Rhubarb 2017

ST EDWARD’S r h u b a r b

25

OSE in Business

1990 James Dawes

The Oxford Retreat (established in 2015) is the company’s newest acquisition, and recently underwent an extensive renovation project. Located right next to the train station in the centre of town, this is the perfect meet up spot and popular with young professionals and post-grad Oxford University students, especially those of the nearby Saïd Business School. The kitchen serves traditional homemade pub food. Fantastic heated beer garden out by the river, and a private function room that holds up to 80 guests. Function room ‘The Study’ fully equipped with audio visual equipment for conferences, presentations and parties. It has won ‘Best Student Finalist’ in the pub awards. The Oxford Retreat is not marketed as a students’ pub and there is a clear desire to make it a space for everyone, rather than just the ‘beer and a burger’ student market. www.theoxfordretreat.com EMERGE in 2012 offering PR solutions to emerging brands and talent. She writes: ‘As we’ve grown, we have developed into a fully functional PR and Publicity Agency. EMERGE works across a number of different clients, with a range of knowledge from talent management, events, PR, celebrity endorsement, media management and crisis control. Understanding relationships between these different, interlinked areas, is at the core of the Emerge offering. We understand how the industry works, and how to make the most significant impact for your brand. Our team of young, enthusiastic, creative people is based in London. We have a mixture of skill sets, from ex-agents, publicists, to in-house and agency PR specialists, in order to offer a unique 360 degree service. Our contacts span different industries across the globe. EMERGE is anchored on Fashion and Lifestyle, but also works on a variety of campaigns, including Sony, Wilkinson Sword, Olympus and Boodles. Each client has different needs and requires different solutions. We aim to tailor- make our strategies to the vision the client has.’ For further information, visit www.emergelimited.com 2008 EmilyAusten (M, 2006-2008) launched the PR company

any event in a matter of minutes, all on one site. Outside of a booking platform we also offer a bespoke curation service for anyone looking to organise something a little more complicated or new to event organising and in need of some hand-holding. We’re working with everyone from major global brands, large festivals and small restaurants looking for their next cool chef residency, if you’ve got an idea involving street food, we want to help!’ 2004 William Helsby (C, 1999-2004) runs three venues across Oxford: The Cowley Retreat (established in 2012), is bang in the centre of the vibrant Cowley Road. Known for its friendly and efficient service. Serves a wide range of cocktails, wine and beer. Handmade burgers, bagels and hot dogs. Popular bar in East Oxford with locals and a huge hit with Oxford Brookes students. Recently awarded second place prize in the Great British Pub Awards for Britain’s ‘Best Student Pub’ category. www.thecowleyretreat.com The Lighthouse (established in 2014) provides a unique experience in the city centre, with premium fresh fruit cocktails, craft lagers and homemade Pan-Med tapas. The decor is Victoriana steam punk with a subtle nautical theme. The adjoining function room (The Boiler Room) holds up to 50 guests and provides a cosy and intimate setting for all types of events. The bar is at its busiest during Happy Hours, which run daily from 5-8pm. During this time all cocktails are 2-4-1. www.thelighthouseoxford.com

O S E I N B U S I N E S S

(A, 1985-1990) has recently established the insurance broking firm Mallinson Private Clients ( http://www. mallinsonpc.co.uk )

He writes: ‘Mallinson Private Clients offer a personal and highly individual service for those who demand something out of the ordinary. Our approach is built around your individual and unique requirements, utilising our extensive experience to tailor fit a policy for your needs. Whether you have multiple residences, including those overseas, large collections of valuables or simply a listed property that requires understanding, we can accommodate it. Not only can we cater for the needs of the wealthy whose wishes sometimes go beyond the norm, we also provide expert advice and cover for your individual requirements, supported by our personal service. Our only objective is to ensure that our clients can enjoy and protect the lifestyles and possessions they’ve worked so hard to acquire. We see our job as providing peace of mind by finding the most efficient and cost effective ways to insure their possessions.’

2009 DigbyVollrath (A, 2004-2009) launched the company Feast It

( www.feast- it.com ). He writes: ‘Our

aim was to build a platform designed by event organisers for event organisers that will streamline the complicated (and rather boring) process of booking the perfect event caterer and, we’ve got to say, we’re pretty happy with what we’ve built, hopefully, you agree! Working in partnership with more than a hundred of London’s leading street food vendors and restaurants including Patty & Bun, The Breakfast Club, Dirty Burger, Blu Top Ice Cream, Hummus Bros, and The Cheese Truck, Feast It is a platform enabling event planners and businesses to discover, compare and book their ideal caterer for

The Lighthouse, Oxford