The Pelican team to relaunch Oxfordshire's The Bull

07-Nov-2022 - Last updated on 07-Nov-2022 at 16:10 GMT

The team behind recently-launched Notting Hill gastropub The Pelican are to takeover The Bull pub in the Oxfordshire village of Charlbury later this week.

Owners James Gummer and Phil Winser - who were both brought up in the area - will begin their tenure with a six week The Pelican Pop-up ahead of a refurb of the site in the new year.

The country pub is expected to reopen in spring 2023 with a “new identity” with more details set to be revealed early in the new year.

The Pelican’s head chef Owen Kenworthy - whose CV includes highly-rated East London restaurant Brawn - will be in situ throughout this period cooking a menu made up of the Notting Hill pub's signature dishes.

Bar snack will include Welsh rarebit; pork scratchings; mince on toast and sausage rolls, while dishes served in the dining room take in ham hock and egg mayonnaise; raw beef, gentlemen’s relish; potted shrimp and cucumber; smoked eel and horseradish; chicken and leek pie; onglet and shallot; and trout and celeriac.

The drinks list – wine and beer – will also mirror that of The Pelican in London, which launched early this year.

“We believe that a good pub should be the cornerstone of any local community. Phil and I grew up here, had our first pints in The Bull, our families still live in the area – and we feel like this is coming home for us,” says Gummer.

The pub area can seat up to 35, while the dining room accommodates up to 50 in two spaces. The interior is described as cosy and welcoming, with three open fireplaces, original brickwork walls, and a mix of antique and up-cycled furniture.

The garden area will also be available, weather permitting, for drinks and snacks.