The Evolution of a Cotswold Inn
There is a certain charm in the word “bull,” but in the ever-starry Cotswolds, especially for those in the media spotlight, there’s one thing you must avoid: placing the word “the” before it. This rule applies even if the bull in question is a coaching inn that has been known as The Bull Hotel since 1610. It’s fascinating how such a small detail, like the presence or absence of a definite article, can make such a big difference.
Bull Burford, as the current owner Matthew Freud has named the old inn, initially made me uneasy. I thought to myself: here we go again, another watering hole for the gilded, rapidly expanding Cotswold set—certainly not for someone like me in my Skoda Fabia and Skechers slip-ins. However, this lack of the definite article does help (somewhat) to distinguish it from another similar spot just 20 minutes away—The Bull, Charlbury.
After prolonged renovation by Matthew Freud, who lives in Burford Priory with Sheherazade Goldsmith, Bull opened in late 2023. By 2024, I found myself driving along Burford’s High Street, with its mix of medieval, Tudor, and Georgian façades, and decided to park and pop in (Bull Burford itself has a lovely 1690 brick façade).
A Change in Atmosphere
Apart from a leggy blonde woman in a leopard-print coat and her fractious children sprawled in the bar, there was no one else, including staff. It was a dark, strange warren, and I couldn’t find Bull’s pulse. I had read that Freud’s reimagined “curious coaching inn” was to be a meeting of minds and a hive of talks, events, and workshops; instead, I just wanted to leave. What a load of b***, I thought.
Fast forward to 2026, and I decided to give Bull another chance, having heard good things. This time, I felt a distinct heartbeat and an energy, much of it provided by new general manager Jack Forbes.
Adapting to Stay Relevant
Hotels are like people: to survive, they must adapt. Jack, who cut his teeth for eight years at the terrific Peligoni Club in Greece followed by Jeremy Clarkson’s Farmer’s Dog pub, serving hundreds of people a day, is busy making sure that Bull appeals to all (really).
Thus, the underused omakase restaurant Hiro has become a private dining room; the poker table, given to Freud by Idris Elba, another Cotswold resident, is going because no one uses it; the bar now has much more convivial seating, and the outdoor pizza and gelato restaurant Sl’ice is getting a major upgrade, including its own kitchen.
Diverse Dining Experiences
Remarkably, there are two further restaurants among the old beams, narrow corridors, and astonishing artworks (part of Matthew Freud’s private collection) in Bull. The atmosphere at dinner in Horn (awful name), dominated by Grayson Perry’s propheticAmerican Dream, was warm and easygoing, the service prompt, and the food excellent.
The same can be said for Wild, where guest chef Ben Chamberlain cooks on an open fire in a rustic tent in the sunken courtyard and guests eat communally. You’d think Bull had invented this method of dining, so pleased is the staff with its success, but once upon a time, it was the norm in small hotels and upmarket guesthouses.
A Gallery of Art
Not since Ivor Braka filled The Gunton Arms in Norfolk with his own stellar collection has a humble inn been stuffed with so much expensive art. Francis Bacon, Ai Weiwei, Salvador DalĂ, Damien Hirst; they are all here, plus some great celebrity photographs (Muhammad Ali “punching” the Beatles livens all-day Graze, where breakfast is served cafĂ©-style). And look out for the charming drawings and captions, recently added here and there with a Sharpie by Freud’s friend Charlie Mackesy.
At the miniature spa, Zen, a gorgeous lava shell massage is one of the treatments on offer. There are radios in the 18 bedrooms but no TVs in the rooms, which suits me though not everyone. Jack hilariously described his “Fawlty moment” when, with increasing Basil-style frustration, he attempted to install a TV for a guest who demanded one, having been obliged to remove it from a bedroom in Highway, Bull’s smaller sister hotel along the High Street. Rooms are carefully lit, with heavenly beds, limewash walls, and natural textiles. A complimentary pre-mixed white negroni is a thoughtful touch.
A Newfound Enjoyment
Talking of cocktails, the assistant barman, Leoni, mixed me his own concoction, called Autumn Rush. With English rum, caramel syrup, and foaming bitters, it was one of the best things I have ever sipped. Bull, I thought, as I did so, is finding its groove, and who cares about the presence or not of a definite article? At that point, I certainly didn’t.
Doubles from ÂŁ270, including breakfast. 105 High Street, Burford, OX18 4RG (01993 822220; bullburford.com)
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