Uncle Tom’s Cabin entices punters with fresh menu and interior revamp

A cosy traditional pub in Cookham Dean which has re-opened after being closed for half-a-year is hoping to tempt people back with a new menu, new bitters and internal refurbishment.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, in Hills Lane, is thought to date back to at least the 18th century, with possible earlier origins.

About a year ago, Tom Sennett took over the country pub with his father John with the aim of reviving its fortunes.

Tom is co-director of Swanuppers Ltd, which runs The Old Swan Uppers in Cookham and The George on the Green in Holyport.

His father, John Sennett, ran the Honeypot in Maidenhead town centre until recently when it changed hands.

The father-and-son team have now overseen a major makeover inside the village venue as well as putting a renewed focus on the pub’s food.

“We’ve done a lot of work on the menu – we’re bringing back some old pub classics and we’re also going very much down the game meat route,” said Tom.

The new-look menu features some ‘really interesting dishes’ including venison.

The pub has a new head chef, Luis Blake, who is back at Uncle Tom’s Cabin after having previously run the pub for 10 years before moving on to pastures new.

Luis is the ‘executive chef’ between the Swan Uppers and Uncle Tom’s, spending most of his time at the latter.

“He is our key to making the pub work,” said Tom.

He added: “It’s a lovely warm cozy pub with two log fires – the bar’s been redone, and we’ve had new lines put in.”

The two new beers are celebrated and popular bitters – London Pride and IPA Rebellion. “At the Swan Uppers we won an award for our London Pride, and we’re trying to get that up at Uncle Tom’s,” said Tom.

Other changes include a new Airbnb rentable space upstairs which Tom said ‘is going really well’.

“We spent a fortune on it and we’re just starting to see the rewards.”

Tom told the Advertiser the venue would ‘not be going all gastropub’ and catering for its locals will remain the priority.

“We’re trying to keep the pub more of a locals’ pub – we love our locals. They’re our living.”

The pub has also hosted some ‘big nights’ since reopening, including seeing DJ Brandon Block, a prominent figure in the Ibiza dance scene, come over from Spain to play for a night.

“The whole village loved it, we had a good 300 people there,” said Tom.

TV-wise, the pub now has TNT Sports and Sky Sports, showing football, rugby and major boxing features.

“We’re a big rugby pub,” Tom said. “We don’t want to turn it into a sports bar – that’s far from what we want to do – but it’s the only pub in the village that has Sky Sports and it’s working well.”

More changes are to come for Uncle Tom’s Cabin – the plan is for the outside of the pub to be done up too in April next year.