New manager for former The Restaurant winners' pub

Former Caterer Adopted Business Peach Pub Company has appointed a new general manager to oversee The Thatch, the property previously run by Jeremy and Jane Hooper, winners of Raymond Blanc's TV series The Restaurant.

Frazer Sutherland has taken over The Thatch in Thame, Oxfordshire, one of Peach's 10 food-led pubs.

He previously spent five years running his own pub, The Bell at Beachampton in Buckinghamshire.

Before that, he was a manager at Harvey Nichols's Fifth Floor Restaurant, and at The Oxo Tower, both in London.

"I joined Peach because I knew their reputation, liked their values and really wanted to work with them," Sutherland said.

"In coming to Thame, I'm hoping to build on the great work that's already been done here and make The Thatch the place to eat and drink in the area."

Previously known as Eight at the Thatch, the pub was taken over by the Hoopers after winning the first season of reality TV show The Restaurant.

However, the couple quit in May this year, after just seven months of running the business.

The Hoopers returned to their home county of Cornwall where they plan to open their own restaurant.

Blanc's The Restaurant winners quit after seven months >>

Head chef speaks out as Restaurant winners pack it in >>

Raymond Blanc on spas, Michelin stars, TV shows and Le Manoir >>

By Kerstin Kühn

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