Pop-up food could help save Oak Taverns pubs in Oxfordshire

Pop-up food vendors could help save unviable local pubs in Oxfordshire, a pub chain has said.

Oak Taverns said it hopes "young local entrepreneurs" could serve food to customers from vans or horseboxes.

It has applied for planning permission for The George in Sutton Courtenay, The Cross Keys in Wallingford and Red Lion in Chinnor.

Old pub buildings are "not well set up" for providing largescale food services, the company said.

It has submitted a planning application to the Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils.

The applicant writes: "This is a symbiotic relationship with young local entrepreneurs who we would like to work with to serve food in and around our pubs."

It said its pubs were listed buildings which meant it was difficult to provide "a large traditional food offer that makes economic sense".

"This has been proved as in almost all cases we have either bought closed or unviable pubs," it added.

Under the proposals, mobile structures would be used with parked vans and horseboxes, while gazebos could be pitched using weights.

A public consultation and hearing heard any trading permitted between the hours of midday and 21:00 should not exceed five hours.

Oak Taverns has already introduced pop-ups at pubs across the county including The Crown in Marcham which reopened at the end of September after being purchased by the company.

Trade would also not be permitted for more than 180 days in any one year and traders would be required to undertake a litter sweep of the immediate vicinity of the street trading space.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2240.