A village pub, once labelled "the most forgotten in Oxfordshire", now has a new owner who already oversees two watering holes in the county.
Restaurateur Tom Rainey, who runs the Porterhouse Grill off Botley Road, west Oxford, and The Punter, on nearby Osney Island, has bought the freehold of The Black Horse in Gozzards Ford near Abingdon.
The former Greene King pub was closed for about five years until new tenants surprised drinkers by reopening it in 2024.
READ MORE: Empty Greene King pub is closed
The pub later closed again, and renovation work has now started after Mr Rainey bought the building.
He said: "Greene King put the pub on the market and I have bought the freehold.
"There have been various tenants over the past 15 to 20 years with the pub opening and closing.
"We are going to give the pub a facelift and put on a new slate roof as the roof has partly collapsed.
"We are planning to paint the pub grey-black, a bit like The Porterhouse, to give it a fresh identity - it needs a new look."
Mr Rainey, who lives near Kingston Bagpuize, added The Black Horse, which will be renamed The Blackhorse, will be like "a phoenix rising from the ashes".
The restaurant owner said the pub would also be renovated inside, with a lightwell to be expanded into an "orangery-style roof".
"We will give it a facelift internally and open up a back room. One side of the pub dates back to the 1700s, while the other side is very 1970s," he added.
The menu will feature pub fine dining including pies and oysters, while stout and Guinness will be among the beers on offer.
Mr Rainey is hoping that his management team, led by manager Callum Rumble, will be ready to open by the end of May, or the start of June.
Another major focus for renovation are the pub's gardens, which Mr Rainey said will be landscaped over the coming year.
He added: "The gardens are quite extensive and we want them to be landscaped with new pathways, and tables dispersed throughout, but that will take some time to complete.
"We want to welcome everyone from the surrounding villages and remind the people of Abingdon that they will soon have an excellent village pub right on their doorstep."
Last month, The Punter abandoned its vegan menu after five years.
Fish is now on the menu, a decision made due to "financial considerations".
The Black Horse was reopened in 2024 by managers Manol Mitre and Dennis Yuri following a long period of closure.
When the pub was shut, Dave Richardson, a spokesman for the Oxford branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), claimed it was Oxfordshire's "most forgotten pub" and called for it to be reopened.
Gozzards Ford is a small village about two miles from Abingdon, so the vast majority of customers drive to the pub.
The hostelry has original wooden beams and is thought to date back to the 1700s.
