The long-serving landlady at a pub in Abingdon which has been hit financial difficulties is about to leave.

In March, The Broad Face in Bridge Street won CAMRA's (Campaign for Real Ale) Town and Village Pub of the Year award for the first time.

It's a Greene King-owned pub with Joshua Khan running the business.

READ MORE: Children's splash park has been closed 

Kealey Hitchings has worked at the pub as landlady for the past eight years but she is now leaving after Mr Khan decided to close his company Vital Events, which runs The Broad Face.

Vital Events has now appointed liquidators.

Oxford Mail: The Broad Face

Ms Hitchings told the Oxford Drinker: "I can’t tell you anything regarding what’s happening with the pub as I have not been informed.

"I sadly will be leaving The Broad Face, and my last day will be Monday.

"The Broad Face is a fantastic pub, and in my eyes can continue to be a great pub.

"I do hope it continues to serve great beer and food, and it will always have a very special place in my heart. I have enjoyed managing the Broadie and will miss it very much.”

There is no suggestion yet that The Broad Face, which features in this year's Good Beer Guide, is to close and it was still promoting its pub meals on Facebook earlier this week.

Vital Events director Imran Khan, known as Joshua, has not responded to requests for comment from the Oxford Drinker.

In February, he attended Oxford CAMRA’s awards night to pick up the CAMRA award, with Ms Hitchings and some of his family.

Dave Richardson, of Oxford CAMRA, said: "The Broad Face seems to have been doing pretty well as a real ale pub with a decent food offer.

Oxford Mail: The Broad Face celebrates a CAMRA award

"If the company running it fails then the lease would revert to Greene King eventually.

READ MORE: Cyclist on holiday died of head injury

"The lease could reside for a time with the liquidator and if the pub is trading well the liquidator could decide to keep the pub open."

Although the pub is owned by Greene King it has been free to sell any cask ales.

It is the only pub in the country with this name, with a pub sign that often makes passers-by stop to look.

One theory about the name says it shows the hangman or one of the prisoners at what used to be a jail across the road.

Oxford Mail: Food at The Broad Face

When The Broad Face won the CAMRA award Mr Khan said: "This award is long awaited, and a tribute to Kealey and her team.

"Real ales are the heart and soul of our pub."

The cost of living crisis has made it difficult for pub tenants to make a profit.

Some pubs in the county have closed after landlords decided they could not continue.

Rising utility bills have been cited as a key reason for pub closures.

Help support trusted local news 

Sign up for a digital subscription now: oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe 

As a digital subscriber you will get: 

  • Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website 
  • Advert-light access 
  • Reader rewards 
  • Full access to our app 

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. 

You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.