Pastures New

17/12/2008

THE closing of CBD lunch-only fixture De Lacy several months back, just as financial storm clouds began gathering, grabbed some media attention as a bellwether of tough times.

"But we didn't go belly up," says Dean Bamford and partner Daniel Whelan. "We chose to close. We were listening to our customers and we could see where it was going."

The pair are not wasting their talents. They have taken on management of Redesdale's pub, between Heathcote and Kyneton, henceforth to be known as The Redesdale. The pub is owned by Peter and Suzie Williams, who also own nearby vineyard/winery and olive grove Redesdale Estate.

"We're doing our best to source as much as we can locally," says Whelan. When we spoke he was making a wild rabbit pie with his own puff pastry and ragout of locally shot hare to go with his pappardelle. Life sounds pretty good in Redesdale.