Blackwood Arms

11/06/2026

It’s a no bake week at Noisy Table, but I’ve still been pottering in the kitchen. I’ve been rendering wax from our bees and stirring it together with organic shea, coconut and rosehip oil to make a simple beeswax balm. I’ve added drops of rose absolute, rose geranium, sweet orange, patchouli and vetiver. I think it smells like a warm garden after it’s been raining. These little tins are favours for my daughter’s wedding on Friday, and the whole house currently smells of beeswax and roses. Next up on the list is an experiment making beeswax bread bags, using our own wax (and Annabelle’s) to help keep loaves fresh.

11/06/2026

Right.
Apparently, pubs are “too expensive.” 😬🥵💰

I hear it every day. 🤯

Usually from someone clutching a £6 artisan coffee, scrolling TikTok on a £1,200 phone, while explaining how £6 for a pint is daylight robbery. 💎

But sure. The pub is the problem. 👌

Let me explain this slowly…

You’re not paying £6 for “beer”! 🍺

You’re paying for an experience, for a community, for…

💸 The heating being on before you arrive.
💸 The lights staying on after you leave.
💸 The loos being scrubbed (you’re welcome).
💸 The glasses being washed.
💸 The staff being paid.
💸 The licences. The insurance. The rates. The tax.
💸 The little bite the card machine takes every single time you tap.
💸 And the fact that when the cellar floods at 11pm on a Tuesday… it’s me in wellies.

You’re not just buying a drink. 🍷

You’re renting a space to exist in public without being moved on. To socialise. To make friends. To feel welcome. To belong. ❤️

Go and sit in the middle of ASDA for three hours debating VAR and see how long that lasts. Try getting banter from a self-checkout. 😅

Pubs aren’t competing with supermarket booze. 🛒

We’re competing with the idea that community should be free. 🏘️❤️

And here’s the bit I find fascinating…

The same people who mourn “the death of the British pub” are the ones who treat us like overpriced off-licences. 🍾

We don’t sell beer. 🍺

We sell:
👉 First dates that turned into marriages.
👉 Wakes where the real stories came out.
👉 “Ok, just one” that became the best night of the year.
👉 Somewhere to decompress when the world’s had enough of you and you’ve had enough of the world.

We sell a place to not be alone. 🫂

If you want cheap: stay on your sofa with a four-pack of lukewarm cans 🛋️🥵🍻

But PLEASE don’t confuse low cost with value! 🤷‍♂️

Anyway, I’ll be over here - overcharging for heating, chairs, and human interaction. 🔥🪑🤗

Tag a mate who needs to stop being a tight-arse and buy a round! You know the one. 😂👇

11/06/2026

Hot out my oven.

08/06/2026

First time attending the Burnham Village Fete with my own stall. I’ll be bringing along the new gazebo, the company limo and a selection of fresh bakes. Really looking forward to seeing some familiar faces there.

04/06/2026

Blackwood Arms
Please sign this petition my lovelies 😘

The hospitality sector has come together to launch – a united campaign and petition calling for hospitality VAT to be reduced from 20% to 10%.

Spearheaded by chef and publican Tom Kerridge, we’re working alongside trade bodies across the sector, such as and , hospitality communities like , and you, businesses across hospitality, to say 10% VAT is fair for hospitality.

Our sector pays too much tax, and VAT is the single biggest lever the Government can pull to support venues, our customers, our high streets and our local communities.

This campaign is for everyone: businesses, customers, waiting staff, chefs, kitchen porters, bar staff, hotel teams, farmers, brewers, suppliers and producers.

Like, sign the petition and share this post – we need your support to reach a million signatures.

Click the link in our bio to sign the petition 👇
https://www.vatstheproblem.co.uk/

02/06/2026

23/05/2026