Author: Round & About

Cookham’s newest pub, The White Oak, has summer fun in store, including bottomless brunch and live music. We raise a toast to the pub along with manager Luke Weston

Our local pubs are often the beating heart of our community. So it’s fantastic that The White Oak has reopened its doors after being saved thanks to the Brucan Pubs Group.

What’s more, in this fertile, foodie-populated part of the county, the fabulous British-inspired menu is attracting hungry punters. And the first reactions from diners has been hugely positive.

“I’ve had so many conversations over the last few weeks with locals,” says the White Oak’s general manager Luke Weston. “They’ve told me how much they love The White Oak and how sad they were when it closed. Our opening weeks have been great and the feedback fantastic. Having worked out of the area, it’s so good to be back with friends popping in.”

Luke lives in nearby Maidenhead with his wife and son and the former Sir William Borlase pupil loves the area. This month, as you can see, we’re celebrating local produce and suppliers, and Luke has a lot of love for Gordon Supermarket in Gordon Road… “Here you’ll find lots of interesting Asian ingredients to play with,” he says. “Italian Continental is also great. My favourite, though, is probably the Meat Hook of Marlow; it’s worth popping in just for a chat with Andy.”

Brucan Pubs currently operates four other pubs in the collection: The Greene Oak in Windsor, The Drumming Snipe in Mayford, The Greyhound in Finchampstead and The Star in Witley. The Brucan team hope The White Oak will follow in the same footsteps. The team pride themselves on rescuing closed pubs and breathing new life – and traditional hospitality – back into the heart of the community.

The White Oak menu focuses on British seasonal produce, with a regular changing menu, extensive selection of beers, quality wines and cocktails. The are daily, hyper-seasonal specials. Brucan’s MD James Lyon-Shaw is passionate about sourcing the finest ingredients from the British larder and showcasing them in traditional dishes.

Serious meat-lovers can expect 45-day aged native and rare-breed steaks on offer as well as produce from Vicars Game in season. Fish is wild, sustainable, and British, sourced from day boats on the south coast. There’s a handsome bar menu too, Sunday roasts are a big fixture and live music starts on Saturdays, mid-July.

“We’re so lucky to have such beautiful countryside without being out in the sticks,” says Luke of this bit of Bucks. “And loads of amazing pubs! As well as the White Oak, I pop into the Crown in Burchett’s Green for their amazing value fixed-price lunch. And The Dew Drop Inn, which I ran for six years and is now in the capable hands of my mate, Simon Bonwick, who is an amazing chef. I am also reasonably well known in my local, The Pinkney’s Arms.

“If I had a magic wand I’d wish for lower VAT on pub and restaurant food so more people can enjoy the amazing pub culture in our country.”