Residents of a Banburyshire village welcome their latest, eye-catching restaurant - a teepee

Hornton residents were treated to a textbook demonstration of how to put up a teepee which will become a new dining room for the local pub.
The teepee building team, l-r Ian Harris, David Kentish, Martin Jones, Rebecca Yates, Steve Yates and Ed LawThe teepee building team, l-r Ian Harris, David Kentish, Martin Jones, Rebecca Yates, Steve Yates and Ed Law
The teepee building team, l-r Ian Harris, David Kentish, Martin Jones, Rebecca Yates, Steve Yates and Ed Law

The native American style teepee has been put up as part of a master plan by the couple who run the local pub to make sure the Covid-19 doesn't squeeze the life out of their business.

Astonished villagers of Hornton have been popping into the garden of the Dun Cow pub ever since the teepee, which has eight-metre poles and can accommodate around 30 socially-distanced diners, was erected by licensees Steve and Rebecca Yates, with the help of a posse of able-bodied neighbours.

"With the pandemic continuing, we desperately needed somewhere to seat diners because, with social distancing, there isn't enough room in the pub," said Mrs Yates. "We wanted to do something different and then we thought - what about a teepee?

Rebecca and Steve Yates, landlords of the Dun Cow pub, Hornton which has extended its dining room into a teepeeRebecca and Steve Yates, landlords of the Dun Cow pub, Hornton which has extended its dining room into a teepee
Rebecca and Steve Yates, landlords of the Dun Cow pub, Hornton which has extended its dining room into a teepee

"Even if we have to shut the pub down again, I can still use it as a shop for groceries and at Christmas we want to have a Christmas grotto in here."

Diners on the first night of opening were unanimous in their praise of Hornton's latest dining experience.

"It's got a really cosy atmosphere," said neighbour Lynn Corke. "Steve and Rebecca have laid on music; it's lovely and warm and the food at the Dun Cow is great. What more could you want?"