Summer lunch offer – 2 dine for £12!

There’s a great lunch offer on at the Benefield Wheatsheaf during the summer holidays…each day there are selected main course dishes on our ‘Daily Specials Blackboard menu’ where two can dine for just £12!  A great opportunity to dine out with friends or as a family treat.

Typical dishes available may include scampi & chips, penne pasta , gammon, egg & chips and beer battered haddock & chips. For those wanting a lighter lunch, the offer extends to our bar and lounge menu which has a fabulous range of ciabatta rolls and antipasti dishes.  This offer is available Monday – Saturday from 12 noon to 2.30 p.m.

Do give us a call on 01832 205400 if you wish to make a reservation.

Wedding Season in full swing at the Benefield Wheatsheaf

The Benefield Wheatsheaf is proving to be a popular choice for wedding receptions for brides from Oundle, Peterborough and East Northamptonshire, with bookings already being taken for 2012 and beyond.

Happy couples and their guests are enjoying the fabulous facilities available for wedding celebrations at this delightful country hotel.  Located in the traditional stone village of Upper Benefield, the hotel garden has stunning views over the Northamptonshire countryside, providing a superb backdrop for wedding photographs.

The majority of wedding parties take place in the self-contained marquee situated on the lawn to the rear of the hotel.  A truly impressive structure, fully lined and carpeted, it will cater for up to 150 guests, has its own bar and separate dance area with starlight ceiling.

As any bride will tell you, a successful wedding reception is a combination of many details, including creating a ‘wow’ factor with table dressing, decorations and flowers and complementing this with an impressive menu and impeccable service.  The Benefield Wheatsheaf caters for the choices and needs of each bride-to-be through the services of a personal Wedding Co-ordinator and local wedding suppliers.  Whatever is required and whatever the theme, it can be made to happen at the Benefield Wheatsheaf!

Guests celebrate the new look Benefield Wheatsheaf…

The new owners and invited guests celebrated the transformation of The Benefield Wheatsheaf at a grand re-opening in February.

There is more than just a new logo at The Benefield Wheatsheaf. There is something rather unique about this Country Hotel.  Perhaps it is simply that an independent small hotel offering a high standard of service and traditional hospitality at a sensible price is a rare commodity.

But other little touches make it a special place to stay or visit for a meal or celebration.  Fresh flowers, a cosy, historic interior with beams and original stone walls, individually furnished rooms with impeccable housekeeping and food to impress and suit all tastes – whether dining a la carte in the restaurant or from the ‘Specials’ board in the bar.

‘We have a desire to put our guests at the heart of everything that we do and that is what makes The Benefield Wheatsheaf a little bit different,’ comments Roger Brockbank, General Manager.  ‘Our maxim is, whatever you want, we’ll make it happen at The Benefield Wheatsheaf.’

New owners set to put The Benefield Wheatsheaf on the map…

The finishing touches are being made to a hotel with a difference between Oundle and Corby – but for the new owners, it’s just the start.

 “We have everything in place to be the best and most welcoming independent hotel in the area,” So says a delighted Roger Brockbank, General Manager of The Benefield Wheatsheaf as he oversees the finishing touches ahead of the hotel’s grand reopening in February.

Regular guests will already be familiar with the refurbished rooms and public bar at the hotel and the new marquee for formal functions; while the restaurant’s eclectic menu has been earning high praise from diners ever since chef patron and co-owner David Clipsham arrived last year.

Together the two men have carefully plotted a new course for The Benefield Wheatsheaf, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere where nothing is too much trouble. “We were both classically trained at Poste Hotels, which set the benchmark in hospitality,” says Roger. “After working in some of the best establishments in the country, we are returning to our roots to open a local hotel that meets the highest possible standards of customer care.

“We want to create a hotel where guests are treated like real people rather than room numbers. “Everyone has their own ideas of what makes the perfect, relaxing stay. Our job is to listen and then make it happen. There is a subtle difference between being a guest and a paying customer. We think you’ll notice that difference here at the new Benefield Wheatsheaf.”

The ethos certainly stretches to the kitchen, where the menu is ever changing but always with a focus on seasonal tastes. No matter if you order fish and chips or lobster thermidore, you can expect a dish served with imagination, finesse and certainly a twist or two. “We have a dynamic and creative team,” says David. “We have been together for a full year and we have been delighted by the positive reaction in the restaurant. But the best is still to come.”

The Benefield Wheatsheaf is just a few final tweaks away from being transformed into the perfect country hotel & restaurant.

Adds Roger: “We have a picture-perfect location in a quiet village between Oundle and Corby; we have culinary expertise in the kitchen; and we have a desire to put our guests at the centre of everything we do, whether they are dining, enjoying a short break or are here for a wedding or conference. Eat, drink, stay or unwind, we want you to do it just the way you want to. “We are proud of what we have achieved in just a few months. Now we want to put The Benefield Wheatsheaf on the map.”

Gourmet dining in the heart of Northamptonshire…

There are few restaurants that can really claim to offer classic fine dining, but now, anyone living close to Oundle, Stamford and Corby has the opportunity to experience this in Upper Benefield at The Benefield Wheatsheaf.

The hotel is offering a five course ‘Gourmet Dining’ experience for groups of 10-14 people who may wish to celebrate a special occasion, host a corporate or executive dinner or simply enjoy excellent food and wine in the company of friends in a private dining room.

Head Chef, David Clipsham, who is trained in classic French cuisine and has featured in the Michelin guide, designs his gourmet menus to feature the finest available ingredients.  These may be styled to a particular theme or feature classic dishes such as individual Beef Wellington.  Guests may decide to choose their own dishes or keep an element of surprise by leaving menu content to the chef.

Once the menu is confirmed, the finest wines from around the world are selected to accompany each course.  On the evening, our Restaurant Manager (who joins us from the renowned Stapleford Park) introduces each dish and the wine selected to complement it.

‘David is a highly talented chef and his cuisine combined with our Restaurant Manager’s knowledge of food & wine will ensure that those seeking a gourmet dining experience will have an evening to remember’, comments Roger Brockbank, General Manager.

Gourmet dining at The Benefield Wheatsheaf is available from Tuesday to Saturday evenings and costs £110 per person for a five-course meal with wine or £80 without wines.  View a sample menu…

A taste of Thailand comes to Upper Benefield…

On Sunday, 18 July residents of Oundle, Corby and East Northamptonshire  treated themselves to a taste of Thailand without having to fly to Bangkok!  The Benefield Wheatsheaf  hosted a Thai Night with authentic Thai food from the renowned Tong Thai restaurant of Kettering.  In addition to a delicious selection of starters and buffet main course, diners were treated to an exquisite Thai dancing performance – a different and entertaining way to spend a Sunday evening for just £17.50 per head!  Another Thai Night is planned during August, so keep an eye open for the date…

Golf & al fresco dining at The Benefield Wheatsheaf

We’re celebrating the summer at The Benefield Wheatsheaf!  Take time out for a round of golf at the delightful 18 hole parkland course at Oundle Golf Club and combine this with an overnight stay for £70 on a Sunday night or £99 any other day – and this includes your golf.

We are offering al fresco dining at the hotel this summer at lunchtimes and early evening. Guests can choose between dining on the terrace at the rear of the hotel, ideal for sun worshippers as it is sheltered and a real sun-trap, or alternatively at one of the tables on the lawn, with views of open countryside.  If it gets really warm, we have parasols for shade and a large tree on the lawn.

Our blackboard menu changes daily to reflect seasonally available produce and dishes that suit the current weather.  In the summer this menu will regularly feature fresh fish & seafood, including shellfish platters with crab & lobster, antipasti and cold meats with salads to accompany. On Sundays during periods of good weather, we plan to have barbecued meats available as an alternative to our normal Sunday roast menu.

Add a glass of chilled white wine (supplied by Amps Fine Wines of Oundle) and you have all the ingredients for a most enjoyable afternoon!

Marquee for corporate events

The rural location of The Benefield Wheatsheaf makes it a perfect ‘getaway’ location for businesses based in Corby, Oundle and Peterborough.  Our new marquee is available from May to December for events such as conferences, meetings, product launches and dinners. Located at the rear of the hotel and linked to the main building, it seats up to 150 people and offers meeting organisers a spacious facility that can be themed, branded or styled to their requirements.  Smaller groups of between 10 and 50 can be accommodated in the hotel in The Garden Room or The Snug.

Our Head Chef is skilled in catering for large numbers, so anyone holding an event at The Benefield Wheatsheaf can be assured that guests will be impressed not only comfort of the surroundings but also by the quality of the food.

Delegates can stay overnight in one of our 19 comfortable, individually furnished rooms all with en-suite facilities and Wi-fi access.  Our conference rates represent some of the best value in the area – daily delegate rates start at £17 and 24 hour rate is £110 per person.  More details here…

Informal dining in our new bar dining area…

We have recently completed the refurbishment of our bar and lounge area with a more contemporary style of décor, complementing the stone walled interior of this former coaching inn and retaining its cosy atmosphere.  The previous over-large bar has been reduced in size and a new bar dining area seating up to 20 has been created in its place.  Come and see how much space we have created!

‘Diners wanting a quick bite or informal business lunch will really appreciate our new bar dining area.  Our Head Chef, David Clipsham, is producing some fantastic dishes so we have created an area where they can come and enjoy his food in a location less formal than our restaurant,’ said Roger Brockbank, General Manager.

Guests can select dishes from both the daily ‘Specials blackboard’ and a la carte menu for lunch or evening dining.  Fish is always available along with vegetarian options – see our menus…