Another Torygraph Mention… (Debate)

Thu 22 Feb, 18:13 (last edited on Fri 23 Feb, 07:07)

I agree with Hannen, those having a poke at Stephen Bubb are showing bad form, he has done a lot for the U.K. charities sector and within Charlbury over recent years, and we are lucky to have him in our community 

Thu 22 Feb, 15:15 (last edited on Thu 22 Feb, 15:17)

I know it's the Debate section but personal attacks make me sad.

Stephen has done a lot for this country:

"Sir Stephen John Limrick Bubb JP FRSA (born 5 November 1952[1]) is Director of Charity Futures, and the Acting Director of the Oxford Institute of Charity. He was Chief Executive of the UK charity leaders representative body Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) from 2000 to 2016. He received a knighthood in 2011 for his services to the voluntary sector.[2] From March 2011 to June 2011, Bubb was seconded to the Department of Health, as part of the team leading Andrew Lansley's National Health Service (NHS) "listening exercise".[3]

Bubb is regarded as influential within the Labour and Conservative Parties, with his longstanding advocacy of charities replacing public services chiming with both parties' policy of promoting competition and choice in areas such as health care. He has described criticisms of competition as belonging in the "last century"."  [Source: Wikipedia]

Instead of carping we could all learn a lot from him, and I for one, am honoured to have him in our Town.

Thu 22 Feb, 09:30

"but our peace and quiet is being disrupted by the people who come outside to eat at the Bull, or the Bell"

I'm assuming that Mr Bubb has NEVER visited another town or village on a vacation  and used one of the local eateries either here in the UK or elsewhere and 'disrupted' the locals of that town or village...

I for one welcome the arrival of visitors to the town. Pre-Covid Charlbury was a bit of a ghost town where most people were away working in Oxford or London (including myself), and it's great to not only see all pubs open and thriving again, but additional businesses open along Market Street.

Some of the comments that are repeatedly aired regarding the Bull and/or Bell are laughable yet pathetically drab.

Wed 21 Feb, 13:08

The thing I find depressing is that people who choose to remain semi-anonymous, still enjoy having a pop at others, who don’t. Does it give you that satisfyingly smug sense of superiority, Mr V?

Mon 19 Feb, 19:52

Credit to all of the establishments that are providing a choice of places for all to enjoy , a good selection and all different. Now it’s time to provide the infrastructure to accommodate the upturn in visitors , providing parking, and to stop the rather silly comments based on the choice of food types and vehicle CHOICES, that people like / need and use for THEIR requirements, without being judgemental. If you don’t like an establishment, then don’t use it and become bitter ! Celebrate the positive impact ?  With a trendy ‘ just saying ‘ sign off 

Mon 19 Feb, 19:48

On an admin note, the Bull is absolutely allowed to post their menu or whatever, just as Chloe does (and I’m pleased they continue to do so).

Mon 19 Feb, 18:50

Oh dear.  That old canard “ the politics of envy”. Never a good argument. 

Mon 19 Feb, 17:23

At last, a voice of reason (thanks David)! For years people complained - rightfully - that the shops and businesses in Charlbury were unsupported and closing, and how in the good old days it used to be a bustling little town. Now it's a bustling little town again, people complain when the facilities are used! I don't find it "depressing" at all. In fact, the only thing I find depressing is people who focus on SUVs (which despite the constant carping are by far the minority of vehicles in Charlbury) and labelling people "outsiders". It isn't Notting Hill, it's Charlbury. It's still a wonderful place to be, and now - thankfully - has some amazing eateries! Yay!

Mon 19 Feb, 14:48

The Bell and the Bull both offer limited off-street parking however the Rose&Crown, Delhi,Chloe's and Amarelo Bistro offer no off street parking at all.

All of the above are excellent venues in their own way and Chloe's unlike the Bull can post their menu on the Forum each week. Perhaps the regular complaining about the Bull and the Bell visitors has more to do the with politics of envy.

Mon 19 Feb, 12:47

Many of us love Charlbury because it isn’t “Notting Hill” or the more tourist spots like Burford and Woodstock, but our peace and quiet is being disrupted by the people who come outside to eat at the Bull, or the Bell; many of these people lack basic manners and park  where they  park want , drive their SUVs down Market Street Ignoring us locals. A Ferrari in the bus stop! The Daylesford mega truck interfering with the buses. All progress is not good progress. 

Mon 19 Feb, 11:54

but it is also bringing additional employment opportunities for locals and hopefully extra trade for our local businesses.....

Sun 18 Feb, 21:15

How depressing is that? Why is this happening, it's literally  only a damned crossroad with a couple of very posh pubs to attract the whole of the rest of the world. Utter madness, and  boy, are we paying the price, in every way, as mere locals?

Sun 18 Feb, 20:39

This week my sister in Qatar sent me a short review from National Geographic Food which says that The Bell is well worth a visit. "Pretty market town of Charlbury ... Daylesford brand's successful formula of luxurious bedrooms and poshed-up pub grub ...". International acclaim as well as British. 

Sun 18 Feb, 17:48

If only it was just Bull, but for better or worse it's hyper-gentrification.

The Telegraph leads the pack (those connections), with the Times close behind, and how long before the Guardian gives us the perfect weekend break...

Sun 18 Feb, 15:59

Can I? Dare I? Suggest that this thread is a load of Bull....

Sun 18 Feb, 12:38

I like the line about “we drive to yet another [unnamed] fashionable pub for a cider and a packet of Scampi Fries”. The cider is almost certainly better in the R&C and the Scampi Fries will be exactly the same (unless someone has invented hand-reared artisan Scampi Fries, which wouldn’t amaze me).

But it is genuinely lovely to see the Bull becoming such a success.

Sun 18 Feb, 12:34 (last edited on Sun 18 Feb, 12:34)

Probably too engrossed in her backgammon games!

Don't get me wrong, my original post wasn't meant to be anything negative about The Bull, it was simply about Charlbury getting yet another mention and the article overall!  Give her credit, if she felt that she might as well have driven to Notting Hill, she was sort half right with the owners of The Bull also running The Pelican in Notting Hill! 

Sun 18 Feb, 12:14

A princess? I wonder who ... 

I suppose the author, Sophia Money-Coutts, who spent who spent five years studying the British aristocracy while working as Features Director at Tatler, might be expected to know. But nothing else in the article (readable on pressreader.com) makes me trust anything that is said. It's just more sloppy -- and supposedly humorous-- journalism from The Telegraph. And an equally sloppy hotel booking as well. 

Money-Coutts is so unobservant that she doesn't realise that the pub she is actually booked into --  & where she ends up staying -- is not The Bull, but simply Bull. 

Maybe if she had actually stayed at The Bull she would have realised that Charlbury is not as similar to London as she supposed. But actually I doubt that she would have noticed anything much at all. 

Sun 18 Feb, 12:06 (last edited on Sun 18 Feb, 12:06)

It’s staggering how much publicity it has received. A little look at their Trip Advisor reviews you’ll see many people have came as a result of the glowing journalist reviews only to be left unsatisfied, It receives a 4, with all recent reviews 1-3 stars. Make of it what you will. 

Sun 18 Feb, 09:32

But this time in yesterday’s  ‘Motoring’ pages in the ‘Saturday’ section of the paper!

Its an article about Volvos and driving one to the Cotswolds for a romantic weekend. Talks about driving 42 miles to Charlbury in the chi-chi part of the Cotswolds, the golden patch around Chipping Norton which has become so moneyed they might as well have stayed in Notting Hill. 
The small size of the Bull car park gets a mention as they arrive to check-in. It talks about a handsome actor sitting at one table and a princess at another, but they don’t actually have a booking because they are trying to check-in to the wrong Bull - they were booked into the one in Burford! Cue complaint about the Cotswolds having too many pubs with same name in close proximity and not getting the journalist started on the re-vamp Bell just across the road……