The Country Pub and Restaurant

Chef Patron, Ian Campbell took over the Chequered Skipper in 1997 with his brother Colin following the complete refurbishment and rebuilding of the pub after it was gutted by fire. Every building in the small country village of Ashton is built of stone and thatch. This country pub and restaurant, set upon the village green has long been a favourite with ramblers, cyclists and those looking to take a trip to unearth a country secret in a village that might have been lost in time.

Following a four year sabbatical pursuing another restaurant venture, Ian has recently returned full time to the Chequered Skipper and is looking to build on his reputation of serving fresh, simple country cuisine accompanied by carefully chosen real ales and quality wines.

Ian Campbell – Chef Patron

The menus at The Chequered Skipper reflect the current seasons and are changed every ten weeks. The emphasis is on simple quality food which is applied to the a la carte dishes as well as to the lighter bar snack menu. With a recent conversion of some nearby barns the pub and restaurant area has been extended to provide new opportunities for larger parties as well as wedding receptions and business functions.

Ashton is located a pleasant ten minute walk from the historic market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire and only 12 miles from Peterborough. Once a year in early October, the village is taken over by 5,000 people who attend the World Conker Championships that are contested on the village green.

The Chequered Skipper is listed in The AA Good Pub Guide, Alistair Sawdays Special Places to Eat and the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. The country pub and restaurant are open daily serving food for lunch or dinner as well serving drinks all day on Saturday and Sunday.

“ My philosophy for running a pub and restaurant is based on a few simple principles. The food should be made from scratch on the premises and only the best local suppliers should be used. There should be an excellent variety of beers and wines with special attention being paid to locating and rotating real ales of character. Above all I believe in attention to detail and making sure my customers receive efficient, cheery service.”