New bosses at Northamptonshire village pub finish successful 2024 with regional food award

Just six months after taking sole ownership of The Wheatsheaf in Titchmarsh, Gemma Southern is celebrating its first accolade under her management.

The Prestige Awards celebrate the products and services of local businesses, giving credit to those who consistently offer excellent products and services to local residents.

Gemma said: “It’s just nice to be recognised. We’re a small village pub and pub’s are closing around us all over the place just to be recognised is just something else really.

“The feedback has been such positive and lovely comments, everybody’s been so supportive.”

A judging panel from the Prestige Awards make a decision on who should receive a prize by analysing factors such as service excellence, quality of the product/service provided, innovative practices, value, ethical or sustainable methods of working, and consistency.

Gemma and the team will collect their award at a ceremony in Birmingham in May.

Osmaan Mahmood, founder & CEO of the Prestige Awards, said: “Although small businesses may not be able to compete with multinational companies on their size and scale, there is a personalised service-driven focus that is often void from large organisations.”

Gemma started at the Wheatsheaf, a pub in Titchmarsh near Kettering as weekend staff, eventually taking on the pub herself in spring. Now, as the owner of the business, it has continued to flourish under her management. She said: “What I love about it is the villagers and locals, you’re all like family.

"The restaurant side of things is a completely different element, it’s people you haven’t met before and don’t have that everyday knowledge about, so you get to know them from the outset.

“It has been tough, but I’ve been so lucky. The first thing I learned early on is to not be afraid to ask people for help. There are so many people out there who have knowledge, and although you think you can do it on your own, if you ask the right people it can really help.”

The Wheatsheaf has prioritised local produce, be it meat from Thrapston, or the bar serving Saxby’s cider, and delivers it all in a pub that has generous outdoor seating, and a dining area separate from the main bar.

Head Chef, Asa Cosgrove, joined Gemma’s staff in August 2024, and was recently in the top five for Chef of the Year at the 2024-25 Weetabix Awards, being highly commended by judges. With a background in fine dining, his menu has become a big part of the Wheatsheaf’s success in Gemma’s first year in charge.

Asa said: “People are very close around here, so where we can we get it local and close by. We like to bring it back to the people.

"We want to create a fine dining place, but with a relaxed atmosphere, we’re not Michellin star, but we want to create something that’s above your standard pub grub.

Gemma added: “When people come in we want them to enjoy being here, there’s no rushing, it’s completely relaxed.”