Tim & Yvonne Walker, Bedford Arms, Oakley
The Bedford Arms in the heart of Oakley, Bedfordshire has undergone a £100,000 refurbishment – and has new licensees.
The 16th century inn closed for five weeks for the work which has added a modern twist to a traditional house, and was reopened by Tim and Yvonne Walker in late October.
The Bedford Arms is the couple’s seventh pub restaurant and they previously ran another Charles Wells pub, The Cock Inn at North Crawley, for four years.
“The pub is going very nicely,” said Tim. “We’ve put more light into the pub by knocking down a couple of internal walls. Local people like it and we’re also welcoming customers who come from a wider area.”
Home-made, home cooked food is the speciality of the house – and in particular fresh fish dishes. The pub’s fish board is updated daily with exciting and tempting specials.
“Yvonne was born in Hull and really knows her fish,” said Tim, “whether it’s haddock, chips and mushy peas, or home-cooked lobster.”
The pub has a restaurant with conservatory for formal dining, but a policy of sit anywhere in the pub means informal dining is also encouraged.
“It’s always quite difficult to take over a pub which has been in one family‘s hands for 12 years,” said Tim on taking over the pub. “But we have plans for a number of music events and we also want to get the garden ready for summer.”
Yvonne, who is also the head chef, added: “We care about what we put on your plate, that’s why we believe that one supplier cannot supply the best of everything, so we consistently source our food from a variety of suppliers with heavy influence on fresh local produce.”
They also offer gluten free meals.
The Walkers have explained their philosophy in a newsletter to all residents. “We strongly believe in an ‘every pint perfect’ philosophy that comes from well trained staff, expert cellar management and close attention to detail,” they said.
“Whether it's real ale, fine wine, malt whisky, cappuccino or something soft, your drink will be presented and served to you with care.”
They think a newsletter is a great way to communicate with local people and encourage them to visit the pub.
