A pub near Abingdon which has been closed for years is to reopen, according to brewers Greene King.

Last week Dave Richardson, of the Oxford branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), said The Black Horse at Gozzards Ford must be 'the most forgotten pub in Oxfordshire' as it has been closed for about five years.

It was thought there was little chance of it reopening because it had been closed for so long.

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But Greene King, which owns the pub, said it was making arrangements to reopen it soon.

A spokeswoman said: “We’re pleased to confirm that The Black Horse will be reopening soon.

"Our partner is currently completing a refurbishment of the pub and is looking forward to welcoming the community back to The Black Horse.”

Mr Richardson welcomed the news that the pub is to reopen.

Oxford Mail: The Black Horse

He said: "This is good news and shows that even if a pub has been closed for a long time, there are people wanting to take on a pub and have a go even in this difficult climate.

"I hope Greene King will invest in the pub and once again make it the kind of place that people will go out of their way to visit.”

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Gozzards Ford is a small village about two miles from Abingdon, so the vast majority of the pub's customers will need to drive there.

Pubs nearby include the Prince of Wales, in Barrow Road, Shippon, The Dog House in Frilford and The Merry Miller at Cothill.

Oxford Mail: The Black Horse at Gozzards Ford

Mr Richardson said earlier that the potential reopening of the Waggon and Horses in Culham was a good sign.

The Waggon and Horses, on Abingdon Road, is now the subject of a planning application which would see its refurbishment, including the demolition of 20th-century extensions, replaced by new extensions, along with the creation of a 20-bed single storey courtyard hotel and a community orchard.

The Black Horse has been through troubled times in recent years.

In 2017, Jeff Keegan and his wife Michaela, 49, moved from Blackpool to take on the lease for The Black Horse.

But from the start they were plagued with inherited issues with the boiler and kitchen which made turning a profit a struggle and put the business in jeopardy.

Oxford Mail: The Black Horse at Gozzards Ford

A former landlady at the pub was given a 16-month jail term suspended for two years for faking a gas safety certificate on the pub’s boiler, which cost £16,000 to replace.

But after support from brewery Greene King, trade picked up and the couple received a five-star hygiene rating when health inspectors from Vale of White Horse District Council visited.

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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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