8:50pm Friday 20th November 2009
By Emily Allen
A FORMER soldier and his wife are drawing on their military experience to transform one of Oxford’s best known pubs.
Landlords Lynne and Gary Hawkins are determined to shake-off the once notorious reputation of the Bullnose Morris, in Cuddesdon Way, Blackbird Leys.
Mr Hawkins, 47, who spent 27 years as a warrant officer with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, said: “We’ve always wanted to run a pub.
“We’ve both got a lot of management qualifications so we thought running a pub was ideal for us.
“We want this pub to be the community pub that it was a few years ago.
“It was the centre of the community, but I think for a long time it was quite a feared place.”
The couple – who have three children, Richard, 22, Katie, 19, and Emma, 15, as well as one granddaughter, Jasmine, four – ran the Red Lion in Brill, near Thame, for more than two years before moving to the Bullnose.
Mrs Hawkins, 45, a former Army clerk, said: “We’ve had a couple of issues with people trying their luck. It’s always going to happen when you’ve got new people in, they try and test the boundaries.
“The biggest challenge we’ve got is giving people the confidence to come back to their pub and giving them the pub they want.”
The couple are already planning a host of new entertainment to draw in the punters – including karaoke and darts, pool and Aunt Sally competitions.
Tomorrow, the pub is hosting a Children in Need event called Ox Factor, which will include a pig roast between 1pm and 4pm and a karaoke competition from 8.30pm.
Barmaid and Blackbird Leys street warden Jane Kerry also had her head shaved for the charity yesterday.
Mr Hawkins said: “There is so much to do here to get it where it should be.
“People are saying to us that it’s good and it’s getting on the right track, but it’s not going to happen overnight.”
Customer Andrew Busson, 21, of Brook View, Blackbird Leys, said: “I come here every Friday night and it’s definitely got better.
“I haven’t seen any trouble here yet and it’s known as a rough pub. It’s got a bit of a reputation.”
Sgt Rob Axe, of the neighbourhood police team, wished the Hawkins the best of luck.
He said: “The landlords seem very willing to help us and we are willing to help them.
“We certainly wish them luck. We haven’t had any incidents so far.”
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