* Restaurants like to keep it relevant, so it isn’t surprising that the Old Swan & Minster Mill in Minster Lovell have brought out a new lunch menu. A lighter one too, while we are on the subject, so that’s good news all round. The menu will be available for £20 in January. If you are interested (and of course you are), watch The Guide for our review in the New Year.

* And since we are on things new and exciting, there will be a Bill’s restaurant opening in Oxford in March of the New Year. A chain of refreshing diners with readily available breakfast, lunch and dinner tips, Bill’s will be a welcome addition to Oxford’s culinary landscape (and hopefully one that won’t find the competition from more established dinner venues too steep). For more information on all Bill’s restaurants see www.bills-website.co.uk/ index.html

* Our heartfelt congratulations go to the Royal Oak in Burford, winner of a top Wadworth award. This marks it out as one of the best performing pubs owned by the brewers Wadworth. A great honour indeed, although there is no doubt that regulars and Burford locals need no telling how great their local pub is. For more information on the Burford Royal Oak and to book a table go to www.royaloakburford.co.uk/ or call 01993 823278.

* Although we haven’t even ticked Christmas (and the end of the world before that) off, there is no reason why you can’t already start thinking about the perfect New Year’s resolution. The Keen Bean Coffee Club and Quarter Horse Coffee, both in Cowley Road, Oxford, certainly think that you should already be on the case. They also happen to think (not-so-surprisingly for coffee-related establishments) that your resolution should be to drink better coffee in the New Year. Ever so luckily, they are here to help you keep to your word by providing lovingly made artisan coffee. Any day, any time. For more information on The Keen Bean Coffee Club and Quarter Horse Coffee see www.thekeenbean.co.uk/ and www.quarterhorsecoffee.com

* Ready Steady Cook Live!, the UK tour of one of the nation’s favourite cookery shows, will be arriving at stages all over the country from September 2013. This will already have many fans giddy with excitement, so take a deep breath before reading what’s next: executive chef Lesley Waters, known and loved from more than 500 episodes of the television show, will be leading the cast of the UK tour too. For more information, especially on dates and venues, see www.readysteadycooklive.com