News & Reviews

See our latest newsletter here and see below for up and coming events.

Mike and Peter go live on Star107 FM !

Our own double act took to the airwaves this April. In this special podcast the Star107 FM food and drink show's roving reporter, Maria Brannigan, visits the Black Bull in Balsham to find out about the pub, plus she does a live recipe section!

Special Events

Chef Taster Menus

Peter Friskey, Head Chef, and Mike Champion, Front of House Manager, continue to roll out the impressive Chef Taster Menu Dinners. These evenings are an extraordinary experience and incredible value.

The next date is in conjunction with our chosen Black Bull charity for the year - The Injured Jockey Fund:

Special Menu Dinner and Racing Quiz

Friday 14 June
The Black Bull Balsham
with Steve Smith-Eccles                   
in aid of The Injured Jockey Fund

Come and join us for some fine dining and a fun evening with Steve Smith-Eccles

We will start in the Black Bull Parade Ring (no hats required) with a very welcome glass of fizz and the opportunity to jostle for position and canapés before the Starter Tape is raised.

We will then go through to the restaurant for a more steady-paced
Rowley Mile starter, main course and Finishing Post flourish of a pudding.

Over our Winners Enclosure coffees and petit-fours, Steve Smith-Eccles will test us with a short racing quiz and there will be a small raffle and auction (see below) to raise additional funds for the charity.

See the menu here.

Ticket entry is £40 per person.

Parties / Teams of 2 or more are welcome (larger parties might want to split into smaller teams for the quiz).

We will be asking each team to donate one "promise" to raffle or auction on the night  (anything welcome: half a dozen eggs / bottle of wine / tour of stables / parade ring experience ...)

All proceeds for the evening will go to The Injured Jockey Fund (including £15 of the ticket price).

Entry Tickets for this event are strictly limited and can only be applied for in advance - closing date Friday 7th June.

Please call or email the pub with card details to confirm your places.

Pudding Clubs

Friday 17 May at The Red Lion Hinxton

See the menu here

Our Pudding Nights continue to be very popular: a choice from three starters and three light mains, followed by as many puddings as you wish from the buffet table of six puddings; all for £25.
For advance bookings only. More detail here.

Friday Jazz Band nights

Look out for our regular Jazz Band Nights at The Black Bull - the last Friday of every month - next one Friday 31 May

Annual Red Lion / Black Bull Golf Day

Monday 17 June

Heydon Grange

More Awards!

Congratulations to our sister pub Black Bull Balsham team, who continue their roll with two awards for their amazing Pies:
- National Pub Food Awards 2013
- National Pub Innovation Awards 2013
  (The Publican's Morning Advertiser)

These awards follow hot on the heels of being awarded an AA rosette for the quality of their food and 4 AA stars for their accommodation as well as being selected to feature in the merit-only Good Food Guide. They will be matching the number of our awards in no time!

Also, congratulations to our manager, Mike Champion, who has been crowned national Front of House Manager of the Year 2013
(The Morning Advertiser Top 50 Gastro Pubs Awards) - a very impressive and well-deserved achievement.

Past Special Events

Open Air Film Night
at our sister pub, The Red Lion Hinxton

Saturday 5th May - our second open air film night was hugely popular.

Directed + starring Ben Affleck; Best Film, Best Editing, and Best Director at the British Academy Film Awards

We could show this free thanks to the kind sponsorship by ADNAMS and CAWSTON PRESS

In conjunction with The Cambridge Film Trust.  The Cambridge Film Festival's state of the art screen was placed on the raised lawn by the dovecote which makes a great auditorium.

We are looking into a further film later in the summer - watch this space.

Inaugural Quiz Night

Thursday 18 April at The Black Bull

This went down a storm - stand by for future dates.

(Starts 8pm. £1 per person entry. Teams of 2-6)

"At Home"?
 - let us help you party

Our services are being increasingly sought after for private events, whether for a private party in one of our pubs or a special event at home or nearby private venue.

Each one is unique and tailor-made to the specific occasion. At each pub we put on a limited number of wedding receptions, as well as special birthdays/anniversaries and family gatherings.  They range from drinks & canapés to buffets, to seated four-course dinners.

If you would like to discuss any celebration coming up that you might want some help with, please do get in touch with Mike, who would be very happy to help.

 Mike was recently crowned Front of House Manager of the Year.  Having been organising special events for most of his career, Mike brings a wealth of experience and a particular passion to this role. 

Peter is the other vital ingredient to the Red & Black team - he can deliver whatever food you and Mike dream up and he loves a challenge.

 "We had a really really fantastic time so thank you very much.  We were really impressed with how the day went, it was just the feel we were after and the food was lovely.  We really want to thank all the staff as well, everyone was really attentive, professional and friendly, which made the occasion - so many of our guests commented on this as well so please do pass on our thanks."  Fiona and James

Past National Awards won by The Red Lion Hinxton

ACCOMMODATION PUB OF THE YEAR
(National Top Six - The Publican Awards 2011)

GASTRO FOOD PUB OF THE YEAR
(National Top Four - The Publican Food & Drink Awards 2010)

FREEHOUSE OF THE YEAR
(National Top Six - The Publican Awards 2010)

"Top 10 Pub Gardens in the Country" by The Sunday Times (13th June 2010) - congratulations to Ian Shooter, our Cambridgeshire garden designer.