A real ale campaigner says drinkers should not give up hope that a pub which has been closed for years will one day reopen.

The Black Horse in Gozzards Ford near Abingdon is thought to have been closed for about five years and there are no signs yet that it will reopen.

Once owned by pub company Greene King, the roadside hostelry is situated about two miles away from Abingdon.

READ MORE: Much-missed pub could reopen

But there are no signs of life and it appears to have been totally abandoned.

Dave Richardson, of the Oxford branch of real ale group CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), said: "The Black Horse must be the most forgotten pub in Oxfordshire - it has been closed for years.

"When a pub has been closed for so long it becomes more difficult for it to reopen - it's more likely that it will be turned into accommodation.

"But it's not impossible - councils are becoming more strict and are insisting that developers show that pubs are no longer viable."

Oxford Mail: The Black Horse near Abingdon

Mr Richardson said the potential reopening of the Waggon and Horses in Culham showed there was still some hope in the future for The Black Horse.

The Waggon and Horses, on Abingdon Road, is now the subject of a planning application which would see its refurbishment, including the demolition of 20th-century extensions, replaced by new extensions, along with the creation of a 20-bed single storey courtyard hotel and a community orchard.

Oxford Mail: The Black Prince near Abingdon

Mr Richardson added: "There aren't really any houses in Gozzards Ford so you need to drive there and you are more likely to do that if there is good food on offer.

"But there are other pubs nearby like The Dog House in Frilford and The Merry Miller at Cothill that are already providing that, so whoever considered reopening The Black Horse would no doubt take that into account."

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In 2017 Jeff Keegan and his wife Michaela, 49, moved from Blackpool to take on the lease for The Black Horse.

From the start they were plagued with inherited issues with the boiler and kitchen which made turning a profit a struggle and put the business in jeopardy.

Oxford Mail: The Black Horse near Abingdon

A former landlady at the pub was given a 16-month jail term suspended for two years for faking a gas safety certificate on the pub’s boiler, which cost £16,000 to replace.

But after support from brewery Greene King, trade picked up and the couple received a five-star hygiene rating when health inspectors from Vale of White Horse District Council visited.

There were no signs of life when the Oxford Mail visited yesterday apart from one van parked in the car park.

Greene King has been asked for a comment.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

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