The Oxford Drinker Witney Pubs Review Witney, It Is Said, Was the Only Other Remaining King

ISSUE 52 August - September 2008

the Oxford Drinker Witney Pubs Review Witney, it is said, was The only other remaining King. It is a basic estate established on the ‘three Bs’ brewery – Burford – boozer serving Greene King – Blankets, Bread and Beer. producing five barrels a IPA in what is the type of Sadly the blankets have week, is in the north-west of pub becoming increasingly gone and the last bakery town. scarce. closed six months ago. However, beer is still a In the last 40 years, Witney Continuing along to the regional gem. has lost only three pubs – a West End, the House of unique situation! This is the Windsor free house (2) was first of a series of articles in originally the King of the Oxford Drinker to review Prussia but the politics of The original number of the Witney scene and put the First World War dictated breweries declined rapidly the overlooked a name change 25 years over 200 years until the concentration of pubs in the ago. The pub was the first mainstay of Clinch’s town ‘on the map’. in Witney to serve Timothy brewery evolved into the Taylor Landlord, the then Glenny and eventually the A map of the town is top beer of Britain. This old current 1000 barrel a week included on page 3 and the odd-shaped inn with a Wychwood brewery, now numbers in brackets in the pleasant garden has been owned by Marstons. article refer to the position serving good quality beer of the pub as for many years – 19 out of marked on the 30 CAMRA Good Beer map. Guide entries! However it is ______now under the constant shadow of closure and On the main redevelopment as housing.

Hailey Road, the Continued on page 3 Robin Hood (1) was built in the inside this issue: 1960s for Morrells, now black country trip owned by Green breweriana - part 2 beer festival reports white horse brewery trip the free newsletter of the festival and branch diaries Oxford City Branch of CAMRA “my favourite public house” www.oxfordcamra.org.uk oxfordshire pub of the year issue 52

page 2 the Oxford Drinker august 2008 ‘Use it or lose it’ as we say. They serve four real ales – St Austell Tinners Ale and three guests.

A few yards further along West End is another low beamed free house, the Elm Tree (3). This tardis-like local, with a small frontage that hides a long spacious interior leading to a small garden, can get very busy. The quiet area lounge in signposted ‘Lonely Street’. Good quality Wadworths 6X, Brakspear Bitter, Wychwood Hobgoblin and a regular surprise from Wychwood are served.

On the corner of the busy junction of the Woodstock and Moving up the hill to Wood Oxford Roads it the Court Green, the Three Pigeons (5), opposite the church Inn (4), another free house. th This old coaching inn, and Green, is a former 18 recently refurbished before century Courage and then being flooded out, Clinch’s house. This is a once served the best John true ‘local’ with many age Smith’s bitter in Witney. groups enjoying the Changes of identity over sprawling multi-bar style. the years have turned the Two beers are served Court in to a hotel and including regular Deuchars th eatery. Nevertheless, IPA – not to be missed. (6). Another 18 Century Donnington beers, very rare former Sarnes of Burford in Witney, are stocked in The first of two pubs on house, it is now owned by good condition. Newland, the old A40 Wadworths – their only pub Oxford Road, is the Griffin in Witney. Very much a basic the Oxford Drinker page 3 issue 52 local, despite being on a From Newland, around the 1960s. Now owned by busy road, the Griffin corner from the Court, is the Admiral Taverns, Witney’s serves good Wadworths Plough (8), one of Witney’s only riverside pub has IPA and 6X. oldest buildings. gone from strength to strength. Another pub flooded and closed for eight months, it now serves four ever-changing good quality beers.

For further information on the history of Witney’s pubs and breweries, see Derek Honey’s book: 100 yards further along is Witney Inns: Pubs and the Carpenters (7), a Brewers Past and Present former Clinches then (see page 7). Morrells now Greene King pub. Originally two Part two of the Witney pub cottages, this 1800s review in the next edition spacious local, with a Dating from around 1840, of the Oxford Drinker. sprawling garden, stocks the Clinches Brewery the standard Greene King owned the pub and it IPA with GK guests. passed to Courage in the

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page 5 issue 52 Breweriana - part 2 Richard Queralt The word breweriana is a Ebbes pubs, such as the of the pub’s interior décor ‘made up’ term for all the relics, Rising Sun in Church Street and layout. Also included are objects and equipment and the Ancient Briton, details on accommodation, connected to brewing and Blackfriars Road, which food and drinks available. As distilling. Anything, however disappeared, along with the it was written in the 1960s, worthless it might appear, streets they stood in, during several mentions of seems to be of interest to the 1960s redevelopment of the ‘Watney’s Red Barrel’ and collector of breweriana. Part 1 area. On the other hand, the ‘Worthington E’ are to be looked at beer mats, beer Mitre in Oxford’s High Street, found on almost every bottle labels, playing cards and has a potted history covering page... pub signs. almost a whole page, including dates, events, notable Some entries include the Thousands upon thousands of customers and characters as words NO DRAUGHT BEER. books on pubs and beer, well as architectural details. By this the author meant breweries and distilleries and A more up-to-date book, ‘An there was no real ale on sale, anything even remotely Encyclopædia of Oxford Pubs, only keg. He makes this connected have been Inns and Taverns’, written by prediction during an entry for published. The older ones can local author Derek Honey in one of these pubs: ‘The beer be good sources of reference 1998, is still available and is Flowers, and it is all from for anyone interested in pub covers the subject in more the keg - there is no draught. and brewery history. Here are a depth and detail. As it doesn’t For the older bitter-drinker, few local examples. limit itself to 1900, there are set in his ways and lots more entries compared to notoriously critical of his the previous book. beer, this might, perhaps be considered a drawback. But this is the tendency today, and the generation now beginning to develop a palate for beer will one day describe to their grandchildren those far-off days when the beer came in wooden casks, and needed such care before it was ready to sell’. This was probably general feeling at the time - that cask beer would disappear completely to be replaced by keg. What the author didn't see in his crystal ball was CAMRA The 50 page booklet above, waiting round the corner. long out of print, was published in 1978 and covers pubs within In its day this would have the Oxford ring-road as far been a very useful book for back as 1900. Some entries Although this one covers the the real ale drinker, as are very brief due to the limited whole of Oxfordshire and CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide information still available. For Buckinghamshire, only had yet to be invented. Forty instance, the Leopold Arms in selected pubs get a mention. years on it provides an Cornmarket Street, closed Published in 1965, every town interesting snapshot of our around 1907, has an entry of and lots of villages are pubs and beer in the 1960s just a dozen or so words. The included. Each entry has a with the keg revolution well same goes for several St short history and a description under way. page 6 the Oxford Drinker august 2008 Most local branches of Besides Oxford, many of the Banbury, Burford and Thame. CAMRA publish their own pub county’s other towns have had Most are out of print but can guides these days. They pub guides written for them. sometimes be found second- usually serve to point the The 60-page Chipping Norton hand. A good place to start is: drinker in the direction of pubs guide below has a genuine www.beerinnprint.co.uk serving good real ale rather beer bottle label stuck to its than provide the reader with front cover commemorating the Nationally, CAMRA has historical and architectural town’s brewery, Hitchman & published dozens of books details. Co. The booklet includes a during the past 30 years history of the company, which covering various aspects of the closed in 1968. Dated 1986, a pub and brewing trade. Besides revised version was published its flagship Good Beer Guide, in 2004. now in its 35 th edition, there’s a Good Cider Guide and beer and bar guides to Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic and West Coast USA. More recent is the True Heritage series documenting Britain’s best preserved pubs. Guides to East Anglia, Liverpool London and Scotland are already available, with more to follow.

In Part 3: bottles and more bottles.

Want to know all the latest news More recently, ‘Witney Inns, Pubs and Breweries’ was and events? Oxford CAMRA has compiled published in 2007 as a follow- several of these over the up to 1995’s ‘Historic Witney years. Inns’ by the same author. The 1995 edition, above, was Share information the first since 1982. Besides the area within and just outside about what’s the ring-road, it also covered Kidlington, Sandford-on- happening in your Thames and Wytham, and included articles on real ale area? and CAMRA, alongside a list of breweries with pubs in the area. In the 1970s, three Sign up to our editions of ‘Real Ale in Oxfordshire’ were compiled to eee-e---mailingmailing list. cover the whole county.

The most recent Oxford City Details on the pub guide came out in 2005 and is available via the website at: website: www.oxfordcamra.org.uk/ www.oxfordcamra.org.uk There are also guides to several other Oxfordshire mailingmailing----lists.phplists.php towns, such as Abingdon, the Oxford Drinker page 97 issue 52 beer festival diary Tues 5 - Sat 9 August Quarry, Oxford 31 st Great British Beer 30 beers plus ciders & perries Festival 01865 764579 useful Earl’s Court, London www.masonsquarry.co.uk 450 real ales plus ciders, camra perries & international beers Thurs 11 - Sat 13 September www.camra.org.uk Birmingham Beer Festival contacts Aston University Student Aylesbury Vale and Wycombe Sat 9 - Sun 10 August Union, Gosta Green, David Roe Bicester Round Table Beer & Birmingham 01296 484 551 Jazz Festival 85 beers plus ciders, perries & [email protected] Garth Park, Launton Road, foreign beers

Bicester www.birminghamcamra.org.uk www.bicesterroundtable.org.uk North Oxfordshire Tues 16 - Sat 20 September Alan Mitchell Thurs 14 - Sat 16 August Far From the Madding Crowd contact@northoxfordshire 9th Worcester Beer, Cider & Autumn Beer Festival camra.org.uk Perry Festival Friars Entry, Oxford www.northoxfordshirecamra. Worcester Racecourse 01865 240900 org.uk 200+ beers, 100 ciders & www.maddingcrowd.co.uk perries White Horse Branch www.worcesterbeerfest.org.uk Fri 26 - Sat 27 September Neil Crook Fri 22 – Mon 25 August 2nd Ascot Racecourse Beer [email protected]. 3rd Annual Chester Arms Festival uk Beer Festival 130+ real ales, ciders & perries www.whitehorsecamra.org.uk Chester Street, Oxford see page 2 20 beers & ciders South Oxfordshire 01865 243203 Fri 26 - Sun 28 September Hugh Steele www.chesterarmsoxford.co.uk 1st North Cotswold CAMRA www.soxoncamra.org.uk Beer Festival Fri 22 – Mon 25 August Moreton-in-Marsh Cricket Club, Oxford Branch Woodman Inn Beer Festival Batsford Road, Moreton-in- Tony Perry New Yat Road, North Leigh, Nr Marsh [email protected] Witney 01993 881790 40 beers plus ciders & perries www.oxfordcamra.org.uk www.northcotswoldcamra.org.uk/ Sat 23 - Mon 25 August Festival1.htm th Oxford Drinker Editor 5 Brill Beer Festival please send any material to Fri 3 - Sat 4 October Brill Sports & Social Club, [email protected] Solihull Beer Festival Church Street, Brill, Nr Thame Solihull Royal British Legion, www.brillbeerfestival.co.uk CAMRA Union Road, Solihull 230 Hatfield Road Fri 29 - Sat 30 August 35 beers plus ciders St Albans, Hertfordshire Harbury Beer Festival www.solihullcamra.org.uk AL1 4LW Village Hall, Harbury, nr 01727 867201 Leamington Spa Thursday 16 - Saturday 18 [email protected] 55 beers plus 12 ciders & October th www.camra.org.uk perries 11 Oxford CAMRA Beer www.camrahow.org.uk Festival . Oxford Town Hall, St Aldates, Oxford Trading Standards Fri 5 - Sun 7 September Oxford 01865 815000 7th Headington Beer Festival . www.oxfordcamra.org.uk Masons Arms, Headington page 8 the Oxford Drinker augustapril 20082007

the Oxford Drinker page 9 issue 5245 White Horse Brewery Mike Lord The Oxford Brewers’ Group’s (known to everyone as Mac) the few post-graduate courses Visit to the White Horse whose first question was, “Beer in the UK on brewing science Brewery everyone?” It wasn’t that far off at Heriot-Watt University in The White Horse Brewery in noon, so it seemed churlish to Edinburgh and that knowledge Stanford-in-the-Vale is refuse. The Oxfordshire Bitter has clearly translated itself into arguably one of the finest went down a treat and we were very good beer indeed. microbreweries in Oxfordshire. soon in the malt store, glasses A 3½-man operation (actually 3 in hands, sniffing and chewing The rest of the tour involved men and half a woman), it bits of barley of various going through ever colder and punches above its weight in colours, tastes and aromas in colder rooms and listening to terms of both the quantity of that wistful way that craft the sound of jingling bells. Oh ale it seems to be selling and, brewers have that says, “I’d yes, I forgot to mention, the most importantly of all, the really like to do this for a living”. next tour party was a group of quality of its beers. morris dancers from Brighton Downstairs again, via the tap and, as they quaffed the The Oxford Brewers Group is room for a quick top-up, to the complimentary drinks in the an informal and expanding brewery itself. The equipment tap room, they were moved to group of craft brewers, most of was bought almost-new by shake their booties. A lot. whose members brew ale on Andy the Managing Director at an amateur basis, but at least a brewery equipment cash- Actually, they turned out to be one of whom has gone and-carry shop in Belgium. It a very friendly bunch and the professional. Most of the group had only been used four times afternoon ended with an are also CAMRA members, so (obviously someone’s impromptu performance we thought a report of our unwanted Christmas present), outside the brewery in the activities might merit a mention but is now put to use five times early June sunshine. What in the Oxford Drinker. a week by Mac to excellent could be finer? The sight and effect. sound of traditional English Bring together the White Horse folk dancers, accompanied by Brewery and the Oxford Mac has an infectious a pint of good ale. Pity it was Brewers Group and what do enthusiasm for his beer-making on an industrial estate. But you get? A very nice afternoon, craft and was very happy to after several free pints of thank you very much. Ten of us answer all sorts of questions Wayland Smithy and Saracen turned up for the tour and were from his amateur counterparts. did we really care? met at the entrance by head Originally graduating in www.whitehorsebrewery.com brewer Steve McCormack chemistry, he attended one of www.oxfordbrewers.com Charlbury Beer Festival Tony Perry The branch took a trip out to site, one for the bands, and Mild and Inveralmond Inkie Charlbury on Saturday 12 th others for covered drinking Pinkie to the 6.0% ABV of July, to visit the beer festival. areas. These came in handy Ballards Wassail. Favourites This was the eleventh beer during the day as the weather noted during the day by branch festival to be held in Charlbury, proved variable. When the sun members were Yorkshireman and the first to be held at the came out, it was a very from Elland in Leeds, Wild new venue of the cricket club. pleasant day, but when the rain Hare from Bath Ales, The festival was held in the came in, everyone made a Whapweasel from Hexamshire, field next to the club, and was dash for the marquees. and Otter Head from Otter just a short walk from the Brewery in Honiton. station. The main bar was set The festival offered 36 beers, up in a marquee, with other ranging in strength from the Also available were lagers from marquees dotted around the 3.7% ABV of Arundel Sussex the Cotswold Brewing page 10 the Oxford Drinker august 2008 Company, cider and perry, Food came in Pimms plus soft drinks. the form of Interestingly, the bar was set rather fine up to take washers as burgers and payment for the beer, the chips, and the washers being purchased as bands played on tokens at the entrance. through the day Inevitably, this caused some despite general hilarity, as branch inclement members discussed the weather. possibility of popping up to the local hardware store to get The new venue proved to be a beer watching some cheaper supplies. Not that very popular choice, with particularly fine batting. anyone bothered, of course! much more space available to circulate and chat. Indeed, the The festival runs as an fact there independent charity, formed to was a cricket allow money to be given to match going local good causes. on during Beneficiaries have included the the local primary school, youth afternoon theatres and the cricket club only added itself. Once again, the festival to the was a great success, and we atmosphere. wish the organisers all the best A pleasant for next year. time was spent with a

the Oxford Drinker page 11 issue 52 what's on Neil Hoggarth Meetings and events are The Conservative Club, Saturday 6 September relaxed and friendly. Members Maidenhead. Noon - 4pm and non-members are Regional Aunt Sally Match welcome at all events. Friday 22 August, 6pm at the Headington Beer Branch Social Festival, Mason’s Arms, 2 Tuesday 12 August Chester Arms Beer Festival Quarry School Place, Rural Pub Surveying Trip Headington Quarry. Meet at the Lamb and Flag, St Friday 29 August, 6pm Giles. Contact the Social Survey Pub Crawl Tuesday 16 September Secretary to book a place: Boat Inn, Canal Road, Thrupp 7.30pm Neil Hoggarth, 01865 794438, Crawl of Thrupp and Kidlington Rural Pub Surveying Trip [email protected]. Meet at the Lamb and Flag, St Wednesday 3 September Giles. Contact the Social Friday 15 August 7.30pm Secretary to book a place. Branch Social Branch Meeting Neil Hoggarth, 01865 794438, Trip to Worcester Beer Cape of Good Hope, The [email protected] Festival, Worcester Race Plain, Oxford. Course. Meet at Oxford Friday 26 September Station in good time for 9.55 Friday 5 September, 6pm Daytime train. Branch Social Branch Social Headington Beer Festival, Ascot Racecourse Beer Saturday 16 August, 1pm Mason’s Arms, HQuarry. Festival Regional Meeting £50 is all it costs for a half page advert to connect with more than

2000 drinkers £30 for quarter page £80 for a full page

advertising in the Oxford Drinker couldn't be simpler give us a call: 01865 439664 or e-mail: [email protected] page 12 the Oxford Drinker august 2008 My favourite public house

My favourite public house, [The White Hart] is only two minutes from [where I live], but it is on a side-street, and drunks and rowdies never seem to find their way there, even on Saturday nights.

If you are asked why you favour a particular public house, it would seem natural to put the beer first, but the thing that most appeals to me about [The White Hart] is what people call its "atmosphere".

The two paragraphs above Everards’ ownership of are only slightly adapted this historic Old from George Orwell’s Headington pub. famous 1946 essay on his At the time of the fictional perfect pub, The relaxation of the licensing Moon Under Water. While laws, there were some The MUW never existed (the particularly wild rumours name was picked up many that it was Dickie’s years later for several intention to introduce Wetherspoon’s), the White karaoke(!). Those who Hart has been a genuine knew better realized that near-perfect* local for more quiet music, Dickie and Lin play than five years under the conversation, cribbage and dress-up at New Year in superb management of Linda’s home-cooked food preparation for the move Linda Vinal and Dickie would remain the orders of the Underwood. It is fair to say day. The real ales were It is therefore sad for us that that they transformed it from always in superb condition Lin and Dickie are leaving the the off, bringing their and fortunately, for a non- White Hart to enjoy a well- experience and skills from Everards fan like me, there deserved retirement in Spain. the Mermaid in St Albans, were always one or two They will both be sorely when they were installed as regularly-changing guests. missed. Lin will be missed for the first tenants under Again as with Orwell and his her pleasant, welcoming fantasy pub, the “great manner and concerned ear for surprise” of the White Hart is the regulars. Dickie will be its garden. Within the lovely missed for the complete lack stone-walled space with its of these qualities, his magnificent yew tree, Lin and unshakable belief in his Dickie have produced what cribbage genius, and his must be the loveliest pub “sartorial elegance”. We very garden in Oxford. much hope that the new tenants will carry on providing great hospitality in this “village local within Oxford”.

* there was at times, in my personal opinion, just a tad too much Rod and Jamie playing in the background for absolute perfection…

“Big” Nick the Oxford Drinker page 13 issue 52

page 14 the Oxford Drinker august 2008 Black country trip Matt Bullock A tale of Waggons and monies were gathered to pay (4.7%), Cop Shop (4.7%) and Horses for the bus while we were all William Perry (4.3%) were the On the last day of May we sober. local brews, and beers from made our annual pilgrimage to Banks’s, Hobson’s, Olde Swan one of the finest areas for and Ruddles completed the drinking in the country, the range. Black Country. Our transport this year was a rickety minibus but, in the capable hands of our driver Dave, we were able to sample a few of the pubs that are off the beaten track and too difficult to reach by our usual method of transport, the public variety. Naturally we steered towards the house beers, and were From here we drove the short rewarded with a quick two- distance to an old favourite, the minute look at the brewery Beacon at Sedgley. We’ve before the clock ticked round been here many times, but it’s to a quarter to the hour and it always excellent, so nobody was time to depart again. objected to an hour or so spent in its wonderful Victorian surroundings. Not surprisingly, most of the group went for the Dark Ruby Mild (6%) brewed on the premises and described by one of our number as “like We began at the Chindit in silk”, though other Sarah Wolverhampton, on a main Hughes beers were available road to the west of the city. It’s and the pub also sells a range a Victorian building converted of guest beers. into a pub after the war, and named in honour of the men of the South Staffordshire Regiment who fought in the Chindit campaign in Burma. The interior is pure 1950s, apart from a big flat screen TV, The Wheatsheaf in West and we surprised the landlord Bromwich High Street is a fine somewhat by piling through the You can have too much of a Victorian Holden’s pub. Sadly door just one minute after he good thing, and too much Dark it sits within the 1970s had opened it, though the Ruby Mild can be dangerous, wasteland that is West welcome was very warm. It’s as we have demonstrated in Bromwich High Street, but its an Enterprise pub, and the the past. So we moved on, surroundings should not put prices reflected this (the after a stop for fish and chips, you off. The front bar is landlord even apologised), but to the first Waggon & Horses accessed straight off the his choice of beer was of the day, at Tipton. We’ve street, and is the haunt of excellent, and we enjoyed been here in the past too, but locals who engage in banter Enville Ale, Wye Valley returned this year to sample and gossip between horse Hereford Pale Ale and Hop the Toll End beers brewed races on the TV. The culture Back Summer Lightning whilst behind the pub. Cole Ole shock was a little too much for the Oxford Drinker page 15 issue 4852 some, and they retired to the not because we were on the We cut short our visit slightly, rear lounge, but the front bar floor by this stage), and the not because of the quality of was friendly and lively, and enamel one at the Olde Swan the pool playing, but to those who chose to stay there at Netherton was next on our complete the trio of Waggon enjoyed the company, as well list. Olde Swan beers gave yet and Horses pubs with a visit to as the Holden’s beers. To top it more variety to our drinking our old favourite closer to the off, the guest beer, Leeds day, and the pork pies were centre of town. Midnight Bell (4.8%) was the once again popular. John was cheapest beer of the day at even wearing his “who ate all The pub is £1.50 a pint. Being a season the pies” t-shirt to celebrate the a ticket holder of the local occasion, but he had the good permanent football team, I was made most grace to leave a few for the rest beer welcome, and one of the local of us to enjoy as well, and his festival, even went down the street to personal consumption was well with 16 buy us a couple of copies of down on last year! beers the local newspaper, which always on featured an article about the You can’t visit the Black sale, and pub, to read on the bus. Not Country without a good dose of this year everyone’s cup of tea this one, Batham’s, and our choice this was no but a real pub if ever I saw year was a new one for all of exception. one. us, the Fox & Grapes at Beers from Pensnett. To be fair, I think we Berrow, were all agreed that it was the Higsons, least memorable of the day. Purity, Cannon Royall, Jarrow, The two beers were good - Salamander, Windsor Castle, Batham’s would not stand for Wold Top, Red Lion, Oakham, anything less in one of their and Ossett were supplemented tied houses - but the pub was a by Nottingham ‘Don’s Pale Ale’, bland modernised interior of a brewed in fairly uninspiring building. memory of There were some nice landlord features, and I can’t fault the Don Dykes, welcome, but many of us took who had refuge in the garden and whiled sadly away half an hour supping in passed the sun. away a few weeks Our Waggon and Horses previously crawl recommenced with a visit following a to the National Inventory-listed stroke. pub in Oldbury. Again the Everyone welcome was warm, and a at the pub beer range of Oakham JHB, obviously misses Don, and the Enville White, Nethergate pub will never be the same Greedy Pike and Idle’s Idle without him, but his passion for Chef was enough to keep us The Hawne Tavern in beer has been reflected for occupied for a while. The Halesowen was our years in the range and quality Edwardian tiled interior was penultimate destination. By of the beer served here, and exquisite, and the pub boasts now the day was becoming this has been carried on since some fine etched glass and a rather hazy, and a long and his passing. We spent a while copper ceiling, all dating from tortuous game of pool meant I here, chatting with the friendly the turn of the twentieth forgot to note the range of regulars, and enjoying the century. guest beers, but for a back beers, eventually reluctantly street pub the Hawne was very making our way to the bus for We seemed to spend a lot of busy and lively. the journey home. time admiring pub ceilings (and page 16 the Oxford Drinker octoberaugustapril 20082007

Rose and Crown P.H.

North Parade Avenue Oxford

(Second left off Banbury Road after leaving St Giles)

Oxford City CAMRA Pub of the Year 2001 Listed in the Good Pub Guide 2006 www.rose-n-crown.co.uk the Oxford Drinker page 17 issue 52 inn and around oxford The Red Lion in Old Marston "SixSixes" ale portfolio to August to an enthusiastic has been run by Keith and Kim include two more Oxfordshire crowd and it will be reviewed in Abrey, along with their son, breweries: Loddon of Dunsden the next issue. Dan, and daughter, Rebecca, Green and Appleford Brewery since April this year. It’s a of Appleford-on-Thames. It was feared that the traditional family village pub Bricklayers Arms in Old and they started off just serving Marston was destined for Sunday lunch but, due to a redevelopment but thankfully growing reputation for good new managers are in place value locally sourced food, and closure is not likely in the they have now started to serve foreseeable future. lunch time and evening meals on Friday and Saturday with a varied menu all under a tenner. Not to miss is the landlady’s treacle sponge and custard! There is a large seating area at the back of the pub with a small children’s play area and an Aunt Sally lane. They have men’s and ladies’ darts teams and SkyTV showing live football etc. It’s also growing in "We have received some Karen Bradley is the new reputation for its live music at fantastic feedback about the landlady in the Plough , the weekends. Cask ales portfolio," said the couple, "Our Abingdon, and is now serving include Abbot Ale, Morlands customers are really getting Ale Fresco & Old Trip Original and guest which, on behind the idea of being able to alongside IPA. It’s a long time visiting, was Everards Tiger. All sample a good range of local, since this pub has served bitter are ‘tried and tested’ by the quality beers." They are on draught and both beers management – a job the already planning a beer festival were in excellent condition at landlord says is his only. for 2009, with the "SixSixes" the time of my visit. Private functions can be concept being central to the catered for. If you who haven’t festival and all beers being Refurbishment of The Grapes visited the pub since the hand 4.2% or below to show-off the in Abingdon appears to be over, give it another try! extensive range of lower ABV complete but its doors remain local ale that is available. firmly locked!! The Spread Eagle appears to Things are on the up at the be going from strength to Butcher’s Arms in strength with four ales on tap, Headington. Two enthusiastic one of them being Titanic’s guys have taken over as White Star – an exceptional managers and a good range of beer. Fuller’s beers is served again. Watch this space for more The old chapel by the war details. memorial, once courted as possible Wetherspoons venue The winning name for the new until some prominent townsfolk Stuart and Angie Bull at The Wetherspoons pub in Oxford put the mockers on it, is being Cricketer's Arms , Littleworth, city centre was Four Candles . converted into a bistro bar, Wheatley have extended their It opened on Monday 4th part of the ASK chain. page 18 the Oxford Drinker august 2008 Plough Inn festival Dave Cogdell The Plough Inn at Clifton The beers on tap were Hampden held their first beer Alfies & Vicars Daughter and music festival on the 19 th from the Best Mates and 20th July. This lovely old Brewery in Ardington thatched pub with timber near Wantage, Power beams and inglenook station and Brightwell fireplaces is now being run by Gold from the Appleford landlady Rachel, husband brewery plus Village Idiot Paul and daughters Kaleigh and Flibbertygibbit from (pictured) & Corrin. Whitehorse brewery, all at a extremely reasonable £2 a pint, complimenting the Bombadier & Bass in All the beers were in good the bar. condition and our table voted the Power Station to be the Not a large festival by best with Alfies a very close some standards but second. There were several they did not want to go bands playing throughout the over board at their first festival and the event also attempt. raised funds to aid Helen & Douglas House.

The Cricketer’s Arms Littleworth (Wheatley)

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www.cricketers-arms.co.uk 01865 872738 the Oxford Drinker page 19 issue 52 Oxfordshire pub of the year Neil Hoggarth On Wednesday the 16th July, enjoying the pub's hospitality four members of the newly was the Mayor of Wantage, elected branch committee had Padrick O'Leary, the very enjoyable task of representatives from various going over to Wantage to local CAMRA branches, and represent the branch at the from Wadworths brewery (the presentation of the certificate pub is a free house but for the Oxfordshire Pub of the Wadworth 6X served "from the Year award to the Royal Oak wood" has long been a staple in Wantage (12 Newbury St, beer). Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 8DF).

The Royal Oak has been a favourite pub of mine ever since I first visited to survey for the Pub of the Year regional pub of the year some competition: the service and ten years ago, and I'm welcome is good, it offers obviously not the only CAMRA excellent value for money and, member who thinks so; the perhaps most importantly, it is lounge has various award For the special occasion the a real community pub with a certificates from Oxford, pub had an even wider range good mix of customers. Berkshire and Vale of the of beers on than usual, served White Horse branches, dating a free buffet, and some of the The Royal Oak now goes from the 1980s right up to regulars had provided a cake forward into the next round of modern times. featuring a very good picture of the Regional Pub of the Year the pub. competition, where it is up The 2008 County Pub of the against the Berks nomination, Year certificate that will join the With half-a-dozen real ales on the Bird in Hand and the collection was presented by at any one time, all in good Bucks nomination, the Hop Jackie Parker, regional director condition, it is easy to see why Pole. Reviews of those pubs, for central southern CAMRA, the pub is popular with CAMRA and news of the regional and received by the landlord members. It does really well on winner, in the next issue of the Paul Hexter. Also present the other criteria used to judge Oxford Drinker. Festival round-up Neil Hoggarth Summer Beer Festival at the calendar! There was a modest enjoyed the Mighty Oak "Oscar General Elliot turn-out on Friday from the Wilde Mild" and Dark Star "Old Friday 27th - Sunday 28th branch, with the Abingdon Ale". On the golden hoppy side June contingent being well there were a number of well I had suggested a branch social represented. received beers - I was on the Friday night, since particularly pleased to make a several members (including The festival featured 12 beers re-acquaintance with RCH myself) had other trips planned from 10 different small "Pitchfork", which has been a for Saturday afternoon - it is breweries, plus the regular favourite of mine ever since it difficult for a beer drinker to beers from Vale Brewery, and became a regular beer at the pack in all the beer festivals represented a good mix of Wharf House some years ago. and outings that tend to different styles. On the dark congregate in this part of the and malty side I particularly page 20 the Oxford Drinker august 2008 I popped back on Sunday branches been strongly the beers were already running evening for a few more pints, represented. out when I left in the late and the beers were selling out. afternoon. John Westendorp (the landlord) The festival featured over 50 tells me that event went well, real ales, and about 20 real Another festival is already and he is planning another for ciders and perries. Unusually, planned for 4th July next year, as September. the organization of the beer list well as a winterfest on 29th and stillage is alphabetical by November this year. Haddenham Real Ale Festival name of beer (rather than by Saturday 5th July name of brewery, the way a Merton Summer Beer Festival This was the fifth annual festival CAMRA festival would normally Friday 19th - Saturday 20th held at the Haddenham Youth sort things). Along with the beer July and Community Centre. there were plenty of other Another community fund-raising Haddenham is between Thame attractions throughout the festival celebrating its fifth year, and Aylesbury, and is easy to afternoon: stalls, live music and the two Merton beer festivals reach from Oxford on the 280 the Owlswick morris dancers (winter festival in February and bus. I have always managed to (with a real live barn owl as a summer festival in July) have miss this festival in previous mascot!). years, but have heard very good things about it from other It is a very well attended members of the branch. Apart event. I initially thought from myself there wasn't much that the beer list was of a turnout from Oxford this rather ambitious for a one year, but there were plenty of day event, but the bar familiar faces in attendance - was thronged with North Oxfordshire and customers by mid- Aylesbury Vale and Wycombe afternoon and some of

Dick and Lin welcome you to the WHITE HART ST ANDREWS ROAD OLD HEADINGTON TEL 01865 761737 EVERARDS REAL ALES PLUS CHANGING GUEST LARGE WALLED GARDEN HOME COOKED FOOD AVAILABLE 12-2, 5-7 MON-FRI 12-3 SUN NO FOOD SAT

FIND US OPPOSITE THE CHURCH MON-THURS 12-2.30 4-11 FRI AND SAT 12-11 SUN 12-10.30 the Oxford Drinker page 21 issue 52 become favourite events with the branch. This summer the credits.... public transport arrangements worked out better than last The Oxford Drinker is the newsletter of Oxford year, with nine of us CAMRA, The Campaign for Real Ale. managing to rendezvous with The next publication will be in October 2008. the 94 bus on Friday evening 3000 copies of each one are for the trip out to Merton. The Friday evening session was distributed free of charge to pubs and busier than I have ever seen it other drinking establishments across before. As well as our own the city and its surrounding area. branch, North Oxfordshire CAMRA were out in force, editor: with some of them camping Sam French on site to make the most of [email protected] the Saturday session too!

There were 28 real ales, with valuable contributions have been a good mix of milds, standard received for this issue from: bitters, golden beers and a Matt Bullock, Dave Cogdell, Tony Goulding, Mike Lord few porters and stouts (which Neil Hoggarth, Tony Perry, Richard Queralt et al. are often quite difficult to source at this time of year). All photos courtesy of: the beers were in top form. My Matt, Neil, Dave F. and Sam favourites were probably the Bank Top Dark Mild, and a fruity best bitter from High advertising House Farm brewery in is available at excellent rates from: Newcastle, "Maften Magic". Matt Bullock 01865 439 664 [email protected] The festival kept up its reputation for excellent contributions and bribes accepted by the editor at: glassware, with elegant half- 31 Rivermead Road pints in the style of a Rose Hill continental lager glass and Oxford substantial handled tankard- OX4 4UE style pints. Special mention must also go to the attractive or call 07905 212318 presentation to the festival programme/tasting notes and please share this magazine with other interested people the laminated cask-end cards, and dispose of your Drinker carefully which featured large coloured printing of the "pump clip" Don't miss a single copy of the Oxford Drinker. Why not logos for every beer on the subscribe to the Oxford Drinker? To do this, send some list. A5 size stamped addressed envelopes to: Oxford Drinker, 20 Victoria Road, Abingdon OX14 1DQ We will send you as many issues as you send envelopes

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The views expressed in this publication are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the branch or CAMRA limited. © Oxford CAMRA 2008 page 22 the Oxford Drinker august 2008

the Oxford Drinker page 23 issue 52

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