What to do if you are worried that your favorite pub will close its doors? Well, if you’re former UK tennis number 1 Tim Henman, who won over £7million in prize money before retiring in 2007, the answer is to buy it.
Struggling with the effects of the pandemic, Henman’s local watering hole, The Checkers, was on the verge of closing its doors permanently.
I can reveal the 48-year-old bought the liquor in the village of Aston Tirrold, Oxfordshire, set in a beautiful Grade II listed building dating back to the 15th century.
Grateful for Henman’s help, the venue, which had been closed since last year, is back up and running as a gastropub, with just a slight name change. It is now called Olivier at The Checkers, with the pub’s longtime and renowned French chef, Olivier Bouet, continuing to run the kitchen.
I can reveal the 48-year-old bought the liquor in the village of Aston Tirrold, Oxfordshire, set in a beautiful Grade II listed building dating back to the 15th century.
Bouet’s wife, Stephanie, confirmed the involvement of Henman and his wife Lucy in the establishment: ‘A small group of investors, including the Henmans, bought the full ownership of the pub. Olivier and I are running the operations.
The highlight of Henman’s career was becoming the first male Briton since Roger Taylor in the 1970s to advance to the Wimbledon semi-finals. He was also UK No. 1 from 1999 to 2005 and World No. 4 between 2002 and 2004.
Nowadays, Henman enjoys a successful career as an expert and runs his charitable foundation.
But it seems the former sportsman is a bit more of a wild card off the pitch and celebrated a recent birthday with a 12-hour drinking session, saying: “I hosted a large group of friends in a hall at private dining Saturday night We started drinking champagne in the garden at 5pm – and continued until 5am.
Grateful for Henman’s help, the venue, which had been closed since last year, is back up and running as a gastropub, with just a slight name change. It is now called Olivier at The Checkers, with the pub’s longtime and renowned French chef, Olivier Bouet, continuing to run the kitchen.
King Charles told me he planned to renounce the throne.
“I want to take the best advice, but now I’m considering giving up,” says indie-folk musician Charles Costa, who has built a fan base under the name King Charles.
“The Queen’s death was a great shock.”
He controls the official King Charles Instagram and Facebook domains. “I was actually introduced as King Charles at a reception at St James’s Palace,” he adds. “He thought it was funny and didn’t ask me to change my name.”
No one would dispute the authenticity of Ruth Jones’ South Valian accent. Still, the Bridgend-born star – Nessa Jenkins in Gavin & Stacey – knows she would struggle to pass as a New Zealander.
So, recording the audio version of her third novel, Love Untold, in which a Kiwi accent was required, she knew exactly who to turn to – Warren Gatland, the New Zealander who coached Wales to three Grand Slams , and his wife, fellow Kiwi Trudi. . ‘I ask[ed]: ‘Do you want to make a WhatsApp message and save these lines for me?’ ‘ said Ruth. Trudi agreed, of course.
Banging with Jessica from Downton…
Downton Abbey star Jessica Brown Findlay is preparing for her biggest role yet – as a real-life mother.
The heavily pregnant actress, known for playing Lady Sybil Crawley in the hit ITV drama, was seen walking to an east London cafe with her husband, Harlots actor Ziggy Heath .
The couple, who married in a private ceremony in September 2020, also looked coordinated, wearing matching open-toed sandals.
Jessica kept her pregnancy a secret until she revealed her bump at the Venice Film Festival. Earlier this year, on International Women’s Day, she revealed she was undergoing IVF treatment.
“IVF has made me even more aware of what women are capable of and what we can achieve through pain and grief,” she said.
Delevingne: it’s a tongue twister…!
Little sister Cara might normally be the center of attention, but here’s Poppy Delevingne showing that she’s more than capable of attending a rather rowdy party herself.
The 36-year-old actress kissed her Australian model boyfriend Jordan Barrett, 25, at a night out in the capital.
Poppy’s husband of eight years James Cook needn’t worry: Jordan married fellow model Fernando Casablancas last year, although the couple are now believed to have split .
Paul O’Grady never says no to an autograph, but even his patience has a limit. “I was in a panto costume as Wicked Queen and I put on sweatpants to eat something,” he says. “But the elastic went off and they fell off. So I’m standing in the middle of the road with my pants around my ankles when this guy shouts, ‘Hey Paul, can I have your autograph?’
“I gave it to him, but he had to wait for me to get my sausage roll first!”
Georgia May benefits (in the future)
She once remarked memorably that she “refused to think about the future”, explaining that she liked to “live in the moment”.
I suspect, however, that model Georgia May Jagger – the second of Sir Mick’s four children with Jerry Hall – is a little less carefree about catfish soup.
It’s the name she chose for the company she started five years ago to develop a skincare line. Accounts just filed show he has run up total debts of £355,956, up £100,000 from the previous year.
A note states that Georgia, 30, the sole director, “is pleased to be able to continue supporting the business until… [it] begins to make sufficient profits on product sales”.
Ok for some.