Although the Talbot Hotel only re-opened in June, following a massive £1.3m investment, it has already won a lot of admirers for the high standards of food, drink, accommodation and service.

The refurbishment of the Grade 1 listed building, which dates back to 628, is a labour of love by owner Bulldog Hotel Group. It bought the Talbot in 2009 and spent two years planning and getting the necessary approvals to re-model the building and then a further eight months on the refurbishment works. The result is a stunning transformation that combines of all the history and charm of the building with that of a modern business comprising coaching inn, conference/ wedding venue, restaurant and coffee shop.

In its new guise, the number of bedrooms has been reduced from 40 to 34 by reconfiguring the layout to make larger feature bedrooms and suites. All retain some of their original features, but with the creature comforts that today’s guests demand such as flat screen TVs and wireless internet connections.

On the conference front, the Talbot has three rooms available for private hire that can cater for 10, 60 and 100 delegates. The larger two rooms are also licensed for civil ceremonies including weddings and civil partnerships.

The day-to-day running of the hotel is entrusted to general manager John Robinson, who spent six years in a senior administrative role at Leeds Castle in Kent, dubbed the  loveliest castle in the world and occupied by several kings including Henry VIII. Like Leeds Castle, the Talbot is a fantastic building and steeped in history: one of the staircases in the hotel was relocated from Fotheringhay Castle and reputedly used by Mary Queen of Scots when she was led to her execution in 1587. Legend has it that the Queen used a ring to make an imprint on one of the staircase’s newel posts during that fateful  journey.

Assisting John on the senior management side of the business are the highly talented duo of head chef David Simms and his partner and pastry chef Jacqueline Ludwig. David has worked at the acclaimed gastropubs:The Papermills in Wansford and The Falcon in Fotheringhay. David has devised a menu around “unpretentious dishes that contain good quality ingredients cooked simply” and describes it as having a “staunch British influence together with some dishes based on Mediterranean cuisine”.

David’s signature dish is crab linguine. He uses crab caught off Portland in Dorset, which is also used by some of the country’s top Michelinstarred restaurants. Whenever possible, the produce going into the hotel’s kitchen is sourced from local suppliers. Likewise, the emphasis is on preparing and cooking everything inhouse except when the Talbot can support the community by using local, artisan suppliers like the butcher and baker. David relishes working at The Talbot and considers it a privilege to work in such a great and historic building and be part of awakening a sleeping giant.

South African born Jacqueline has an equally impressive CV. She trained at a Prue Leith cookery school before working for a catering company in Johannesburg that specialised in VIP events and, at one, had the honour of shaking hands with Nelson Mandela. After leaving South Africa 11 years ago, Jacqueline teamed up with David and has worked at both The Papermills and The Falcon. Although versed in all forms of cooking, her passion is making the delicious cakes, tarts, ice creams and fruit scones that feature in both the restaurant and the coffee shop. All the delicacies are made on the premises and are displayed on a Patisserie Valérie-style serving counter. Carrot cake and fruit scones are the most popular and are always on offer, but Jacqueline loves to create new treats for customers by playing around with flavours to create different tastes, particularly with ice cream.

The Talbot Hotel
Eatery & Coffee House
New Street, Oundle, PE8 4EA
Tel: 01832 273621
www.thetalbot-oundle.com

 

The Talbot Hotel

The Talbot Hotel

The Talbot Hotel

The Talbot Hotel