South African wine expert to reopen town centre pub

A PUB in Henley which has been closed for about a month is to reopen with a focus on wine.

Hof’s will open at the former Station House pub premises in Market Place on Saturday (April 13).  

Christopher Hof becomes the third landlord of the Brakspear-owned venue in about 16 months.   

The pub will sell more than 25 wines, served by the glass, bottle and in flights of three or five glasses.

Mr Hof, who is from South Africa, is offering wines from smaller vineyards around the world, coupled with advice and education. 

He has been supplying handcrafted South African wines to restaurants around the world since 2009 but this is his first retail outlet.

Mr Hof said: “Hof's is all about bringing the vineyard to the customer, helping them to further their wine appreciation. We have all the well-known wine styles, as well as some more unusual ones not widely available in the UK, so we have something for wine novices and connoisseurs alike.

“Although we're serious about our wines, Hof's has an informal, friendly vibe. People are welcome to join us for a glass of a wine they already love, or let us choose a flight of new styles that will expand their wine horizons. And we’ve a full bar to cater for customers who prefer beer, spirits or soft drinks.”

As well as wine, Hof’s will sell Brakspear cask ales and a full range of draught products as well as a selection of bottled beers and cocktails.

Food will be available from April 26, when the kitchen reopens, and will focus on meat and fish dishes from South Africa, Germany, Switzerland and Japan, with a deli section offering salt beef bagels, boerewors and biltong, all made on site. Food to share also features on the menu.

Ahead of opening, Hof’s has undergone a refurbishment, designed to reflect its wine credentials. Training has also been given to 10 members of staff, led by front of house manager Sophie Meldau, who has worked for Hof's wine business for years, delivering wine tastings and events around the world.

Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies said: "We're delighted to welcome Christopher, Sophie and their team to Brakspear and to Henley. 

“Their proposition of handcrafted wines and wine education is quite distinct from anything else currently offered in the town and we’re confident Hof’s will quickly find an appreciative audience. We look forward to helping them grow their business with Brakspear.”

The pub had been run by Robert Ryan and Marcus Hopkins on an interim basis since from June last year.

They took over when Tim Wilson and Jayne Faulkes, who already ran the Ship in Marlow, left after less than a year in charge.

The pub, which was previously Henley police station, first opened as the Henley Brew House in 2012 when it was owned by the City Pub Company and used to sell beers brewed on site.

Brakspear bought it two years later and it was run by Christian Evans until he terminated his tenancy for “personal reasons” in early 2016.

The pub remained closed until November that year, when it re-opened under restaurateur Darren Gillett and head chef Marianne Wit.