There are notices in the windows of the Broad Face to say that it will be opening tomorrow, 25th June 2013 – before a lot of people realised it had closed. The gastro pub has now had four Landlords in a year, but the new management, this time round, may not be entirely new- if rumour is to believed. They were the chefs working with Mr R while he was in charge, and now he has gone to pastures new, they have taken over the Broad Face.
People raved about the food when Mr R was in charge. A lot of that must also have been down to the new men in charge.
Lets hope they learnt from the previous incumbent that good food doesn’t need rich sauces, posh ingredients in strange combinations, no one wants and at exorbitant prices to be a successful pub. Good food is good food anywhere.
The clues in the name. Its a PUB. A pub that used to serve good food, unless they want to change it into just a restaurant? and make that 5 owners in a year?
God forbid somebody should try and raise Abingdon’s game a bit….
I think its a shame the last owner couldn’t make it work, but at least he had a go.
Good luck to the new guys, Abingdon needs as many decent restaurants as it can get.
I agree Chris. When I go out to the pub for a meal (which isn’t often) I am after good, tasty food at sensible prices. If I want “fancy food” I will go to a restaurant. There is nothing wrong with well cooked fish and chips, real beefburgers, and a Sunday roast!
The Cross Keys is also re-opening this week… from their facebook page:
“The Cross Keys will be re-opening its doors under the new ownership of landlady ‘Lisa’ at mid-day on Friday 28th.”
I think there is a place for all sorts of different food offerings in pubs. Personally, I like pubs where they can cater for a person who wants a full meal, while their companion just wants a snack.
We tried the Broad Face a few times, and had some very tasty dishes. But overall we didn’t think it was good enough or consistent enough for what they were trying to do.
With this miserable weather we hardly go out at all.
I suppose its a sign of the times that pubs have been changed into ‘Gastro Pubs’/ something akin to Restaurants who only serve Alchohol with food.
I prefered it when the difference in pubs was which ales/ciders they served, Real Ales/Ciders preferred.
I think there are too many which rely on foods.
With Weaterspoons price/cost will begin to factor in as well.
This was the greatest pub on the planet according to you lot a few weeks ago . The pub was busy and was putting Abingdon on the map , now it’s gone your saying well it was not right for the town etc . This town does not know what it wants you get new shops then you shop elsewhere you get fancy food you want bland pub grub , you want something done with the old goal now your moaning about that . We Havel had three pubs close within months and around five shops .
Abingdon has enough pubs! We need more good restaurants! And perhaps you people should actually go to things and spend your money rather than just moaning about it on here, no-wonder this place is like a friggin’ ghost town, you’re all too busy on here moaning about stuff!
A point well put, Carol.
And may I compliment you on your apostrophe on ‘friggin” too.
Enough pubs!? I can only think of about four pubs in town but a hell of alot of restaurant’s. It’s a shame the pubs can’t make it by just serving beer these days. Drinking whilst others are eating just doesn’t have the same atmosphere. Today I agree with you moody man. I’ve said it many times before. It seems people on here are crying out for somebody else to do something about just about everything as long as they don’t change a thing because whatever they do will be wrong and wont be as good as it used to be blah blah blah
Abingdon had more pubs than anywhere now there are new housing developments or tesco , red. Lion , barley mow , air ballon , George & dragon , fitsharris arms , the crown , the ox
now shops will be changed to flats . so we have lots of people living in the town with less pubs and shops so they will go elsewhere so more pubs and shops will close .
And so on and so forth. It’s always been the case. Darwin had a point.
When a shop or a pub has had its day, let’s embrace the change with open arms. It will be going on long after we’ve shuffled off our mortal coil.
Now, who’s for a morris dance? Actually, I really didn’t mean that last bit…
Why not Morris dance, seems a good deal, a pub crawl, dancing (to work off the calories). Cheaper than a gym membership 😉
Black Flag it seems a day doesn’t go by without you having a pop at the morris men. You have a deep down hatred for these guys don’t you. Maybe your wife ran off with one who knows? but I wonder would you have so much to say in front of them? I doubt it as these guys must have balls to get out there and do what they do rather then gobbing off on the internet….
That’s a good point, Native. Rest assured, I’ve nothing against the men, it’s the aesthetic form.
You’re on to something about the wife bit too. It is meant as a fertility dance after all, and one would have little option but to grin and bear it.
Little doubt, when you’re merrily shaking your morris stuff around town, you know the effect you have on the ladies.
I shouldn’t think anyone confident enough to dress and dance like that in public has any trouble when it comes to women. Or maybe that’s what the beer is for?
I’m not sure the Morris dancing we see in Abingdon has much to do with fertility though? Then again, if they’ve been dancing outside the job centre and sovereign vale housing that’d explain a thing or two…
Yes the pub has got new management through no fault of its own ! The wonderful Mr R who took it on in Febuary was not so wonderful and was not what he said he was.
The rest of the staff are the same team as always and are very keen to keep the pub going .Unfortunantly it may take a while to get rid of any bad feeling and mess that Mr R left behind.
i would just like to say give them a chance they are a great team running a great pub serving lovely food.
The town is very clicky and once one person says how bad somewhere is it is game over for a business . I remember Ybuynu got branded a charity shop and it stuck even though they never was registered or donated to any charity and people avoided them and they had to shut . There is too much social media now like trip advisor etc and if there is one complaint people avoid it . The town has a bad reputation out of town and also within the people in the town with traffic problems no shops no parking no entertainment etc etc . The broad face was on social sites stating they was always fully booked etc .
This is normal with Abingdon its a five minute buzz used once then never again . The only way for this town to survive now is to attract visitors as we can not rely on the local people they are too fussy and stuck up snobs with zero loyalty . We have local cafes run by local people and when you go past costa coffee it is packed all day .
Well said abbo man.
I noticed the Blue Boar in Bath Street have a sign board outside, they no longer serve food. is that a sign of the times? 😉
seriously though, I used to work in Besselsleigh, Wooton. and we used to frequent The Boundary House, they had a public bar and a dining area. Then it became Green King Hungry Horse ‘Diner’. (The Tandem in Kennington is a recent addition to the chain). eating/dining taking ‘preference over drinking Pub..
Do you mean the bystander Col? That still had a pub feel to it in the public bar yes.
has anyone else noticed the sign says 12AM to 12PM, 12PM being mid day and 12AM being midnight, reckon they have it the wrong way round?
Ive booked a table for tomorrow night and hope its good, ill post many positive comments if it is 🙂
The new managment at The Broad Face are doing a great job. The food is good and not too expensive, the service friendly and efficient and the whole experience enjoyable. I can see myself going every week. They deserve to do well.
Treated my daughter to a birthday lunch today, & it was delicious. It made her day & she said she had not had such a lovely meal so nicely served ever!!