Boater hats and a river swim celebrate summer in Henley
June 28, 2016
Swimmers near the Angel on the Bridge, finishing point for the Henley Club to Pub Swim
Henley brewer and pub operator Brakspear is celebrating summertime in the town with the return of two popular initiatives inspired by its riverside location: the Brakspear boater hat and the annual Club to Pub Swim.
The Brakspear boater a free gift with the purchase of six pints of seasonal ale Hooray Henley, which is being launched just in time for the famous Henley Royal Regatta. The smart straw boater has previously become the summer headwear of choice for Henley residents, and Brakspear expects many of them to be sporting this year’s model while enjoying a refreshing pint or two in a pub garden.
Pubs offering Hooray Henley and the boater include: Anchor, Angel on the Bridge, Row Barge and Three Horseshoes, all in the town centre, as well as the Bull, Wargrave; Bull & Butcher, Turville; Crown, Playhatch; Flower Pot, Aston; Hare & Hounds, Sonning Common; Horns, Crazies Hill; Maltsters Arms, Rotherfield Greys; Red Lion, Peppard Common and White Hart, Nettlebed.
Brakspear boaters being sported in a pub garden
The Club to Pub Swim returns for a third year on 23July with an anticipated field of 700 swimmers – a leap up from the 300 who participated last year, reflecting the event’s growing popularity. Competitors who complete the 1.5k course up and then down the Thames will be rewarded with an after-party at the finishing point, the Angel on the Bridge, and a bottle of Two Bells, the beer brewed at Brakspear’s Bell Street Brewery in Henley to commemorate the event.
Henley Club to Pub Swim 2015 winner Antonio Almarez Serrano with Brakspear marketing manager Emma Sweet
Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies said, “Both the boater hat and the Club to Pub Swim have become fixtures of summertime in Henley in just a few years. A refreshing beer, a river swim on a balmy July evening and a boater hat are all symbols of what our charming Thamesside town has to offer.
“With our centuries-old heritage in Henley, we’re delighted to be helping residents, visitors and of course our licensees, to take pleasure in these aspects of the town.”
He added, “While we’re of course hoping for a bit more sunshine during July, Henley folk have proved themselves to be resilient to all weathers, so we don’t expect a bit of rain to deter them from enjoying a swim or a pint of Hooray Henley.”