Company running pub in Abingdon 'is in financial difficulty'

In March the pub in Bridge Street won CAMRA's (Campaign for Real Ale) town and village pub of the year award for the first time.

The Broad Face is a Greene King-owned pub, with Joshua Khan running the business.

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The manager is Kealey Hitchings, who has worked at the pub for the past eight years.

It appears that Mr Khan is preparing to close his company Vital Events, which runs The Broad Face, and another pub.

According to the Oxford Drinker, the magazine of real ale group CAMRA, the company Vital Events is seeking permission from creditors to appoint a liquidator.

A notice has been placed in The Gazette by Mr Khan and a meeting of creditors is due to be held on Monday to appoint the liquidator.

Vital Events runs the Broad Face and King Charles Tavern in Newbury, also still trading, and both being leased from Greene King. 

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Dave Richardson, a spokesman for Oxford CAMRA, said: "It's a shame to hear this company is in financial difficulty.

"The Broad Face won a CAMRA award in March and has been in the Good Beer Guide.

"It seems to have been doing pretty well as a real ale pub with a decent food offer."

Mr Richardson said there was no suggestion yet that The Broad Face would have to close.

He added: "If the company running it fails then the lease would revert to Greene King eventually.

"The lease could reside for a time with the liquidator and if the pub is trading well the liquidator could decide to keep the pub open."

Although the pub is owned by Greene King it has been free to sell any cask ales.

It's the only pub in the country with this name, with a pub sign that often makes passers-by stop to look.

One theory about the name says it shows the hangman or one of the prisoners at what used to be a jail across the road, and that it represents a body recovered from the nearby River Thames.

When The Broad Face won the CAMRA award Mr Khan said: "This award is long awaited, and a tribute to Kealey and her team.

"Real ales are the heart and soul of our pub."

The cost of living crisis has made it difficult for pub tenants to make a profit.

Some pubs in the county have closed after landlords decided they could not continue.

Rising utility bills have been cited as a key reason for pub closures.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

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