New faces at the Horns

July 1, 2015

A husband and wife team are taking on the Horns at Crazies Hill with a promise to turn the 16th century inn into a welcoming pub with high quality, locally sourced food and friendly, professional customer service.

The Horns, a Brakspear pub, will be Adam and Sandra Purdy’s first business together, though they have more than 20 years’ experience in the pub and restaurant business. Adam is a highly skilled chef, having worked at Michelin-starred restaurant Northcote in Lancashire, among others, while Sandra’s experience has been mainly front of house, ensuring the smooth running of a number of eateries, mainly in the north west.

The couple married last September and made the decision to go out on their own, and to relocate closer to Sandra’s family in Newbury. Sandra said, “Once we started looking, a few people we know in the pub industry suggested Brakspear, so we looked at pubs with them. They were very open and welcoming and once we saw the Horns, we knew it was right for us: it’s a lovely, traditional pub with a huge garden and bags of potential.”

Adam added, “We don’t want to turn the Horns into a gastropub: drinkers will be as welcome as diners and it’ll have a relaxed and friendly feel. The menu will offer top quality food, created from local ingredients wherever possible, including veg grown in the pub garden. Combine that with Brakspear beers and great wines, and we think we’re onto a winner!”

Tom Davies, Brakspear chief executive, said, “We’re delighted that Adam and Sandra have taken the keys to the Horns. Their complementary skills in the kitchen and front of house make them a very strong team and we’re confident they will soon turn the Horns into one of the busiest pubs in the area.”

Adam and Sandra will be giving the Horns a design ‘refresh’ with Brakspear’s help before reopening the pub on 17 July.

Image above shows:  Sandra and Adam Purdy, new tenants at the Horns