Autumn greetings to you all

… but definitely available are squash and pumpkins to be roasted or in a risotto with their best friend sage, this year’s borlotti beans are now dried and ready to be added to late tomatoes, peppers and chilli in a favourite, slow cooked casserole, plus don’t forget our own famous Medlar jelly to accompany Quod, Gees or Parsonage Grill homemade terrines.

My first question is all about you. I’m hoping you have successfully come through this difficult period and that we can all now look forward to life returning, close to normal. Certainly, our three businesses have been extremely busy since terraces, restaurants & bedrooms have been allowed to reopen. Thank you all for such enthusiastic and loyal support over the last few months.

Quod, Gees and the Parsonage Grill have been hugely popular, but never in a million years did we foresee the difficulties caused by a shortage of applicants for the vacancies that have arisen post lockdown. The Oxford Collection employs around 200 ‘collectives’ and most have been an integral part of our family for many years. Unlike many other businesses in the hospitality industry (who shall be nameless), we did not make a single person redundant during the enforced closures, choosing to take advantage of the generous furlough schemes and other local authority and government support packages.

But, now because of the very high level of demand, we are facing a mini crisis trying to find the uniquely special candidates who make our business exceptional. How are we filling our vacancies? In addition to placing vacancy advertisements in the press and online, we also offer a generous incentive package to anyone who currently works within The Oxford Collection.  If a new member of staff is recommended and passes a probationary period, then the person who suggested that applicant is rewarded with an incentive…

The success of this scheme has prompted some lateral thinking….if you or any of your friends or acquaintances successfully introduce someone who we subsequently employ in any department (bar, waiting, kitchen, housekeeping or management), we will happily give you a voucher to the value of £200.00. Please put forward any potential applicant to Valentina in our HR department via this form, and keep up to date with opportunities by signing up to our new Careers newsletter.

Looking ahead, we are currently working on three very exciting projects in the city.

Gees Gallery & Secret Garden: This is to be located in the premises right next door to Gees in the Banbury Road. It will combine a very interesting gallery space for displaying and selling art. With a special venue for your lunch, dinner, conference or wedding occasion.

36 St Giles: you may have noticed our somewhat brash, ‘in your face’ banner hanging on a building in St Giles. We are currently converting this amazing, listed Georgian building into three luxury suites, with an office in the basement for our central reservations team.

Spa: Our long overdue Barn Spa will be for guests of the Old Bank and Parsonage Hotels, our restaurant clientele and, of course, anyone else who may wish to make use of our facilities, will morph during the course of 2022. Watch this space…

Short Story Prize: Believe it or not we are arriving at the tenth anniversary of our £10,000, Mogford Prize Food & Drink Short Story Competition. We are very lucky that Sir Michael Morpurgo… and Andi Oliver have agreed to be our judges in 2022. This landmark celebration will be marked with the publication of a hardback book containing the previous ten winners and three of the best runners up and will be on sale later next year.

The Churchill Suites: Our two new suites at the Old Parsonage have received a resounding thumbs up from the many guests who have chosen to stay in them since their launch earlier this year. ‘Winston’ and ‘Randolph’ are the names of the suites which, along with the lobby, contain a truly unique collage of rare Churchill family photographs and Oscar Nemon’s famous Churchill bronze bust, all woven together into an intriguing tale which bizarrely links them with Blenheim Palace and Adolf Hitler.

Special New Year’s Eve Party: Last but not least, we could not allow the end of this year to pass without holding a very special New Years Eve Party at Quod to celebrate our re-emergence from the dreaded ‘Covid Era’. We have booked the best DJ’s in the world, John Dash and Keeth Ulett, who were a sensational hit at the Old Bank/Quod 20th birthday bash. Tickets for your reserved table for the whole evening will be on sale shortly.

Once again, we all thank you for your continued support.

PS. You may be impatient for an update on this year’s Old Bank swallow family. It’s not been such a great year for our summer visitors with just one brood of three young. Because of the shortage of HGV drivers, they decided on an early departure for Southern Africa and we wish them safe passage.