The Pickled Ploughman in Adderbury will be packed on Christmas Day when families from across the community will enjoy their lunch on the house.
Owner Trevor Brown and his 15 strong team have volunteered to work for free, and will welcome 70 special guests who deserve a treat this Christmas to the village pub to enjoy a traditional lunch with all the trimmings.
On Christmas Day guests can look forward to a traditional turkey lunch with all the trimmings, Christmas pudding, starters, drinks, crackers and gifts
Trevor said: “The original idea came about when I was chatting to my chef and realised that I would not be able to spend Christmas with my parents this year. They are 89 and 92 and I just feel it would be too much of a risk.
“We had decided to close the pub for Christmas day and give everyone the day off but then I thought it would be good to do something special.
“Before we reopened after the second lockdown, we had a staff training session and I put the idea to the team. I made it clear there was no pressure for them to work but 80% of them said yes – those who couldn’t help out were already committed to seeing their families which is completely understandable.
“I then asked Banbury Foodbank to nominate families who would like to join us on Christmas Day and would otherwise have had a pretty dismal time.”
After posting the idea on Facebook, 70,000 people saw it, and many responded to Trevor’s request for donations of Christmas presents.
“We want to give families a magical day away from their worries.”
He added: “The reaction has been remarkable and we have presents flooding in to the pub. We have also had potatoes donated from a local chippy and sausages from a local pig farmer, The Pig Place in Adderbury, and local gift company No Ordinary Gift is also making us some commemorative Christmas baubles to give to our guests. We want to make sure our guests have a fabulous day.”
“Back in the eighties I was mortgaged up to the hilt, had small children and was made redundant. It was a stressful time trying to find the money to do everything, and although my life has been good ever since, I have never forgotten how that feels. We want to give families a magical day away from their worries.”
Trevor received an unsung hero award from local MP Victoria Prentis for service to the community during lockdown. His pub offered takeaways, a pop-up shop and a fresh fruit and vegetable market as well as offering takeaways and delivering meals to vulnerable people in the local community.
The Pickled Ploughman has also raised money for the Katherine House Hospice also in Adderbury, and the local school and football team. Trevor added: “We have survived lockdown and being in Tier 2 pretty well. We have two marquees in the garden and customers have really embraced eating outdoors so we are fortunate to be trading robustly at the moment. We are a pub at the edge of the village but at the heart of the community.”
On Christmas Day the special guests can look forward to a traditional turkey lunch with all the trimmings and Christmas pudding as well as starters, drinks, crackers and gifts. Trevor added: “We will make it amazing and I am hopeful that a local taxi firm will help out by bringing and collecting our guests too.”
To find out more go to The Pickled Ploughman Facebook page
SARAH EDWARDS
