A message from Carole Bamford.
I have always been passionate about restoring old buildings. Even when they are empty and in need of repair they feel so full of character and history, so I could sense the potential in The Fox at Oddington as soon as I stepped inside for the first time.
It was important to me that we restored the nineteenth century coaching inn sympathetically, in a way that considered our impact on our surroundings at every stage. During the construction we opted for local, natural and recycled materials wherever possible, including reclaimed timber, existing Cotswold stone and wool insulation made using the clip from our Lleyn sheep at Daylesford farm. Not only does this make good use of by-products that may otherwise have gone to waste, but I hope that it also helps to instil a sense of the history of the building and a connection to the landscape in which it sits.
A circular ethos is reflected in the interior design too. As The Fox sits at the heart of the village it felt natural for the restoration process to include and support the work of local craftspeople. All the signs you can spot plus the crockery in the restaurant and four-poster beds have been made by skilled artisans in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.
The pub is surrounded by some of England’s most beautiful countryside, so I wanted each of the bedrooms to feel full of warmth, providing a base from which our visitors can explore the Cotswolds. We worked with local artists and antique dealers to source unique, second-hand pieces, ensuring each space felt like a cosy ‘home from home’.
I am particularly proud of the leather banquettes, window seats and cushions in the bar which were created using the hides from our beef cattle.
The pub has a wonderful garden, and another of my favourite features is the living roof that you can see on top of the restaurant from the terrace. It has been planted with a mix of 36 native British wildflowers and four species of grass, providing a habitat for pollinators and supporting biodiversity while also acting as an absorbent rainwater buffer.
I hope that the next time you visit you will enjoy spotting a few of these details, which place my respect for our landscape and concern for the sustainability of its future at the very heart of The Fox.
Winter in the Cotswolds is a season of retreat and refuge. Fields lie pale beneath the cold sky, villages seem suspended in stillness and a rare sense of calm and quiet descends over the landscape.
