A country pub which closed after its landlord died following an accident could reopen soon.

Thomas Pritchard was the popular landlord and head chef of The Fox Inn in Boars Hill who gained a reputation for giving drinkers and foodies a warm welcome.

He was seriously injured in a collision on the A338 between East Hanney and Frilford on Christmas Day last year and died later in hospital. Jean Houston, 61, also died as a result of the crash.

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The pub, owned by Heineken's Star Pubs, has not properly reopened since but there are now positive signs it could be about to reopen.

A notice on the pub website says: "We'll be back soon.

"The Fox Inn is currently closed. The team are busy working away and hoping to be reopened in the coming weeks. Apologies for any inconvenience caused."

The Fox in Fox Lane was closed when the Oxford Mail visited earlier this week, but a neighbour said: "The pub hasn't been open since Tommy died.

"But in the last week or so the sign saying the pub is up for lease has come down and the pub was open on Sunday, although it hasn't been open during the week."

(Image: Andy Ffrench) He added that drinkers in the area have been travelling to The Greyhound in Besselsleigh and The Merry Miller in Cothill when The Fox has been closed.

The Fox is a large country pub with exposed beams, a fireplace and spacious gardens, and was popular for its Sunday roasts and other fine dining.

Mr Pritchard attended Botley Primary School and Abingdon School before studying at Leeds University.

He was an experienced local landlord having previously worked in Oxford pubs including the Bear Inn and The Punter.

Under his management The Fox was praised for making drinkers feel just as welcome as diners.

Tommy Pritchard Tommy Pritchard (Image: Oxford Mail) His vision was for a traditional village pub with good food on offer, including steak and lobster.

Last August he told the Oxford Mail: “I wanted to run a pub, not a restaurant."

Following Mr Pritchard's death fellow Aunt Sally player Adam Dewar said "he left a lasting impression on anyone he met".

He added: "He was a larger than life character who was the life and soul of The Fox. Oh, and he was a fantastic chef. The food provided on Aunt Sally evenings was unrivalled."

Members of the Oxford branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), praised Mr Pritchard for featuring a good selection of real ales, including those provided by Timothy Taylor, Oxford Brewery and Butcombe.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.