2021 New Licensee, The Back Horse
From Lacey Green History
Hallmark August 2021. The Black Horse. report by Mike Piercy
As most of you will know, Lynne and lan retired in April and have handed the Black Horse on to a new licensee. She is Sam Watson and comes to Lacey Green after many years working in a variety of different pubs and sports club bars in High Wycombe. She knows all sides of the business and has many contacts in the hospitality world to give her advice and recommendations - one of which was to take on the Black Horse!
She has brought some staff who have been members of her previous teams, but has also kept 4 of the existing staff to give continuity. She has known her chef for a long time and they work well together.
The drinks side is working well (and I can testify to the London Pride being excellent). At the moment she is running a small and simple menu but sees this expanding greatly in the future to bring in seasonal menus and daily specials. Sam is not aiming to serve expensive restaurant style food but is looking to provide good home-made pub grub. She has already restarted the senior citizens roll up pub lunch on the first Tuesday of the month.
Before the menu can be extended she has agreed with Admiral Taverns that the kitchen will be fully renovated and the cellar improved. Once these works have been done she has longer term plans for redecorating both the interior and exterior of the building - though that may be some time away.
Even though the government has lifted all the controls on Covid, Sam is still being careful. Some of the (younger) staff still choose to wear masks but they are not mandatory. Though customers will be able to place orders for food and drink at the bar they will not be allowed to sit at the bar or stand around inside in large groups. The outside marquee is still available for those who want to be in large groups.
In the future Sam is hoping to put on events and music and is planning a beer and gin festival, possibly at the end of August.