizza oven. Smart move I reckon and one that will prove popular. Now what we need to see is who will run the kitchen and will the menu live up to what the Estate insists will consist of locally sourced produce at non-gastro pub prices?

And it's in the dining room where we'll see the biggest difference. This photos shows a view looking down past the wall into where the kitchen once stood. And the builders have made some interesting discoveries including an old bread oven which I am sure will become a feature of the room. I don't think anyone would disagree that the old dining room needed some attention and so the new enlarged version should be a welcoming sight. 

But it's here that I have a question: How is the food going to get from the kitchen in the new block into the dining room? Will it get carried through the public bar or the via the new room into the lounge bar and into the dining room. Talk about food miles! I hope the serving staff are well trained to navigate the obstacles that the trip from kitchen to table will encounter.....

In summary, I would say that Hilbrooke Hotels and The Culden Faw Estate are spending a huge amount of money and I think its fair to say, time, in getting the new Stag and Huntsman looking fit for purpose. My sense is that it will be much like the old Stag but upgraded to deliver on the potential it has always had. Will it possess the same atmosphere? Will it be given over to smart dining and smart clientele? Only time will tell. I think there is a danger of this but with Claire at the helm and with the support of the regulars, I reckon it will quickly become the pub we want it to be. That's certainly the view from The Estate and I believe from Hillbrooke Hotels. 

Claire Hollis to be GM @ The Stag and Huntsman Hambleden

So it's official. Claire Hollis has been appointed as the General Manager of The Stag and Huntsman when it reopens in the May time frame.  I'm sure this news will be greeted with considerable relief by the Village as the pub will once again be run by an individual with deep roots in Hambleden.

It was always going to be so important that The Hillbrooke Hotels Group and the Culden Faw Estate appointed the right General Manager, someone who understands the needs of the local community. And who could be better than Claire. I'm sure Rebellion Brewery's loss is our gain. That said, we'll compensate by drinking more of their excellent beer!

Now let's hope that Hillbrooke Hotels support Claire in what she does and that she has the right people behind her to make this big job a huge personal success for her. But for now, we delight in the thought of her stewardship and look forward to the opening of the new Stag and Huntsman with even more excitement.  Congratulations Claire -- we are all very pleased for you!  Happy days!

The Stag and Huntsman in the Snow

We all have fingers crossed for a fast end to the current cold weather so that work can continue apace at the Stag and Huntsman in Hambleden. Yesterday's minus 10 in the village obviously has had an effect because according to Matt Murton, the next door neighbour to the Stag, a pipe has burst and the cellar is filling fast with water. Hopefully by the time this is written, the Culden Faw Estate 'machine' will have swung into action to remedy the situation.  But for the record, here's the Stag and Huntsman in the February snow.

Hillbrooke Hotel Company to Run The Stag and Huntsman

So the news is out. The era of the local Landlord is over in Hambleden. Urs Shwarzenbach and the Culden Faw Estate have sold out the running of The Stag and Huntsman to a boutique hotel group -- The Hillbrooke Hotel Company. Quite what this will mean to our local pub remains to be seen but judging from Hillbrooke's website, we can expect quirkiness rather than quaintness. Simple and perfectly cooked modern British food. An atmosphere of informality, fun, friendliness and efficiency and an active part in the local community.


It all sounds too good to be true. Judging by the other properties under the management of this group, we can certainly expect standards to be raised but at what cost The promise of the Estate not to turn The Stag and Huntsman into a gastro pub looks to ring true to a certain extent when you look at the menus of sister establishments. Lunch menus that include beef burger for £12.00. Sausage and mash for £12.50. Puddings all at £6.00. Dinner menus with starters from £6 and mains all around £18.  Admittedly, these prices aren't far short of the old Stag and Huntsman menu and I guess if the quality improves, then The Culden Faw Estate can expect to see customers attracted away from the Frog, The Chequers and The Bull and Butcher.


One big plus point that will surely bring in the ramblers are the sandwiches, something that was a rather bizarre omission from the old menu under the previous regime. And if the afternoon menu features in The Culden Faw Estate's plans, then many will be happy. 


Alex Dick has been quoted in The Henley Standard saying "we believe the partnership will provide the pub and its visitors with everything that is so good in a traditional village pub." Let's just hope The Culdern Faw Estate and the Hillbrooke Hotel Company remember that The Stag and Huntsman is also a local's pub frequented by a wide mix of villagers on a regular basis. We look forward to a locals welcome and we'll let Mr Christoph Brooke, Managing Director know if we don't (his email and mobile number can be found on The Hillbrooke Hotels website).

Blockwork Goes Up @ The Stag and Huntsman

It's been a stunning few days in the Hambleden Valley with clear blue winter skies, heavy white frosts and perfect still air. The walkers have been out in droves and the village has been a bustle of activity. All in all a perfect weekend for a beer and a roast lunch at The Stag and Huntsman.

But obviously it is not to be this winter. Visitors to Hambleden continue to be greeted by the renovations and by a web of scaffolding. The building site at the back, guarded as it is by sturdy metal railings, is a picture of industry. Mud, machinery and part built walls now welcome those who find their way into the car park. Those who make a regular pilgrimage to the Hambleden Valley cannot but fail to be impressed by the progress being made. In the last few days, the blockwork to the new extension has really begun to take shape. The photos on the left show just how the pub's entertainment venue, kitchen, store room and manager's flat will look once completed.

The sad thing about looking at this structure as it rises from the ground is the amount of garden it looks likely to swallow up. For Friday night garden regulars, the atmosphere of this most favourite of family evenings looks set to change for ever more. With luck and hopefully with some foresight by the Culden Faw Estate, the garden will retain sufficient space to allow us all to enjoy the last of the summer sun and from which our children can make their excited excursions onto the Dean. 

The saving grace however might be the fact that the garden is also beloved by the walkers who swarm like 'be-sticked' ants along the footpaths and bridleways, guided by dog eared books and in some modern cases, handheld GPS units. The worry however is that the Estate might wish to discourage their patronage given as they are to drinking halves of orange squash and bringing their own sandwiches!


Only time will tell. But as the days count down to the predicted opening of The Stag and Huntsman, all who frequent it, be they be Hambleden regulars or visitors to our beautiful valley wait with eager anticipation. All we need to do now is to see what the builders are doing on the inside!

Springing to the Defence of Hambleden Life

The loss of the Stag and Huntsman through the Christmas period was pretty hard to swallow. It seemed there was a hole in the community, one that the sports and social club tried valiantly to fill. I was therefore a tad sensitive to the importance of village life so when I came across an article from a local journalist in the London Evening Standard. I was forced to respond. The following post on my personal blog (http://sparkthedebate.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-fresh-air-birdsong-work-for-me.html explains why I believe so passionately in the fabric of village life. Views and comments would be most welcome. And if you want to go to the Evening Standard to see the original article written by Lucy Cavendish click on this link: Evening Standard. I do think there might be some views on what Lucy writes about!

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.