Oxfordshire Limited Edition – August 2019

226 |OxfordshireLimitedEdition|August 2019

PEOPLE

CotswoldHatClub’sRachelHawkinsspeakstoLimitedEditionaboutwhat

gavehertheideaforhercareerandallherfavouritethingsaboutOxfordshire

RACHEL HAWKINS

T

heCotswoldHatClub

startedasRachelHawkins’

owncollectionofrace-day

hatswhichshewouldloanto

familyandfriends.Itquickly

progressedintoanofficial

hireservice,helpingwomenfindtheperfect

hatforracing,weddingsandsummerevents.

Tellusaboutwhatyoudo

Istarted“TheCotswoldHatClub”lastyear.

Myboyfriendisajumpjockeyandasa

hobbyIusedtogethatsmadetogowith

variousoutfitsforracing.NowIhaveahat

shopinStowontheWoldandIhireandsell

premiumhatsfromtopqualitymilliners.

Ialsobuypoorly-performingpubsor

smallhotelswithmybusinesspartner.We

refurbishthemandgivethemanewleaseof

life.TheHareatMiltonunderWychwoodis

ourmostrecentsite.

What’sthebestpartofyourjob?

Theautonomy,varietyoflifeandthepeople

Iworkwith.Ineverhaveaboringdayand

Iworkwithbrilliantpeople.Myentirelifeis

justpurefun–eating,drinkingandfashion!

Ineitherbusiness,peoplecometoyouwhen

they’relookingforwardforagoodtimeso

it’srarelyanegativeexperience!

Whoisyourgreatestinspiration?

MybusinesspartnerSue.Westarted

workingtogetherwhenshemarriedmy

Uncle 15 yearsago.Wehaven’thadacross

wordinthatentiretime.Herenergy,ethos

andsenseoffunareentirelyinfectious.My

othergreatfriendHenriettarunsTheHare

andhasthemostincredibleoutlookonlife

andhasmeinstitchesdaily.I’msoverylucky

toworkwithmytwobestfriends.

Yourproudestachievement?

Ilovethetransformationsofthepubsand

hotelswebuy.Weliterallybuythemstinking

ofoldchipfatanddesperation.TheHare

hadbeenclosedforfiveyearswhenwe

boughtit.Wesaveditfrombeingturned

intohouses.Weturnedatowncentre

buildinginStratford-upon-Avonfroma

dentistsurgeryandofficesintoabooming

16 bedroomhotelwithrestaurantandbar.

Takingsomethingfromzerotoheroisalways

exciting.

DescribeyouridealdayinOxfordshire.

IhatethegymandifIdidn’thavetogoI

wouldn’tbutI’msogreedy,soIhaveto

exercise.I’dgetanearlymorningsession

inwithCalumTayloratTaylorMadeFitness

inMilton.I’dthentakethedogsforawalk

roundtheWildGardensinShiptonunder

Wychwood.NextI’dheadtoBurfordfor

twocupsofcoffee-to-go,fromLynwood’s

onBurfordHighStreetandsitonHenrietta’s

balconytowatchtheworldgoby.Nextup

I’dgotoJeanieScottSkinforoneofher

amazingfacials–sheisbasedinAsthall

Leighandwillliterallytransformyourface

frombloatedboozehoundtobrandnew

baby.Quickblow-dryatMatthewCurtis

inChippingNortonwithRaphelle.Then

I’dmeetSueforareallyboozylunchat

TheFeatheredNest,thefoodthereis

exceptional.

FavouriteplacetoeatinOxfordshire?

TheHare.That’sanobviousthingtosay–I

ownthepub.ButIwouldhandonheartsay

thatforconsistencyofdeliciousfood,buzzy

atmosphereandbrilliantserviceyouwould

struggletofindanywherebetter.Ourhead

chef,MattDareandhisrighthandmanDan

arebrilliantandthemostlovelyblokesto

workwith.HenriettaandZoewhoarein

charge,runasupertightship.Wehavea

“MarineCuisine”board–adailychanging

menuofthefreshestfishavailable–I

loveaseafoodlunchwithagoodpaland

bottomlesscoldpalerosé.

Favouriteplacetoshop?

I’mnotmuchofamoocher,Ilikea

departmentstyle“allunderoneroof”,soI

loveWestfieldinOxford,Bicestervillageand

BurfordGardenCentre!I’dliketosayIspend

ageswanderingroundlotsofindependent

shopsbutunfortunatelyIliketogetmany

thingsboughtinashortamountoftime.

ForthatreasonIalsoloveChippingNorton’s

market.

Oxfordshire’sbest-keptsecret?

PaulBarlowHealis“CotswoldBaking”–

hemakesthemostfabulouscakesand

pastries.IfIhaveadinnerpartyIalwaysget

dessertfromhim.Iwouldn’thaveahope

ofmakinganythingonetenthasgood.He

mademeabeefwellingtononcethatwas

probablythemostdeliciousthingI’veever

eaten.MyfriendZoerunsabusinesscalled

“TrailerTrash”.Sheboughtanoldcaravan

andtransformeditintoafoodwagon.She

spentlastsummertouringtheCotswolds,

cookingforweddings,partiesandfestivals.

She’snowupgradedthewagonandisthe

PERFECTcasualcatererforevents.

MY OXFORDSHIRE

Burford