The Fishes, Oxford

About Peach:

The Peach Pub Company is a small group of independent gastro-pubs based in the Midlands. Sourcing, integrity, supporting local enterprise, and enjoying ourselves is key to what we do and the people we do it with. We don’t want to be the biggest company; we are aiming for greatness on a small scale in each pub every day. They are locals for locals, all with their own character and not part of a fake chain.

Katie Robertson, General Manager Katie arrived from Australia on what was supposed to be a year-long break between finishing a science degree in Melbourne and doing her masters. Three and a half years later, she’s still here – just couldn’t tear herself away! Her rapid rise from working behind the bar to being number one at the pub has all been down to her passion for fine food and wine.

Corin Earland, Head Chef It’s official, Corin’s family roast is one of the best ways to eat out on a Sunday, anywhere in the UK. Pub Chef magazine gave Corin a special award in its Pub Roast of the Year competition 2006, which only confirmed what all our customers already knew. Corin serves up a fabulous Sunday roast, with lashings of gorgeous gravy and generous helpings of vegetables. He is also the inspiration behind our picnic hampers – summer wouldn’t be summer without a picnic on the grass by the river. Keep the ideas coming Corin!

For every Caesar salad we sell, we will be making a 25p contribution to healthy eating activities in a local primary school.

Why Caesar salad? Well, it’s not the lowest calorie dish, but we think you’ll love it, so it met our fundraising criteria for a best-seller that will be on the menu all year round.

We will be changing our menus with the seasons and we’re hard line on animal welfare. All our chicken, eggs and pork are free-range. We do not use foie gras. Our Aberdeenshire beef is Scotch Beef Club accredited and our chefs regularly visit the farmers. We buy British wherever we can to keep food miles down, and, where we need to import ingredients, we minimise air-freight. Provenance is key to serving trustworthy food. Our coffee is ethically sourced from Guatemala (by Union Coffee Roasters, recently voted No. 1 ethical coffee company) and the bespoke furniture we commission is made from European oak and iroko timber from sustainable forests. We have also worked with the Carbon Trust to ensure that The Old Mill operates as energy efficiently as possible.

[a] North Hinksey Village, Oxford OX2 0NA [t] 01865 249796