Wickham pub The Square Cow to stay open after customer backlash to Quob Park restaurant plans

By Joe Buncle
Published 14th Jun 2023, 17:48 BST
Updated 15th Jun 2023, 09:41 BST
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Customers of a Hampshire village pub have welcomed the news their beloved venue will remain open – weeks after they were told it would be replaced by a ‘brasserie’.

As previously reported by The News, landlord Frank Dixie took to social media last month to announce that his pub The Square Cow in Wickham Square, Wickham would close before reopening as ‘No.1 The Square’ – a seafood restaurant run in partnership with Quob Park.

FOR MORE READ: The Square Cow pub in Wickham set to close as owner deems business unprofitable - but new restaurant will take its place

However, after ‘careful consideration’ and ‘hundreds’ of messages from local people, Frank has decided to halt the plans indefinitely.

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The Square Cow will remain open for the foreseeable future. Picture: Habibur RahmanThe Square Cow will remain open for the foreseeable future. Picture: Habibur Rahman
The Square Cow will remain open for the foreseeable future. Picture: Habibur Rahman

Frank said: ‘It was an out-pouring of emotions. The offer that was made from Quob was reasonable, fair and full of good intentions but the response from Wickham village was, to say the least, amazing. They wanted their village pub to stay a village pub and I was bombarded with messages. The majority of them were good messages just asking me to have a rethink – which made me do exactly that. I didn’t realise what a village pub meant to a village.’

Frank said that all landlords are facing financial pressure at the moment, but that he feels ‘pretty good’ about his decision to continue serve pints to the local community. Last year, he took the innovative decision to open the venue as a cafe during quieter hours, a move which is now ‘paying dividends.’ He explained that the team behind the Quob Park Estate, comprising a hotel and vineyard in Titchfield Lane, ‘totally understood’ his decision.

Some comments on Frank’s post detailing the ‘No.1 The Square’ proposal highlighted concern for Quob Park’s influence over Wickham businesses – having already acquired ‘The Old Tea House’ in The Square in April. The business will not play a part in The Square Cow going forward.

NOW READ: The Old Tea House in Wickham to reopen under new ownership - when it's opening and what's on the menu

The Square Cow adapted to rising business pressures by adding cafe facilities last year. Pictured: Owner Frank Dixie with assistant manager,Natasha Lipscombe and Kerry Neale, head chef at Square Cow Wickham Square on Wednesday 14th December 2022 Picture: Habibur RahmanThe Square Cow adapted to rising business pressures by adding cafe facilities last year. Pictured: Owner Frank Dixie with assistant manager,Natasha Lipscombe and Kerry Neale, head chef at Square Cow Wickham Square on Wednesday 14th December 2022 Picture: Habibur Rahman
The Square Cow adapted to rising business pressures by adding cafe facilities last year. Pictured: Owner Frank Dixie with assistant manager,Natasha Lipscombe and Kerry Neale, head chef at Square Cow Wickham Square on Wednesday 14th December 2022 Picture: Habibur Rahman

He added: ‘I was looking for another way to get away from being a pub and that wasn’t the right decision in the end. There’s a lot of happy people in Wickham and I’m one of them. Local pubs are very important – I’ve begun to realise that now. It’s been a roller-coaster of good tidings and I’m happy to be a part of it.

Related topics:Hampshire