A unique initiative is set to breathe new life into an Oxfordshire country pub, as it rebrands in honour of a winning racehorse to combat the trend of local closures.
The Fox And Hounds in Uffington will, this Sunday, adopt the new name “Thank You Ma’am,” a tribute to a successful racehorse named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II.
This move comes as three nearby villages have already seen their pubs close, despite the region’s strong ties to horse racing. In response, Fox and Hounds landlord Richard Starkey has partnered with grade one winning racehorse trainer Georgina Nicholls to tackle the issue.
Mr Starkey explained the strategy, stating: “We are in a fabulous location and the area is filled with equine superstars – we felt getting the four-legged celebrities would appeal to racing locals.”
“I had heard the lads talking about Thank You Ma’am and asked Georgina if she fancied bringing her horse down on the Sunday before Christmas.
“I hope as many people as possible can make it – we are here to celebrate locals, our racing heritage and worthy causes, not forgetting Christmas.”
Queen Camilla is credited by the racehorse’s syndicate, the Posh Pundit racing club, for helping Thank You Ma’am win its first title last year, after she wished the thoroughbred well ahead of a run at Ascot, where it triumphed.
Shares in the racehorse are being offered at £80, with half the cost donated to the charity Brain Tumour Research, to help fund the fight to find a cure.
Ms Nicholls, Thank You Ma’am’s trainer, said, “We are very short of places for the staff to go to unwind and are on a mission to ensure the Fox thrives.
“Richard has agreed to rename his pub after our horse Thank You Ma’am and we have invited all our syndicate members along to come and see their horse, whilst enjoying a drink and the view from a truly epic local pub – weather permitting.”
