22/05/2026
Could be a long post this.
About 11 years ago we bought the old Ox-Fford pub and have since then operated it in various formats and under different names to generate trade and respond to the changing needs of our customers. Not always successfully, but in general terms our combination of beer (sometimes from our very own Happy Valley Brewery just behind the pub) and pizza has been well received. Admittedly some strategic errors on our part (my part!!) have held us back with the odd catastrophic managerial appointment and a failure to get the pricing right in this challenging economic environment. However we battle on and now have a very competitive pricing structure, wonderful beer garden and great pizza menu available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. All approximately 10% cheaper than two years ago. The final piece of the jigsaw was getting the name right and to this end you will see the new signs hark back to the pubs origins some 170 years ago, THE OXFORD. We will take all the criticisms and suggestions, but at the end of the day we love running a pub and not a housing redevelopment site. People need to socialize over a pint (and a pizza). As the expression goes, "no great story ever started over someone eating a salad". Netflix, big Tv's, takeaways and cheap supermarket beer don't generate high levels of taxes to the government coffers like pubs do. You only have to look at the very recent closures of 3 or 4 cornerstone family dining pubs on the edges of Macclesfield to know how challenging the environment is for licensed premises. Yes you have to cut your cloth accordingly and we can't open 12 hours a day anymore, £9000 for Sky/TNT isn't viable with only a few fans passing up their dodgy sticks to come and watch. This isn't a plea for support as we'd be the first to acknowledge that you generally get what you deserve and a few outstanding Macclesfield pubs are doing good business through the quality of their staff and Landlords. Investment is challenging and with the two biggest pub groups having obliged their banks to write off over £1.1 billion, they remain better placed to reinvest in sites than independent operators. Old established family pub groups made their money 100 years ago and feel less pressure to build profits having a large established capital base of assets and fewer shareholders to satisfy. Less of my ramblings. Pop in for a pizza and a pint when you are passing THE OXFORD. All the best Sean
