Oxford’s Gees Restaurant & Bar has reopened this month

Gees Restaurant & Bar, owned by The Oxford Collection, has been closed since February 21 while the extensive remodelling work took place.

The Banbury Road restaurant is now set to welcome people back this week into a renewed glasshouse, two new dining spaces, Gees Gallery and Gees Secret Garden.

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General construction and furnishing also took place as well as rebuilding the kitchen with additional staff, plant and storage facilities, new roofing, and restoration throughout.

With the new dining spaces, capacity at the restaurant has increased to up to 210 guests throughout and the 30-year-old kitchen has been remodelled into a “modern space” for guests.

Jeremy Mogford, who founded the restaurant in 1985 after converting the Grade II listed building from a greengrocer and florist, is pleased with the new look.

Speaking about Gees Secret Garden, he said: “The garden terrace is a sunlit, south-west facing sanctuary for diners.

“Drawing influence from the styles of the River Café in London, and from Gees’ sister restaurant Quod with its own terrace’s huge popularity, a colourful setting complemented by the creation of a uniquely constituted fountain was born.”

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The garden dining space has views of the steeple of the St Philip and St James Church and of the surrounding roof tops as well as the second dining space, Gees Gallery.

Mr Mogford’s “long-standing dream” was to work closely with the colleges in Oxford and other institutions to loan works of art or sculptures for free display in a rotating gallery space.

These may be viewed by the public by arrangement for free. Gees Gallery will also invite new artists to exhibit their work for a limited period to help launch their career.

The first artist to be featured in the gallery is Bernard Kay who was at the forefront of British art in the Fifties.  

Gees Gallery will also sell art as well as limited edition culinary items made in the new kitchen including olive oils and pickled vegetables.

The existing bar has also been repositioned with an additional bar added in the gallery.

“I bought the bar in 1978 from France,” said Mr Mogford. “It was then used in the little wine bar next to Browns which was converted from the flower shop.

“The bar’s adventure continued when it was recycled for the brand-new Gees opening in 1985.

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“Now, fast forward to 2022, and it has been reconstituted in a new position.”

Additionally, new head chef Matt Smith has created a new “daily evolving seasonal menu”.

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This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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