Mark Butcher of the White Hart of Wytham on what he has to offer customers

If there was a song to sum up my situation just now, five months after taking over The White Hart of Wytham, it would be Robbie Williams’ Let Me Entertain You.

The plan was set six months ago to re-establish this most beautiful and ancient pub, with its glorious secluded courtyard and its roaring, open, log fires (perfect for an English summer) as a great pub that serves great food. We promised no mention of “gastropub” or “dining room” but a place to go to for something a little bit different.

Pretty much everyone I spoke to during my research could recall coming to the White Hart – a country mile from the city centre – on more than one occasion. Without seeking to knock the various previous owners, it’s a pub that has had a rather chequered history as well as some real history stretching back over several centuries.

Running a pub was the thing I always wanted to do, but if took me to the age of 50-something to have the guts to do it. It’s also born out of a Giles Coren-like frustration that really good, interesting and innovative food has too often bypassed this beautiful city, congested as it is with chain restaurants with a celebrity name over the doorway.

What’s on offer today, and I hope for the foreseeable future, is this: 1: A very warm welcome with attentive yet unobtrusive service.

2: A cosmopolitan menu, changed every 10 weeks or so, reflective of the season and with culinary influences from around the world in recognition of curious palates.

3: An honesty and integrity to source, prepare and cook food from scratch every day. And that goes for everything on our menu – even the crackers to accompany our cheeses 4: Quite often an entirely female team – in our kitchen and front of house.

5: A stonking Sunday lunch.

6 A decent range of vegetarian options without the ubiquitous halloumi.

7: A wine list that includes some real steals and summer guest wines.

8: A range of cask conditioned ales.

9: Lots of small, sharing if you wish, plate menu items to accompany the above or our wines by the glass.

10: A range of homemade non-alcoholic drinks. Anyone for pink lemonade?

11: Three separate dining areas – a more formal room with linen table cloths, a country kitchen-style room or a conservatory.

12: The courtyard: a truly atmospheric and romantic outdoor setting. Church bells, house martins and a dovecote. We do weddings.

13: A very large car park.

14: A very soon to be built Asado Argentine grill and paella station for al fresco eating with a real difference.

15: A delightful stable block party room, complete with original horse feeding bays, bunting and shabby chic style.

16: Oh, and like Oxford’s most famous pub down the road, we’ve a Morse story too.

I have to admit that delivering on all of the above does not make for a slowdown way of life. I am writing this at 5am. But what I have discovered about changing career later in life, is that everything, yes everything, has and does happen for a reason.

I now get to have conversations with people every day, and from every walk of life, without any recourse to the Internet and/or mobile phone whatsoever. I’ve rediscovered the joy of conversation.