The Team
Running a pub is all about team-work. Each and every member of our team - from kitchen porter to head chef, housekeeping to bar staff - work hard to ensure you have a great time at The Queen’s Arms.
Our senior management team have had a long and varied career in hospitality. They have brought considerable experience with them to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Their aim is to nurture an environment in which each member of the team feels looked after and has a chance to excel. They know what a tough industry this one can be, but with the right support, this is a place where those aspiring to work in the hospitality industry can thrive.
They are a shy bunch and don’t like their photo being taken but here is a little introduction.
Front of House
Sharky Operations Manager, has a wealth of experience behind him. He can be found in the office dealing with a whole array of tasks, from HR to building maintence as well as working on the floor or bar. He started his hospitality training in some of the best venues in London, before returning to his roots in Somerset where he managed well-known pubs and hotels. When taking over the Queen’s Arms and looking for our first hire, Sharky was the obvious choice; he has been key from the start, helping to advise on the layout of the rooms and bar, furniture buying, and the hiring of the team.
Scott is our Bar Manager, Scott by name and Scot by nature, Scott grew up in Glasgow before moving to the South West. He manages the staff on a day-to-day basis. He loves to chat to everyone behind the bar and has a dry wit.
Alice is our floor supervisor, mature for her years, she is attentive and calm and makes sure all the guests are looked after.
Jess is our office manager, a Somerset girl, she is key in keeping the team motivated and is excellent at organising, ensuring bookings are looked after and paperwork is kept on top of.
The Kitchen
Under the stewardship of Rich Townsend, The Queen’s Arms kitchen is a calm, orderly, and friendly place to work. No egos, just great food.
Rich Townsend our Head Chef produces mouth-watering food using the finest local ingredients, bringing innovation, freshness, flavour and flair to your plate. He works tirelessly with the team to perfect a dish before he puts it on the menu, ensuring you have the best possible experience. Rich grew up locally and has worked in many well respected venues locally, building up his experience. His food is turning heads and has made the Queen’s Arms a destination for food lovers.
JP was, in fact, Rich’s Head Chef when Rich first started out as a chef. JP brings maturity and experience to the table. He is a great sounding board for the team to share ideas on dishes and their collaboration and respect for one another makes for a calm efficient and friendly kitchen.
A History Mystery
According to the village history, the pub is named in honour of Sophia Dorothea the wife of George I, and the building is Georgian. After some research, however, this is perhaps unfounded, given that Sophia Dorothea never set foot in England and was, in fact, imprisoned by her husband in a palace in Germany after she planned to elope with her lover. George was crowned George I in 1714 and had three children with his mistress Melusine von de Schulenburg who came to the UK with him when he ascended the throne. Sophia Dorothea was therefore was never crowned.
It is more likely the pub is named after Queen Victoria when when the then landlord, Uriah Parsons, accepted local apples as payment and stored them in the cellar which he then used to brew his own cider and sold at the bar. Prior to that the Georgian building was owned by the Portman family and used as place to collect taxes from the parish and for the tax collectors to stay as a stop over. The first known record of The Queen’s Arms as a pub is 1851 under Uriah Parsons.
Further royal connections are linked to Charles II who skirted around Corton Denham on his escape after the Battle of Worcester. His route took him from Worcester all the way to the coast (including a stop off to hide in an oak tree, hence why there are so many Royal Oak pubs). Incredibly he managed to evade capture and escape to France. His route has now been mapped and is called ‘The Monarch’s way’, it is 625 miles in total and passes Corton Denham and leads him on to Trent where records show he hid in Trent Manor. If you would like to walk the section in Corton Denham please look for more information here.
The Queen’s Arms is now owned and run by The Mackenzie-Francis family, who live just up the road with their three children, one dog, two horses and three pigs. Before becoming owners of the pub the Mackenzie-Francis’s were regular customers there. When it came up for sale in 2020 they felt it was an opportunity too good to miss.
Doune Mackenzie-Francis is the director of the The Queen’s Arms, she has a culinary background, having trained at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland before going on to work as a private cook. She then took on the role of Marketing and PR manager at Leiths School of Food and Wine, which allowed her to absorb ideas and skills from the incredible chefs she met during her eight years there, including Yotam Ottolenghi, Tom Kerridge, and Lorraine Pascale.
It’s the team, however, who really make The Queen’s Arms a success. We’re lucky enough to have exceptional management heading up the pub whose skills, patience and attention to detail are imparted to everyone who works here to ensure you have the best service.
