Hope springs eternal at the Magdalen Arms - Business support - Morning Advertiser

Hope springs eternal at the Magdalen Arms - Business support - Morning Advertiser

Florence Fowler, licensee at the Magdalen Arms, Iffley, talks to Lesley Foottit about bringing a bit of London to east Oxford. The S&NPC leasehold achieved a Michelin Bib Gourmand last month for good food at moderate prices.

How we got here

When this pub came up my partner, Tony Abarno, and I knew we had to have it. Between us we’ve had 20 years in the industry in London alone. I have worked in the trade since I was 14 and I helped out in my dad’s restaurant. I’ve always been front-of-house and Tony is a fantastic chef.

We met about 11 years ago and later worked together at the Anchor & Hope in Waterloo. A few years ago we reached the stage where we knew we were ready to leave London.

We took on this Scottish & Newcastle tied leasehold in October 2009 in partnership with the Anchor & Hope’s manager Robert Shaw and head chef Jonathan Jones. Last month the pub achieved a Michelin Bib Gourmand award.

The pub

Oxford is an affluent, educated city, but there isn’t much in the way of gastropubs. The Magdalen Arms has a similar ethos to the Anchor & Hope.


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