Category: Business News

THE Thame business group, Thame4Business, is inviting all local businesses to join them for a business lunch, with guest speaker, Janice Bowles  MABCH MCAHyp, on  Wednesday, November 20,  1pm – 2.30pm, at the Thame Barns Centre, Church Road, Thame, OX9 3AJ.

Janice will  discusses: “… how to break through obstacles that hold us back from achieving greater personal and professional success.; how the power of thought and unconscious mental programming determines the outcomes we experience. Janice will demonstrate these effects with simple yet powerful exercises and show you how you can tap into the wealth of potential that already exists – within your mind.”

More information of how to register etc can be found on the Thame4Business website: http://www.thame4me.co.uk/community/business-groups/thame4business/#!welcome

THE Thames Valley Federation of Small Businesses has responded to today’s news of a rise in GDP of 0.8%.

David Knowles Leak, Thames Valley Regional Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said: “The latest GDP figures back-up the positive mood small firms reported to the FSB in our latest small business index, which showed increased confidence and aspirations to create jobs. For the third quarter in a row, the growth has come from all sectors, which points to a rebalancing economy and should make for a more stable recovery. Our own figures show confidence rising across UK regions and this must be built upon.

“Much of the positive economic growth has come from the improved housing market and consumer spending. The recent hike in the cost of energy combined with real wages rising below current inflation levels will mean that households have less to spend. While growth is above the level reported before the UK dipped into a second recession, these figures are still some way below the pre-recession peak and the Chancellor must not be complacent. The Autumn Statement should cement this positive mood by helping businesses invest and grow.”

25/10/13

LOCAL farmer, David Newman, is celebrating after winning a prestigious national food award. Now in their tenth year, the Observer Food Monthly Awards celebrate and reward the very best in British food and produce.

David’s business, Bucksum Salads, which is based at Long Crendon near Thame, was voted Best Local Farmer – a category which rewards the best independent, local farmer in the UK. This is a new category designed to celebrate excellence in small-scale food production, whether meat, dairy or arable, at a time of extreme difficulty for the industry.

David said: “I don’t mass produce salad, or want to have my product on supermarket shelves; my aim is to produce the best quality salad, freshly picked to order for local restaurants and my shop customers. I am delighted to have my produce recognised by this prestigious national award.”

Bucksum Salads, which supplies several local restaurants, including The Thatch in Thame,  began in 2006, from a simple garden polytunnel, and its salads are now served by several celebrity chefs and well-known restaurants, as well as in local homes. Bucksum Salads grow a selection of seasonal produce at their Shabbington Field farm in Long Crendon and David works with other local growers to enhance the range that’s available. They also have a farm shop which is open on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings.

At the recent Thame Food Festival, celebrity chef Tom Kerridge joined the Bucksum team on their stall to sign copies of his new book.

For more information visit us at http://www.bucksum.co.uk/

THE team at The Thatch in Thame are raising their glasses today in celebration of being recognised in not one but three categories of this year’s Observer Food Monthly Awards, which celebrate the very best in British food and drink, from grass-root producers to the most famous chefs.

The popular Thame gastropub was singled out for the good food and drink it serves every day of the week by being named runner-up in Best Restaurants, Best Sunday Lunch and Best Place to Drink in the south, as voted for by readers of Observer Food Monthly.

“We’re absolutely over the moon to have done this well in these prestigious awards that everyone in the food and drink world wants to win,” said The Thatch’s Manager, Evelin Rae. “There’s tremendous competition and so many big names in every single category. So to be honoured alongside them is really fantastic, especially when the voting is completely in the hands of the public. Simply being nominated for an Observer Food Monthly Award is brilliant in itself, but being runner-up in three different categories is more than we could have hoped for – an amazing hat-trick.

“We do work hard to make the pub a good place to eat and drink and to put great food on our guests’ plates and great wine and beer in their glasses. It takes a great team to do this, and of course great guests to appreciate it by voting for us, and we’d like to thank every single one of them for doing that.”

In awarding a runners-up place in the Sunday lunch category, the judges commented that The Thatch was a “superior gastropub, serious about its beef, with a lovely market town setting.” They also singled out the pub’s ‘impressive wine list’ and said that the pub’s food warranted a visit throughout the week, as well as for Sunday lunch. The pub’s salad and veg supplier, David Newman from Bucksum Salads in Long Crendon, also picked up an award of his own, being named Best Local Farmer.

The 10th Observer Food Monthly Awards took place at a show-stopping ceremony in London, where even the trophies themselves were edible. Co-hosted by Jay Rayner and The Great British Bake Off presenter Sue Perkins, they rank among the UK’s most prestigious food awards. For more information, go to www.theguardian.com/observer-food-monthly-awards

The Thatch is at 29-30 Lower High Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 2AA. Tel: 01844 214 340. www.thethatchthame.co.uk

THE town council is currently planning this year’s Thame Christmas Event and are looking for local businesses to support and sponsor the event, a Dickensian Christmas. Here’s the council’s message:

“Join us as we go a-wassailing amongst the chesnut roasters, carol singers and lamplighters on 6 December 2013! We have big plans for this year including a lantern parade in collaboration with the three local primary schools and a host of stalls selling everything from handmade jewellery to scrumptious Christmas puds.

“Each year we rely on the generosity of local businesses to help us spread the Christmas spirit and with an annual turnout of over 1500 residents and visitors it provides the perfect advertising opportunity.

What you will get:
– Accreditation in the official programme.
– Your logo featured on all Christmas event publicity including posters, flyers and the Town Council website.
– Your logo featured within a 3×9’ banner displayed for the duration of December in the town centre.
– Main sponsors will have the opportunity to provide their own banner and have it displayed around the Christmas Tree.

“You can give as little or as much as you like. Every penny donated will go towards a magical Dickensian Christmas that the whole town can enjoy. For more information about sponsoring Thame’s Dickensian Christmas or to discuss a tailor-made sponsorship package for your business, please contact one of our team at the Town Hall on 01844 212833.”

17/10/13

THE next Late Breakfast event in the Eden Suite at The Spread Eagle Hotel in Thame, will be on Thursday, October 17, from 9 -10.30am.

‘ Moody Blues vs Mighty Motivation – master your mind to increase your performance. ‘Is your mood and motivation at the mercy of events and people in and out of work? Do you have good days and bad days? Your mood can have a huge impact on your performance at work and your enjoyment of life in general. Come and find out how you can manage your mood, increase your motivation and your performance from Melanie Greene,a Chartered Occupational Psychologist,who has been running her own business, Inspire Transformation since 1991 providing coaching and training to businesses (http://www.inspiretransformation.co.uk)  

Book on the Late Breakfast website by mid-day on Wednesday, October 16, to appear on the guest list or simply turn up on the day. Either way the entry fee of £10 (including light refreshments) and is payable by cash or cheque at the door.

You can also join our 1500+ followers on Twitter @latebreakfast and join us on LinkedIn.

THE James Figg in Thame is raising a few glasses in celebration after winning the title,  Top Traditional Pub Restaurant at this year’s Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards.

The friendly,  free-house in the heart of the town carried off the title at an award ceremony at The Manor Hotel, Weston-on-the-Green yesterday,  October 1, just days after staging a packed -out, pop-up version of its popular pub at this year’s Thame Food Festival, and its parent company picking up another award for being a great employer.

“We’re completely bowled over by this win, which is a real shot in the arm for everyone who works at The James Figg,” says Frazer Sutherland who runs the pub together with Thomas Goldsmith – Goldie – the landlord, and the rest of the team.

“When we first took the pub on in 2009, a time when many other pubs were closing, many people said we were mad to be doing it. Now, four years and a great deal of hard work later, it’s really great to know people still appreciate the proper pub. Having that recognised, as well as all the effort we’ve put into making the pub what it is today, is really heart-warming. We couldn’t have done it without having a great host behind the bar, offering a warm welcome and good old-fashioned hospitality to all – you can’t run a proper pub without one – nor our brilliant guests who vote with their feet every day.”

The Top Pub Restaurant award is the second this week for the team at The James Figg. On September 30, Peach, the company behind The James Figg and also The Thatch in Thame, was awarded the title of Best Employer in Hospitality (Large Pubs & Bars) in the awards, which recognises the cream of hospitality employers in England and Wales, judged only by the people who work for them.

These national awards single out the employers who do the most to attract, train, retain and motivate their teams today and give them the skills to offer the highest standards of customer service.

“It’s been quite a week here in Thame, with two award wins and a festival pop-up pub serving up great local ales and live music in equal measure, and we’re still revelling in the moment. But we’re not having an early night quite yet,” added Frazer.

The James Figg is at 21 Cornmarket, Thame, Oxon, OX9 2BL. Tel: 01844 260 166. www.thejamesfiggthame.co.uk