Community-Owned pub in West Oxfordshire village was closed for seven months
Closed at the end of March when long-serving tenants Lisa and Ian Neale moved on to pastures new, this former Good Beer Guide regular and Pub of the Year runner-up re-opened on November 1. The search for a new tenant took longer than may have been expected, but Northmoor Lion, the community group, took this opportunity to carry out extensive renovations.
Food will be introduced shortly but for now it is a wet-led pub. Real ales available on opening night were Abingdon Bridge and Gunners Gold from Loose Cannon, White Knight from Goff’s of Cheltenham and Tribute from St Austell in Cornwall.
Graham Shelton, chair of the community group, said: “What a joy to see customers standing shoulder-to-shoulder again in the bar of the Red Lion Northmoor on Friday, November 1. After a long wait thirsts were keen, and this lovely little Community-Owned pub out in the wilds of West Oxfordshire did not disappoint. New landlords Toby and Deb Merriden were kept hard at it pulling pints in this long-standing shrine to good beer.”
Toby, whose family also runs the Six Bells in Kidlington, said: “We are keen always to have a good selection of local cask ales on tap, as well as the occasional guest from further afield. We’ve done a complete revamp of the cellar to bring the pipework and temperature control up-to-date, so this informal opening has been a great way to iron out any issues.
“We want to make sure, too, that the Red Lion is a proper pub with good pub grub readily available, and will be launching our food offering as soon as we’ve sorted out a few practical things in the kitchen.”
Meanwhile his partner Deb has advanced plans for quiz nights, bar games, bingo and maybe even the odd piano-fuelled party night.
“Do come along and enjoy the fun,” added Graham. “The shepherd’s huts in the garden are clean, warm and welcoming, so there’s no need to rush home, especially now that Toby will be supplying a cooked breakfast to start the day.”
The community bought the pub in 2014 from Greene King, with the previous tenants winning many awards apart from CAMRA’s. Graham will write more in the next print issue of the Oxford Drinker, with the winter edition due out in December.
The Red Lion is open every day except Monday. The new phone number 01865 686101.