An original sign from the former pub in Chinnor, which closed down 21 years ago, will be displayed as what is widely regarded as one of - if not the biggest - beer gardens in Thame reopens to the general public from Monday, April 12.

On Trafalgar Day – October 21 – 1962, Frank Angel, Cyril Perry and Marcus Cann called a meeting at The Bird In Hand public house to form Chinnor Rugby Club – hence our crest.

From that very day in the village of Chinnor, to our first Oxfordshire Cup triumph in 1977, promotion to the third tier in 2018 and the return of women’s rugby last year, we are proud of how far our Club has come in the space of 59 years.

With the Marquee extended and refurbished with a new-look bar and flooring as well as improved access, we are looking forward to welcoming our Chinnor Family and wider community to The Bird In Hand in a few weeks’ time, ensuring the memory of our former headquarters continues to live on at the Club.

Chinnor RFC Thame Non-Executive Director & General Manager, Stewart Yates said: “We are excited to be able to open The Bird In Hand from April 12 and I would like to thank everyone involved in the improvements. We have a great outdoor facility which can be enjoyed by our membership and the wider community. It is a safe and specious venue for everyone in Thame and the surrounding area to enjoy and we look forward to welcoming everyone next month. Renaming our Marquee, The Bird In Hand in line with the heritage of the Club seemed a fitting way to mark a special part of our history.”

John Ashfield, President of Chinnor RFC Thame, added: “The Club used many places to celebrate great wins and occasional defeats, but The Bird, as it was known, is our spiritual home and always will be. Over the years, our Club tie and shirt were behind the bar and if we were meeting in Chinnor The Bird was the venue. When we moved to Towersey in 1973, we took a chair from The Bird, after asking permission, as a reminder of our heritage.

“When The Bird closed in 2000, the landlord bequeathed to the Club the original sign which hangs behind the Members’ Bar in our Clubhouse. The Bird was a small pub with a big heart and the landlords made us welcome. When the Club chose the Falcon logo it was a tribute to where we were founded and the people who made it possible. There is no better name for our Marquee and we are pleased and thankful for this to be a recognition of our past and a pointer to our future.”

From Monday April 12, hospitality venues will be allowed to serve people outdoors. Therefore, picnic tables/gazebos and ‘outer areas’ of The Bird In Hand will be available for outside table service of food/drinks.

Please stay tuned for further details about the opening of The Bird In Hand and the rest of the Club, including events and hire opportunities.