The Bakers Arms in Broad Campden has been bought by a couple in the village who intend to “reopen this beautiful Grade 2 listed pub for the enjoyment of the village.”
Richard and Gail Smith are two of only 100 residents of the tiny Cotswold village but were determined to make sure that The Bakers Arms did not become another rural pub closure following the retirement of its former landlords and owners.
The 19 Century inn has been used in many TV shows, most recently ITV’s Father Brown. The village itself was named by Travel Away, in 2022 as one of the most beautiful villages in the UK.
Having investigated the whys and wherefores we can relay that this 19th Century pub was acquired by locals Richard and Gail Smith and will be leased to and managed in a joint venture arrangement with Cotswold caterers, The Relish Group, together with the Smith’s and well-known Camden residents Stephen and Charlotte Gabb. Richard Smith said: “I know the pub is important to the village but as neighbours we are also looking forward to opening the doors to all Cotswold’s residents, walkers and visitors alike.
“We have already been contacted by the Cotswold Morris Dancers, who practice and perform at The Bakers Arms and can’t wait to welcome them back.”
Rob Goves a director of Relish added: “The offering will only be ‘Only Half Baked’ at the outset. Whilst a full bar offering is targeted for late-June, the only eats will be bar snacks and cold items whilst the kitchen, restaurant area and other aspects within the grounds are completed.
“We want this to be a good country pub with a food offering to match expectation. It would be wrong to delay the opening of the bar whilst the kitchen and restaurant area is refurbished and the food offering created, tested and established. We have undertaken this process in many venues and would ask the residents in Broad Campden and surrounding area to allow us a little latitude whilst we get the food side just right for this amazing village pub.”
The Bakers Arms is currently in mid refurbishment, with the car park being reordered to include surrounding Cotswold stone walls and additional parking spaces. a number of temporary sheds have been removed and the outside dining area relocated from the rear of the car park to outside the pub itself. The entire frontage has already been repointed and the windows sympathetically repaired and painted in the existing white finish. Even though the Bakers Arms is a free house with a selection of real ales the original Flowers Brewery signing is being refurbished and mounted on a new oak ‘yard arm’. The solid oak door frontage onto the road will also be refurbished and reglazed.
(Main image: Stephen Gabb, his son Charlie and their dog, Toto.)
