A rolling round-up of news from Oxford and surroundings
Grapes, Oxford
Hopes are high that this city centre pub will re-open during the summer, with only some legal complications holding up a deal for the building’s owner Oxford City Council to assign the lease to a small, independent pub company. The London-based company, which runs 16 real ale pubs in and around the capital, told the Oxford Drinker that it has been negotiating the deal for over one year, and that a team had been into the pub to assess the work that needs doing. It was confident that the Grapes could re-open within six weeks of the deal being signed, which it hoped would be imminent.
The Grapes would have eight cask ale pumps and at least 25 keg taps, serving a wide range of ales from independent breweries near and far. Restoring a traditional pub on George Street, otherwise dominated by big pub chains and restaurants, would be a major gain for the city. It was previously leased to Greene King, then Bath Ales from 2013 (which later renamed it Beerd) and West Berkshire Brewery from 2019. The liquidator of West Berkshire held the lease after this brewery closed, and the Grapes was shut in December 2021.
Old Anchor Inn, Abingdon
The pub closed suddenly in April and we understand Greene King is giving up the lease, as it doesn’t appear on the brewery’s list of tenancies to let. A lovely historic pub which didn’t realise its potential under a series of tenants, it was originally run by Morland brewery of Abingdon, passing to Greene King following its takeover and closure of Morland in 2000.
What it really needs is an independent operator to take over, give it some TLC and offer some interesting beers to tempt people down there, and to make best use of the courtyard and riverside setting by St Helen’s Wharf. But it could take a while for this to happen, as many would-be pub operators are wary to take on a business while energy bills remain so high and the trading environment so unpredictable. The Grade II listed pub was converted from three cottages around 1884 when the riverside was redeveloped, and the cottages are believed to date from the 17th century.
Pub of the Year voting
The Oxfordshire Pub of the Year was due to be announced in June after the four CAMRA branches covering most of the county put forward their winners for a vote, which could only be done after visiting all four. Oxford CAMRA’s candidate is the Broad Face in Abingdon, its Town and Country Pub of the Year 2023 (the Royal Blenheim was City Pub of the Year). Vale of White Horse branch chose the King’s Arms in Wantage, while South Oxfordshire chose the George in Sutton Courtenay, both of these being Oak Taverns pubs. North Oxfordshire’s choice is the Butcher’s Arms in Balscote, near Banbury, a Hook Norton pub.
The Oxfordshire winner will be put forward with the winners from Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to be CAMRA Central Southern Pub of the Year, with voting to be completed by July 23. The winner of this will be one of 12 in contention for National Pub of the Year, a title currently held by the Tamworth Tap in Staffordshire.
Closed pubs
The Oxford Mail, in collaboration with CAMRA, has started focusing on the growing number of closed pubs around the county, starting with the White Hart in Wytham, Prince of Wales in Iffley, Old Anchor Inn (see above) in Abingdon, and Bat and Ball in Cuddesdon, which were covered in early May. It has also featured the long-closed Crown in Marcham, on sale for £425,000 and under threat from a developer, which villagers are hoping to get listed as an Asset of Community Value so they can have a say in its future.
Pub companies have many pubs to let in the county (as of mid-May), some of these being already closed while others are still trading. Greene King, for example, lists the Gardeners Arms in North Parade Avenue, Oxford, closed in November when long-time tenants David and Jenny Rhymes retired, with an up-front cost for tenants of £42,875 then £50,000 a year annual rent, with refurbishment planned. It also lists the Horse and Jockey in Stanford-in-the-Vale, and Waggon and Horses in Southmoor.
Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars lists pubs including the New Inn, Witney; Fox, Steventon; Royal Sun, Begbroke; and Sturdy’s Castle near Tackley. Admiral Taverns lists the Golden Ball, Littlemore; Bat and Ball, Cuddesdon; Plough, Appleton; Queen’s Head, Eynsham; and Abingdon Arms, Wantage.
The highest profile closed pub in Oxford, the Eagle and Child, is still on the market by Savills, having closed over three years ago. The Oxford Blue (off Iffley Road) was also closed at the time of writing.
Oxford pub videos
Oxford tourist guide, author and CAMRA member Rob Walters has added videos to his Rob’s Oxford Youtube channel of two more pubs, the Rose and Crown and the Harcourt Arms. The in-depth videos feature interviews with landlords and other staff, a focus on regular customers talking about what makes the pub special, and the live music on offer. The channel also features videos of the Lamb & Flag, Turf Tavern, Wheatsheaf and Grapes.