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| Staff at Cameron and Xi pub bought by Chinese say nothing will change Staff at Cameron and Xi pub bought by Chinese say nothing will change | |
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| Many a British leader has propped up the bar of the Plough at Cadsden, a tiny hamlet near Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, since it opened its doors in the 16th century. They include Harold Wilson, Edward Heath – who locals say called in for a swift one on his way home one day – and the Camerons, who famously left their then eight-year-old daughter Nancy behind after a visit in 2012. | Many a British leader has propped up the bar of the Plough at Cadsden, a tiny hamlet near Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, since it opened its doors in the 16th century. They include Harold Wilson, Edward Heath – who locals say called in for a swift one on his way home one day – and the Camerons, who famously left their then eight-year-old daughter Nancy behind after a visit in 2012. |
| The Plough, with its exposed brick walls and low-hanging wooden beams, is a hilly stroll away from Chequers, the official country residence of the prime minister, after all. Describing itself as “probably the most famous pub in England”, it sits in a small valley just beside the Ridgeway, an ancient footpath considered to be Britain’s oldest road. And on Tuesday afternoon, as a dense December mist descended on the inn and its surrounding woodlands and green fields, the phones started ringing off the hook. | The Plough, with its exposed brick walls and low-hanging wooden beams, is a hilly stroll away from Chequers, the official country residence of the prime minister, after all. Describing itself as “probably the most famous pub in England”, it sits in a small valley just beside the Ridgeway, an ancient footpath considered to be Britain’s oldest road. And on Tuesday afternoon, as a dense December mist descended on the inn and its surrounding woodlands and green fields, the phones started ringing off the hook. |
| Hours earlier, it was reported that the tavern had been sold by its long-time owner, Steve Hollings, to Chinese investors for an undisclosed fee. The news came a little more than a year after Cameron and the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, sealed the UK and China’s “golden” friendship over a fish and chip supper and a pint of Greene King IPA. | Hours earlier, it was reported that the tavern had been sold by its long-time owner, Steve Hollings, to Chinese investors for an undisclosed fee. The news came a little more than a year after Cameron and the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, sealed the UK and China’s “golden” friendship over a fish and chip supper and a pint of Greene King IPA. |
| Since that day, the Plough has become a symbol of warming but controversial diplomatic relations between the two countries, as well as a tourist attraction for Chinese visitors who are keen to sample the classic British food and beer on offer. | Since that day, the Plough has become a symbol of warming but controversial diplomatic relations between the two countries, as well as a tourist attraction for Chinese visitors who are keen to sample the classic British food and beer on offer. |
| Paul Hackett, who became manager of the pub two weeks ago, said Hollings and his wife, Sharon, sold the pub because “they’d been here for 18 years, they wanted to retire and enjoy the fruits of their labour”. | Paul Hackett, who became manager of the pub two weeks ago, said Hollings and his wife, Sharon, sold the pub because “they’d been here for 18 years, they wanted to retire and enjoy the fruits of their labour”. |
| According to Hackett, many Chinese tourists come to the pub on a regular basis and have their photos taken next to the picture of their president. “We’ve got 28 tourists coming in just on Thursday,” he said. “I think maybe the Chinese look at their politicians slightly differently than we do.” | According to Hackett, many Chinese tourists come to the pub on a regular basis and have their photos taken next to the picture of their president. “We’ve got 28 tourists coming in just on Thursday,” he said. “I think maybe the Chinese look at their politicians slightly differently than we do.” |
| The attraction, he added, was that it was “a nice pub with a beautiful atmosphere and clientele. You could be walking across the Ridgeway and could come in here and have a pint of ale. That’s paradise,” he said. | The attraction, he added, was that it was “a nice pub with a beautiful atmosphere and clientele. You could be walking across the Ridgeway and could come in here and have a pint of ale. That’s paradise,” he said. |
| Which is perhaps why the Plough has always been a watering hole to the well-heeled and famous. Its website says it “regularly hosts a variety of local celebrities from the world of film, television and the music industry”, and even appeared in the Midsomer Murders TV series. | Which is perhaps why the Plough has always been a watering hole to the well-heeled and famous. Its website says it “regularly hosts a variety of local celebrities from the world of film, television and the music industry”, and even appeared in the Midsomer Murders TV series. |
| I’m a Labour supporter but Cameron is a lovely man. In his last couple of months as PM he was coming down here often | I’m a Labour supporter but Cameron is a lovely man. In his last couple of months as PM he was coming down here often |
| “It shouldn’t lose any of its magic,” Hackett said, addressing concerns that the pub’s atmosphere would change with its owners. “Steve and his wife were very central to the success of the pub because they were the personality of the pub. Successful pubs revolve around landlords, and I think the new owners will find somebody who will come and love it as much as they did. | “It shouldn’t lose any of its magic,” Hackett said, addressing concerns that the pub’s atmosphere would change with its owners. “Steve and his wife were very central to the success of the pub because they were the personality of the pub. Successful pubs revolve around landlords, and I think the new owners will find somebody who will come and love it as much as they did. |
| “How it operates day to day won’t change. I’ve had a few negative comments from locals only because they didn’t understand what happened. Most of the regulars were already aware that Steve had sold it – people who weren’t regulars were concerned, but only because people don’t like change. | “How it operates day to day won’t change. I’ve had a few negative comments from locals only because they didn’t understand what happened. Most of the regulars were already aware that Steve had sold it – people who weren’t regulars were concerned, but only because people don’t like change. |
| “If somebody were to say ‘do you think it’s going to change into a Chinese restaurant’, I’d think it was a ridiculous comment. I was talking about it with the fish men today, we don’t bat an eyelid, because in the same way we go ‘let’s go and have a Chinese’, I’m sure the Chinese go ‘let’s go out and have an English’.” | “If somebody were to say ‘do you think it’s going to change into a Chinese restaurant’, I’d think it was a ridiculous comment. I was talking about it with the fish men today, we don’t bat an eyelid, because in the same way we go ‘let’s go and have a Chinese’, I’m sure the Chinese go ‘let’s go out and have an English’.” |
| Freya Pharo, who has been bar manager at the Plough for the past eight months, was also unconcerned about potential changes. “I’m in control of all front of house, the plan is to keep it exactly the same as it is,” she said. “I know how it was run when Steve was here, so I can keep things the same as they’ve always been.” | Freya Pharo, who has been bar manager at the Plough for the past eight months, was also unconcerned about potential changes. “I’m in control of all front of house, the plan is to keep it exactly the same as it is,” she said. “I know how it was run when Steve was here, so I can keep things the same as they’ve always been.” |
| Pharo said the pub had not changed much since she started working there last year. “I’ve had many conversations with David Cameron,” she recalled. “I’m a Labour supporter but he’s a lovely man. In the last couple of months when he was prime minister he was coming down here often. When he did people acted normally, you’d see heads turning but that’s it. He wasn’t here as prime minister, he was just here for a drink with his family.” | Pharo said the pub had not changed much since she started working there last year. “I’ve had many conversations with David Cameron,” she recalled. “I’m a Labour supporter but he’s a lovely man. In the last couple of months when he was prime minister he was coming down here often. When he did people acted normally, you’d see heads turning but that’s it. He wasn’t here as prime minister, he was just here for a drink with his family.” |
| Pharo was interrupted in the middle of her sentence by the phone ringing again. “We don’t really have a landlord at the moment,” she told the caller. “We’ve got owners ... Well you can’t, they’re in China at the moment.” | Pharo was interrupted in the middle of her sentence by the phone ringing again. “We don’t really have a landlord at the moment,” she told the caller. “We’ve got owners ... Well you can’t, they’re in China at the moment.” |
| She put the phone down and turned back to continue: “There’s nowhere else in the area particularly local to here. We’re kind of in the middle of nowhere,” she said. “The regulars have been coming here for years, this pub is like its own community. We have people who come here daily, there’s about 20 to 30 of them who are here every night. Mostly men over 40, but it varies. There’s Ben who is 23, and Stuart, who comes in with his 18-year-old son. Friday nights are the big get-together, when the blokes all bring their wives along, it’s the end of work and everyone comes down to the pub.” | She put the phone down and turned back to continue: “There’s nowhere else in the area particularly local to here. We’re kind of in the middle of nowhere,” she said. “The regulars have been coming here for years, this pub is like its own community. We have people who come here daily, there’s about 20 to 30 of them who are here every night. Mostly men over 40, but it varies. There’s Ben who is 23, and Stuart, who comes in with his 18-year-old son. Friday nights are the big get-together, when the blokes all bring their wives along, it’s the end of work and everyone comes down to the pub.” |
| Hackett and Pharo were jovial as they prepared the bar for its evening opening. We briefly discussed the pub’s history, including reports that in 1643 a wake was held here for John Hampden, one of the MPs whose arrest by King Charles I sparked the English civil war, by his Greencoats regiment, who called in while escorting his body back to the family home at Great Hampden from Thame in Oxfordshire, where he died following the Battle of Chalgrove Field. | Hackett and Pharo were jovial as they prepared the bar for its evening opening. We briefly discussed the pub’s history, including reports that in 1643 a wake was held here for John Hampden, one of the MPs whose arrest by King Charles I sparked the English civil war, by his Greencoats regiment, who called in while escorting his body back to the family home at Great Hampden from Thame in Oxfordshire, where he died following the Battle of Chalgrove Field. |
| Then there is the mystery of Halina Żaboklicka, a Polish woman whose treasured letters were found in the pub’s old barn during a clear-out in 1995 by the then owners Jo Dorkings and Joe Stephens. The letters were stuffed into a handbag hiding in the corner of the room along with documents and photographs, and next to it was a Polish army uniform and two cameras. | Then there is the mystery of Halina Żaboklicka, a Polish woman whose treasured letters were found in the pub’s old barn during a clear-out in 1995 by the then owners Jo Dorkings and Joe Stephens. The letters were stuffed into a handbag hiding in the corner of the room along with documents and photographs, and next to it was a Polish army uniform and two cameras. |
| Żaboklicka was in her early 20s and was an Auxillary Territorial Service member during the second world war, according to her Polish identification number. The date of her letters ranged from 1942-46. “They never figured out why she ended up at Cadsden,” Pharo mused. | Żaboklicka was in her early 20s and was an Auxillary Territorial Service member during the second world war, according to her Polish identification number. The date of her letters ranged from 1942-46. “They never figured out why she ended up at Cadsden,” Pharo mused. |