O/T The Fox at Bix, near Henley

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

While on a sunny Sunday runaround in the Westfield recently, I noticed this place empty and on the market. It's a big old-looking pub on the main road out of Henley towards Nettlebed and it has a big carpark out front and beergarden behind(perfect for Thames Valley Area meetings, but that's another story).

Does any local member know this place - why was it closed, what kind of boozer was it? Or was it a "foodie" place? Seems a shame for it to be bought by a developer and made into a house or, God forbid, replaced with a Slug and Lettuce or even the golden arches. It does look a bit rundown and in need of TLC and I can't help being suspicious that it's not being sold as a going concern. Maybe there's too many pubs around there already.

Just a thought.....  

[7SE]

I know the place.  It was open 4 years ago when I first moved to the area but there never appeared to be anyone in there.  I believe that it changed hands a few years back with the intention of re-opening, work started but nothing came of it.  Don't know about current status.  Plenty of nice pubs in Henley

[S8ight]

try this

[7SE]

If they are taking that long to renovate it then:

Inside, the great thing is that everything is unaltered apart from the removal of a small partition on the left-hand side to link two originally separate rooms. On the right is the public bar. The fireplaces, the panelling, the counter are all original - so are even the tables and chairs

is not likely to form part of the new description.  

Use of the word:

attractive

is also highly subjective.  IMHO of course

If thinking of a new location for the TV meeting in this area then there is a roadside pub further along towards Wallingford at Huntercombe.  Don't know anything about it, can't even think of its name  

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

Thanks chaps, and 7SE, no I wasn't but it did occur to me when I saw the place and where it is that it would be a good option. It just struck me that it was odd that pub in such a good location would be clearly near-derelict. From a bit more research, info gleaned from the agent, and from CAMRA (thanks S8ight) it seems that the developers that bought it have been refused the permission to change it into the kind of pub they favour. The Grade 2 listing is very restrictive and the local authority are strict in their views. I imagine they (the developers) are sorry they bought it. I have no knowledge nor experience of pub running or management so here my interest grinds to a halt - South Oxfordshire planners have firmly rejected any chance of making it into a dwelling pure and simple, attractive though that would appear.

Thanks again.