Crafty Pint in Witney is Town and Village winner for the second year
Voting for our two Pubs of the Year 2026 reached a record level with 85 members voting, choosing from a shortlist which included the best scoring pubs appearing in the Good Beer Guide for this year. Attention now turns to the pubs to be included in the guide for 2027, with voting to be completed by February 20.
Many times winner of the City Pub of the Year title, the Royal Blenheim, won back the award this year having narrowly lost it to the Grapes in 2025. The Grapes came second this year, with the Masons Arms in Headington Quarry again coming third – with all three recording an increase in the number of votes cast.
Landlords Steven Lyne (Royal Blenheim) and Johnny Roberts (Grapes) – who are good friends – no doubt enjoyed a celebratory or commiserating drink after the winner was announced at Oxford CAMRA’s branch meeting this month.
The Royal Blenheim offers a wide choice of real ales from Titanic brewery, which operates it, ranging from very pale to dark including the famed Plum Porter, and many seasonal offerings. But it also has three or four hand pumps for guest ales which could come from anywhere, ensuring that customers will always find something new to try.
The Grapes, run by Morgan Pub Collective, goes even further with an ever rotating range of around six real ales and ciders, the only regular being “house bitter” Sussex Best, from Harvey’s. The Masons Arms is also a genuine free house, being in the experienced hands of the Meeson family for over a quarter of a century. Real ales here also rotate, with beers from Timothy Taylor (often Boltmaker), Rebellion, Kirkstall and Siren often seen.
All pubs on the ballot received at least some votes, and other contenders for the City award were the Lamb & Flag, Rose and Crown, Star, White Hart in Headington, White Hart in Wolvercote, and White Rabbit.
Turning now to the Town and Village award, micropub the Crafty Pint in Witney retained the title it first won in 2025 with another previous winner, the Brewery Tap in Abingdon, coming second. The Red Lion in Yarnton won third place, a major achievement bearing in mind that it won a place in the guide for the first time this year. Other contenders for the title were the Abingdon Arms in Beckley, Kings Arms in Kidlington and the Eagle Tavern in Witney.
The Crafty Pint has double the reason to celebrate as it has also been chosen by branch members to go forward to the Oxfordshire Pub of the Year competition. Only one pub from the branch can go into this, and usually the choice alternates between the City and the Town and Village winner, with the Grapes being chosen last year.
Opened in 2023, the Crafty Pint has two hand pumps selling mainly local real ales, and six keg lines for local, national and international independent brewers.
Owners Ian Walton and Melanie Cassidy said: “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved since opening in 2023. To win the Town and Village award for the second year running and then be named Oxford CAMRA Pub of the Year overall is beyond what we imagined. This recognition belongs as much to our customers and supporters as it does to our team.
“Judges praised the bar for its impeccably kept beers, knowledgeable and passionate team, and its welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that has quickly made it a favourite with locals and visitors alike.”
The Brewery Tap is also an independent free house, while the Red Lion in Yarnton is part of the Oak Taverns group which concentrates on independent real ales. This pub is also very strong on real cider.
The next vote is for pubs to appear in the Good Beer Guide for 2027. Deadline for members to vote online is February 20, but the results will not be publicised until the 2027 guide is published in September.