James Ashbourne is the owner of the Old Cross Tavern in Hertford and has spent more than 30 years working in the licensed trade, specialising in real ale and traditional pub culture.
The Duncombe Arms
James ran The Duncombe Arms in Hertford for five years, taking over a pub that was previously known primarily as a “white van and Sky Sports” local.
During his time there the pub was reshaped into a warm, welcoming place to eat and drink, attracting a broader mix of customers and families. The Duncombe was included in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide in the year he left, recognising the focus on well-kept real ale.
The Punch House, Ware
James then moved to The Punch House in Ware, a much larger pub. One of his first changes was to push for the installation of six hand pumps, expanding the range of real ale available.
This was also where he began introducing early craft beer brands to the area, working with breweries such as Tiny Rebel and Beavertown (when they were still small independent breweries), alongside imported beers including Lervig and Paulaner.
The Crafty Duck
James later opened The Crafty Duck, a craft beer bar in Parliament Square, Hertford. The bar focused on modern craft beer and independent breweries and operated through the difficult Covid period before eventually closing due to the financial pressures many hospitality businesses faced at the time.
The Old Cross Tavern
In November 2023, the opportunity arose to take on the Old Cross Tavern, a historic real ale pub in Hertford.
Today James runs the pub with a focus on well-kept cask ale, knowledgeable staff and a traditional pub atmosphere, combining decades of industry experience with a passion for beer and proper pub culture.
Alongside running the Old Cross Tavern, James writes about real ale, pub culture and the realities of running a modern British pub on the Old Cross Tavern website, and shares beer reviews on his YouTube channel
“Watch James Review Beers”