Issue 112 June - July 2019 FREE please take one the Oxford Drinker The free newsletter of the Oxford and White Horse Branches of CAMRA www.oxford.camra.org.uk www.whitehorsecamra.org.uk June - July 2019 112 112 June - July 2019 FRONT COVER PICTURE : The Duke of Wellington, Southampton, by Nick Clements Welcome ….. to a summer in the pub I CHOSE FINE days recently to visit you want to appeal to them you two pubs where, as ever, it was need a wide range of drinks good to see people outside (including craft kegs and gin), enjoying beer in the garden. But informal but innovative food, you couldn’t have done this and events and music. Dodo even a few weeks ago, as both Pub Company seems to have the Up in Arms in Oxford, and got it right, and the success of The Oxford Drinker is the newsletter Crown in South Moreton (see the Rusty Bicycle and Rickety of the Oxford and White Horse Pub News), had been closed for Press in Oxford bodes well for branches of CAMRA, the Campaign several years and had just re- the Up in Arms, whether you for Real Ale. opened. like the new name or not. 5000 copies are distributed free of charge to pubs across the two CAMRA has just launched a But what about the ladies? branches’ area, including Oxford, national campaign called While many bar staff and Abingdon, Witney, Faringdon, Summer of Pub to get people managers are female, a report Eynsham, Kidlington, Bampton, down to their local, especially noted by CAMRA indicates that Wheatley and Wantage and most of women are put off drinking real the villages in between. with events such as the Women’s World Cup (6 June - 6 ale by male attitudes. The PDF downloads of past issues are July), Cricket World Cup (30 Beeragender report by Dea available at the Oxford CAMRA May - 14 July) and Beer Day Latis (www.dealatis.org.uk) – website, www.oxford.camra.org.uk . Britain (15 June) – see “bringing beer to women”, Editorial team: www.camra.org.uk/ named after the Celtic god of summerofpub beer and water – makes Editor: Dave Richardson interesting reading. [email protected] So it’s worth raising a glass or Advertising: Pete Flynn and Tony two to the renaissance of pubs We would very much welcome Goulding hereabouts, with Up in Arms more female involvement in our [email protected] (formerly the Somerset) branch, and also more young Tony: 07588 181313 restored by a local pub people (18-30). We now have a Pete: 07582 168082 young members’ contact, David company, and the Crown Layout/Design: Matt Bullock becoming the county’s ninth Lydiat, who can be reached at Valuable contributions have been community buy-out. This follows [email protected] on from three new pubs in received for this issue from Richard A decision will be taken this Queralt, Neil Crook, Michael Corlett, Oxford (Bicycle Shed in Paul Silcock, Nick Clements, Dennis Summertown, the Plough in summer on whether to have a Brown, Tony Goulding, Pete Flynn, Cornmarket and Teardrop bar in gin and possibly other local drinks bar at this year’s Oxford and Lisa Neale. the Covered Market), with the Beer and Cider Festival, and as Please send contributions to the long-closed Hollybush in West editor at the above email address. Oxford due to re-open in July. there has already been some interest, I invite local suppliers The renaissance locally, after Pub news can be sent to to get in touch. This could pub-pub [email protected]@oxford.camra.org.uk many years of closures, is led pub [email protected] attract more ladies and younger by the re-opening of traditional The views expressed in this people or get them to stay publication are those of the individual pubs by people with the vision to be different. longer, while taking nothing contributors and not necessarily away from our great range of those of Oxford or White Horse Branches of CAMRA, or of CAMRA While accepting that the real ale and cider. national trend is still closures – Limited. As ever, your news, views and increases in business rates Oxford Printed by OxUniPrint contributions to the being the latest threat – it’s Drinker www.oxuniprint.co.uk worth considering who exactly are welcome – just drop are any pub’s core customers. me a line. © Copyright Oxford CAMRA 2019 DAVE RICHARDSON Clearly there are many different types, but fewer young people [email protected] drink alcohol than before and if June - July 2019 112 RIGHT : The Angel on the Bridge, and the Three Tuns BELOW : The Old Bell Hooray for Henley Dave Richardson YOU WON’T GO far in Henley-on- for us than a bus trip from discovers the drinking Thames without coming across Oxford of similar length. the name of Brakspear, and that delights of this in a sense could be a problem. We set out to visit 12 of the 14 riverside town Although the famous brewery, pubs listed in Whatpub, which established in 1711, closed also lists a few clubs or hotel down in 2002, the Brakspear bars, though we wouldn’t have Pub Company continued and a drink in each. Trains, unlike still runs most of Henley’s buses, at least have toilets – but hostelries, among 130 around even so! southern England. First stop, and first Brakspear Brakspear Bitter might still be pub, was the Anchor , close to widely available, but this has the station. Brakspear’s Oxford been brewed at Wychwood in Gold (also produced in Witney) Witney (home of Hobgoblin) and Boondoggle, from since 2006 using the original Marston’s-owned Ringwood, equipment and recipe, although were the fayre here. The Oxford many claim it doesn’t taste like Gold is on permanently while it used to. Muddying the waters the “guest” beer is drawn from yet further, the Brakspear Pub the Marston’s range, and a half Company opened a four-barrel of Gold was a gentle plant, called Bell Street introduction to an afternoon and Brewery, at the Bull pub in evening’s crawl. Henley in 2013. The Anchor is a thoroughly Wychwood brewery is of course “locals” pub spread over three now part of the Marston’s rooms, one laid out as a empire, meaning that most restaurant, and with a large Brakspear pubs concentrate on patio garden. A wood burner, in-house beers. Whether this and wooden or stone-flagged would limit choice was foremost floors added to the cosy feel, in my mind as I joined Tony and an inventive menu includes Goulding to travel to Henley by rare dishes such as rabbit. train, this being a better option Landlord Jeremy Buckler 4 the Oxford Drinker 112 June - July 2019 previously ran the Angel , and occupiers most of the pub, but refurb and has a very large this is where we went next. in the bar my attention was dining area. It’s clearly a very caught by a poster advertising a up-market pub with prices to The Angel on the Bridge , to walking tour to discover match, but Henley is a mainly give it the full name, is the only Henley’s brewing heritage, up-market town. riverside pub in Henley and departing at 11am on the last makes the most of its location Sunday of the month. The £10 Returning to the town centre we with a large patio which is very cost includes “a pint of Henley- now stopped at Wetherspoon’s busy on sunny days, being at brewed ale”, presumably at the outlet in Henley, the Catherine the town end of the old bridge Bull . Would I have to wait until Wheel , where at least we’d be which is now something of a getting there to try it? able to try some different beers. traffic bottleneck. Our old This is an enormous pub with friends Boondoggle and Oxford Not so, as we now ventured two very long bars at either Gold were again in evidence, across the bridge to the Little side, but unlike many in the these being the regulars, while Angel , a mere five-minute walk chain it was a pub before a third, also from Jennings, was away although officially in the Wetherspoon took over, and it my choice – Cocker Hoop, from village of Remenham, in is also a hotel. It looks to be a Marston’s-owned Jennings in Berkshire. Yes, it was our third 19th century building if not Cumbria. Brakspear pub out of three so older, but as no-one seemed to far, but it did have a “genuine” know and Whatpub wasn’t We learned that the Angel Brakspear available in the form forthcoming on the subject, we dates from the 18th century, of Special, brewed at the Bull . settled down to enjoy our with the cellar being part of the This 4.3% amber bitter slipped drinks. original bridge’s foundations. A down very well and I was glad print on the wall, reproduced to see (and taste) that tradition The guest beers available on from Punch magazine in 1922, is being kept alive in Henley. this occasion were Twickenham proclaims: “The Angel, Henley- Also available were Brakspear brewery’s Honey Dark, a on-Thames, for several hundred Bitter, Oxford Gold and – this delicious mild at 4.8%; Brains’ years the haunt of Thames being Six Nations Rugby time – SA and Shepherd Neame’s boatmen and fishermen”. I Wychwood’s special for that Spitfire – a limited choice expect there are plenty of event, Dirty Tackle.