My Pub: Greene Oak, Oakley Green, Berkshire

Meanwhile, Brucan Pubs was also a victor in this year Publican Awards, picking up top honours in the Best Food Offer​ section.

The pub​

The Greene Oak is a charming neighbourhood pub located on the outskirts of Windsor, Berkshire.

Our cosy pub offers plenty of dining options whether our guests wish to dine in our dining room, host a private dinner in The Oak Room or while the day away over a delicious beverage in the bar.

Our sunny terrace and garden offers the perfect spot on a sunny day or warm outdoor dining option under the marquee during the colder months. And for something really special the guests can book one of our quirky horse trailers to enjoy a slap-up meal or tasty beverage.

The publican ​

Myself and co-owner Jamie Dobbin have dedicated our entire working lives to hospitality. We know what’s important to our teams, our suppliers and our customers. Our experience spans a constellation of London’s finest establishments. Jamie has worked at The Berkeley, The Connaught, The Savoy, The Ivy and Soho’s Groucho Club, while I spent nine years as head chef and then operations director for gastropub operator ETM Group before trading in London’s sooty tube and concrete vistas in favour of Windsor’s leafy scenery and community spirit.

Purpose, innovation and passion for local produce sits at the very core of the Brucan Pub business whose careful sourcing and kitchen standards surrounding training, food waste and sustainability were declared ‘best in class’ by this year’s Publican Awards judges.

The trade​

The Greene Oak is a destination dining pub. Our customers range in demographic from older retired guests who enjoy our midweek lunch, to families from the local area who appreciate the creative, robust, seasonal menus as well as the tourists who visit Windsor and want a traditional English country food with great hospitality.

The team​

We retain around 40 staff of which 75% are full time and 25% are part time, and seasonal peak trading periods allow us to flex up and down using local students looking for holiday work as and when we need it

We hire staff from the hospitality industry who are passionate about the industry and want to grow and develop their career. We also use apprenticeship programmes through local colleges.

The drink​

The Greene Oak prides itself on offering a diverse selection of wines, beers, cask ales and ciders. Our carefully selected wine list offers an accessible range of bottles to suit all tastes and dishes.

While our solid oak bar houses three rotating cask ales, premium lagers and ciders available on tap as well as a classic collection of bottled beers. We also have an extensive range of low and no alcohol options.

The food​

We offer a market-fresh daily changing menu. Our fish and seafood come directly from Wright Brothers, who hand deliver the day’s catch straight to our door.

Where our meat is concerned, we operate a nose-to-tail policy. We have whole carcasses delivered to our kitchen, where we butcher, prepare and age the meat ourselves on site. Our regulars continue to return for our amazing specials and consistently great food.

The events​

The Greene Oak is a popular destination for weddings, local networking events and our monthly Jazz brunch.

We also host secret supper clubs, partnering up with great vineyards both local and further afield. Some of the hosted supper clubs include English Wines and British Seafood, Rare Breed Portland lamb and Pinot Noir, White Park Beef and Malbec, British Game and Chianti.

The future​

With four pubs, a coffee shop and a street food operation now in the group, we’re looking at ways to grow all arms of the business and when the right opportunities arise.

We’re keen grow the pub side of the business through both individual freehold or lease acquisitions but also through M&A options with other like-minded operators of similar-sized pub groups.

Our café business Goswell & Birds has a strong loyal following, which we feel would benefit from a second location on the high street to give it more presence. We are also exploring options for partnering with farms hops and garden centres who are seeking quality operators to take on the F&B side of their business.

G-O-A-T, our new street food operation is great fun, hugely accessible and hugely scalable. We’re working on mobility for the year ahead, and to get the name out there and spread the love of G-O-A-T and then, potentially, put a site into bricks and mortar in 2024.