Live Sports — Pubs in Oxford

WiFi

Sports and social club with music, events, games, sports teams, etc. Has some keg beer on tap. Members and guests.

Templars Bar & Kitchen

17a Barns Road, Oxford OX4 3YQ

Dog Friendly

Newly opened 3 October 2016 on the site of the old Cowley Post Office and more recently a fish and chip cafe. Has some beer from keg.

Chequers

130a High Street, Oxford OX1 4DH

Down a narrow medieval passageway off the High Street, the Chequers is a fine old pub, much of which dates back to the early 16th century when a moneylender's house was rebuilt as a tavern. The name Chequers was first recorded in 1605. Note the fine carvings and the ceiling in the lower bar. Now in the hands of Nicholson’s, the pub always has a good selection of real ales albeit generally mainstream offerings. All of Oxford’s College crests are displayed on the ceiling, except for Corpus Christi, as the crest displayed is that of Corpus Cambridge! Now has an upstairs bar with three hand pumps as well as hand pumps in the main bar.

Wig & Pen

9-13 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AU

CAMRA Discount

Opened 1996 in what was previously the Irish Linen Stores. Rebranded as Copa in 2003 and then back to Wig & Pen in 2013. The pub is arranged over two floors and is very spacious. Refurbished and the upstairs extended October 2016.

Four Candles

47-51 George Street, Oxford OX1 2BE

WiFi

Central Oxford’s first Wetherspoon pub was opened in 2008 in the former Yates’s Wine Lodge (and briefly Slug & Lettuce 2007/08). Split over two levels, the pub has standard décor but has more of a pub feel to it than some of the chain’s other outlets, though the George Street location means door staff patrol during the evenings. The beer and food is cheap for the city centre, and there are two banks of hand pumps dispensing a good choice of real ale and a cider with the guest pumps usually given over to local ales. The pub backs on to the former Oxford High School for Boys (now University of Oxford History Faculty) which was attended by Ronnie Barker whose 'fork handles' sketch inspired the name.

Head of the River

Folly Bridge, Oxford OX1 4LB

Large pub converted from a warehouse on the banks of the Thames; the name was the result of a competition organised by the Oxford Mail and associates the inn with the finishing post for the Eights bumping races held on the river. The only city pub next to the river which may account for the high prices. There is a large paved area with awnings and marquees and a crane from its days as a wharf, and Folly Bridge is adjacent. Punts and boats can be hired here and the Salter’s pleasure boats, with their daily service to Abingdon, leave from the pier opposite. Internally the pub is relatively small, arranged over two levels. Extensively refurbished Feb/March 2017 and now opens 7am for breakfast.

O'Neill's

37 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AY

Converted from Southern Electric store in 1995 and kicked off the upsurge in George Street pub culture. Refurbished October 2017 and now has 'a new look', 'improved food and drink offerings', and a video wall. And, of course, Guinness. Increases drink prices if there is a major sports event showing.

Oxford Retreat

1-2 Hythe Bridge Street, Oxford OX1 2EW

Function Room

Comfortably furnished L-shaped bar, with distinct drinking and dining areas. Refurbished late 2019 and now more of a cocktail bar vibe. There is a secluded, outside, decked area called the tiki terrace; pizzas are served here all day at weekends. Only one real ale is sold, sometimes two, but this is supplemented by bottled beers, and it claims to be the only UK outlet for the very rare Swiss 1936 Biere. Students of the Said Business School get a 10% discount.

Royal Blenheim

13 St Ebbes Street, Oxford OX1 1PT

Everards rescued this pub a few years ago and leased it to White Horse Brewery who run it with Titanic. A good selection of White Horse and Titanic beers is always available, alongside one Everards’ beer and there are ten hand pumps, so there is also room for some guests; a range of single malts is also stocked. The pub was built in 1889 for Hanley & Co. Ltd, City Brewery, and is a single, high-ceilinged, bright and airy room, served by a large bar; the seating areas are raised around the perimeter. There are no televisions but a drop-down screen for major sporting events. Next door is Modern Art Oxford which building was built in 1888 as the 'square' room and stores for Hanley's brewery which stretched from here to Queen Street. The squares were open-topped vessels made of stone or slate for fermentation. The fermentation room is still there on the top floor. Hanley's was taken over by Hall's Oxford Brewery in 1898.

St Aldates Tavern

108 St Aldate's, Oxford OX1 1BU

Dog Friendly

Not the original St Aldates Tavern, that was at no. 61 which still has its Morland 'Artist' plaque, but there was an inn recorded at this site in 1397. Rebuilt at least once since then, lastly in 1716 as the New Inn - this was a coaching inn in the 18th century. It became the Bulldog in 1965 and then back to St Aldates Tavern in 2005 after a short spell as the Hobgoblin. This friendly pub in the centre of Oxford features up to seven well-kept real ales often with at least two from local breweries. There is an attractive function room upstairs which is available to hire with its own bar and toilet.

Bear Inn

6 Alfred Street, Oxford OX1 4EH

The original Bear Inn (so called from 1432) ran the length of Alfred Street up to the 'High' and was one of Oxford's largest and most important hostelries until 1801 when it was demolished. The current building was originally behind the old inn and dates from 1606 being an ostlers' house for the men who looked after the horses. First recorded as an inn called the Jolly Trooper in 1774, it took the name Bear Inn when the original was demolished. The Bear is a 'tied' house in more ways than one, renowned for its collection of tie remnants taken from customers. The inside of the pub is very compact - the main, low-ceilinged bar has two small rooms adjoining and the ladies toilets are up a narrow winding stairway. The rare pewter-topped bar and other historic fittings were removed in a 2000 refurbishment but the back room still has floor to ceiling panelling and brass bell pushes from the days of waiter service. Has been identified by CAMRA as having a regionally important historic pub interior. There is a large pavement seating area off Blue Boar Street to boost the pub’s capacity.

Wheatsheaf

129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF

Traditional Pub Games

Two-storey, well-established music venue down another Medieval passageway off the High, and also accessible from Blue Boar Street. The ground floor area is the bar, with pool table, and the music events are/were held upstairs. The music has been curtailed due to current restrictions and the owners put in a planning application to convert the upstairs to student accommodation which saw mass opposition and was thrown out. The beers used to reflect the music vibe.

Cow & Creek

12 New Road, Oxford OX1 1LT

There has been a public house on the site since 1764 and before that a malthouse. Called the Anchor until 1977 it then became the Westgate, then in 1997 O.X. ONE, then Que Pasa until 2011 when it became the Bell & Compass. Once a Morrells pub, now Marston's, and reincarnated most recently in October 2015 aimed at a younger crowd with bulk cocktail deals, burgers, ice cream, and all day breakfasts. There is a dancefloor and week-end DJ. Often only has one real ale.

City Arms

288 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1UR

Formerly the University & City Arms and then a successful Firkin brew pub and then a keg only 'Scream' pub, the City Arms now has real ale again. There is a pool room where the brewery once was, and the bar area has lots of machines amongst its brightly-coloured sofas and chairs; the pub is very student orientated and admits no under 18s. Cheap food is served all day. There is no garden, just a pavement patio that has progressively been enclosed.

Cricketer's Arms

102 Temple Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 2EZ

Two-roomed, inter-war, former Morrells pub near the swimming pool. There is a very large, well kept and child-friendly garden. There might be a view of Oxford's dreaming spires if you could climb one of the impessive trees.

Fir Tree

163 Iffley Road, Oxford OX4 1EJ

Multi-level pub with TV screens in the bar and front room and a quiet snug at the back. There is a small patio garden and smoking area to the rear and some pavement tables at the front. The interior of this quirky pub still bears the scars of its days as a Morrell’s Ale House, (and for a short while renamed the Old Ale House at the turn of the century) with a variety of finishes and artefacts and pictures on the walls. Very handy as a before and after-match venue for Oxford University Rugby Union FC, whose ground is opposite, and also for the athletics track, made famous by Sir Roger Bannister. Usually has an interesting choice of real ales. The kitchen is out of action at the moment.

Frankie & Benny's

Unit 7a, Ozone Leisure Park, Grenoble Road, Oxford OX4 4XP

Disabled Access

American-Italian style restaurant bar in the Kassam complex; handy for the football ground. More of a family dining venue than a bar

George Inn

5 Sandford Road, Oxford OX4 4PU

Large, rambling former Morrell’s pub that spent some time in the hands of Gale’s, before their takeover by Fuller’s. The interior is multi level, with a large central bar serving the two rooms, and there is a garden to the rear and tables to the front. Live music is held fortnightly, and there are other events such as meat draws.

Golden Ball

2 College Lane, Oxford OX4 4LQ

Basic two-roomed pub with a lively bar area with pool table and darts, and a quieter lounge. Don't take any notice of the signs, they don't have home cooked food or cask ale but there is a large garden with children’s play area and table football. Dog walkers are welcome.

Half Moon

17 St Clements Street, Oxford OX4 1AB

Jukebox

Very small pub on The Plain; the bar area was the original pub from 1890, more recently it was knocked into next door to make the pub a bit bigger! There is live music most nights, including folk on Sundays, and when there isn’t anything live, there’s sport on television and the excellent juke box to keep people amused. Refurbished and under new management from June 2019.

Library

182 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1UE

The Library is the new name for the Brickworks. No longer just a cellar now has two rooms with music events downstairs, but most impressively has introduced a real ale which varies. The pub is arranged over two levels, and has a nice garden to the rear. 'Street food' offering which can vary, and some interesting beers in bottles and cans.

Black Swan

11 Crown Street, Oxford OX4 1QG

Live Music

Basic street corner Irish local, reputed to serve the best Guinness in Oxford. A former Morrell’s pub, it has one L-shaped room; the televisions usually show horse racing.

Old Black Horse Hotel

102 St Clements Street, Oxford OX4 1AR

Basic bar in an old hotel, originally a coaching inn. There are big screen televisions showing sport.

Original Swan

188 Oxford Road, Oxford OX4 2LF

A two-room corner pub with a large lively bar and a smaller, quieter lounge, both served by a central bar. The pub is reputed to be haunted. In the 19th century there were two pubs in Temple Cowley called the Swan. This one was built in 1854 and became the Original Swan in 1880 to avoid confusion with the other which was actually older and no longer exists. Always looks closed from the road, you have to go through the car park and in the back.

Oxford Blue

32 Marston Street, Oxford OX4 1JU

First recorded as a pub in 1880, the Swan, and changed to current sporting themed name in the 1980s. The Edwardian frontage is largely unchanged. It closed suddenly in December 2014 'to make the premises safe' and has now re-opened May 2018 under Charles Wells' Pizza, Pots, & Pints managed pub concept. Refurbished and opened up inside. The regular beers are from Wells & Co's new brewery in Bedford. The guest ale is served from a cask behind the bar.

Port Mahon

82 St Clements Street, Oxford OX4 1AW

Grade II-listed pub with several rooms, and a strange layout - the main room is up six steps from the street, and then you go down steps to the other room; the bar serves both at two levels. Often has music events hosted in an upstairs room; - there may be an entrance fee, check FB, there is a web site but it is not up to date. Note the wooden phone box and the board games; the doors on the ceiling are remnants from the Morrell’s ale house tat era. Extensively refurbished May 2019 and appears to no longer be part of 'Hungry Horse' operation.

Prince of Wales

Horspath Road, Oxford OX4 2QW

Estate pub built by Morrell’s prior to the Second World War, with a stone rather than brick frontage. The front bar is boisterous and basic, with a pool table; the back room is quieter, and still offers “Morrell’s Traditional Ales”. The beer and the food are both competitively priced.

Blackbird

Blackbird Leys Road, Oxford OX4 6HT

A basic two-roomed pub at the centre of the Blackbird Leys estate. Blackbird Leys Farm was owned by James Morrell of the brewing family in the second half of the 19th century until sold to the city council in 1895. In the 1960s the area was developed as a council housing estate for workers from the nearby growing car industry and for people being moved out of St Ebbe's in the city centre which was being redeveloped. The pub was opened on 13 December 1962.

Bullingdon

162 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1UE

Live Music

Small front bar of a popular and well-known late-night live music venue, that has recently re-gained a real ale after several years of being all keg. A second hand pump is to be installed, so it must be popular! The front bar is basic, but remarkable well soundproofed, and the welcome is friendly; the gigs are held in the back room, and the televisions in the front bar seem to show what’s going on in the back room when there is no sport showing.

Ampleforth

53 Collingwood Road, Oxford OX3 8HH

Estate pub built in 1939 by Ind Coope. The local of C. S. Lewis who lived nearby. Closed May 2015 and for sale. Local group formed Community Pub Co. ACV agreed. March 2017, Planning approval for conversion to community pub and some residential. Local group has lease from Heineken and pub reopened November. Now has new lease and expanded in to previously unused part.

Mason's Arms

2 Quarry School Place, Oxford OX3 8LH

Oxford CAMRA’s City Pub of the Year 2014 and 2016, and now again in 2019. It is a fantastic free house and a shining example of how a community pub should be run. The Meeson family have made this pub a focal point locally, offering a great range of beers, including some from their own brewery, Old Bog, named after the outhouse behind the pub, sadly not brewing at the moment. There are several sports teams (darts, aunt sally, bar billiards), and at the back of the garden there is a large function room, which is available for hire, and is also the venue for the annual Headington beer festival, normally held the first weekend in September. As well as the large garden, there is a heated decking area which can be used all year round. To complete the picture, there is sky sports on the numerous but not intrusive televisions, and other events such as meat raffles and quiz nights are as popular as ever. If you’re visiting Oxford, don’t leave until you’ve been here; the journey out from the centre is worth every penny!

Six Bells

3 Beaumont Road, Oxford OX3 8JN

Originally a private house and dates in part from 1782. A pub by early C19 and named after the 6 bells in St Andrew's Church. Easy to find near the London Road roundabout despite not having a proper pub sign. Extensively refurbished September 2018, including cellar and toilets. Has a number of separate seating areas and an L-shaped bar. Now managed by Sheldon Inns, who have a number of pubs in the Midlands, but still tied to GK.

White Hart

12 St Andrew’s Road, Oxford OX3 9DL

Terraced, stone-built pub opposite the church in Old Headington village, the White Hart has a good selection of Everards ales and guests and has 2 real ciders on the bar. It holds a beer festival every year in April or May. There are three drinking areas and a very large garden. Note the framed extract from a play 'The Tragi-comedy of Joan of Hedington' by Dr William King of Christ Church written in 1712 about the proprietor of a dishonourable ale house; thankfully now the pub has a much better reputation! The food is traditional and home-made with pies a speciality. Local CAMRA City Pub of the Year 2013 and 2017.

White Horse

1 London Road, Oxford OX3 7SP

Vast Hungry Horse dining pub, perhaps the biggest in Oxford, with a large sports bar to the front and an even bigger dining room at the back. Cheap and used to lack atmosphere but had major makeover March 2019 so may have improved. Usual Hungry Horse food and drink deals.

Corner House

Hollow Way, Oxford OX3 7JF

Large Banks's pub by a roundabout with a central bar and two rooms with no internal connection. Built between the wars for the proposed Slade council estate which never happened. Still retains some original features such as a nice fireplace in the bar, and, apparently, some murals done by soldiers stationed at the nearby barracks during WW2 but they are papered over or hidden. A very welcoming, community focussed pub. In 2013 Marston's sold it to New River Retail who had plans to turn it into a convenience store but this fell through and it has been leased back to Marston's. Extensive refurbishment carried out Jan 2018.

Gardeners Arms

8 North Parade Avenue, Oxford OX2 6LX

Dog Friendly

Opened as a Morrell's pub in1872 and has been run by David and Jenny Rhymes since 1993. The building is narrow, with a central bar and small kitchen, and seating front and rear. There is a baby grand piano which anyone sober enough is encouraged to play. There are old photographs of Oxford and a clocking-in machine among an interesting collection of objects on display. Good value food is served daily and both humans and dogs are catered for!

Jude the Obscure

54 Walton Street, Oxford OX2 6AE

A very popular Jericho pub, the Jude comprises one large room served by an island bar, with raised seating areas around the perimeter. Opened in 1871 as the Prince of Wales and renamed in 1995 as a tribute to Thomas Hardy and to reflect that the area features in the book of the same name (as Beersheba). There is a pleasant, suntrap, courtyard garden to the rear with cushions. Opens at 11 every day for breakfast. Might have 2 guests on at popular times.

Rickety Press

67 Cranham Street, Oxford OX2 6DE

NBC Brewery of Northampton opened this pub as the Radcliffe Arms in 1872 (sadly the original NBC etched windows were removed during a previous refurbishment); it became a Scottish and Newcastle pub, and closed in 2010. Fortunately, Arkell’s of Swindon acquired it in 2011 and it is now run by the Dodo Pub Co as a sister pub to the Rusty Bicycle in Cowley. The old pool room is now a bright, airy dining room (pizzas and burgers), and the pub has been refurbished throughout, losing the big TVs and gaining some tartan wallpaper, and, of course, several yards of books. Credit must go to Arkell’s for rescuing a street corner pub that for a while looked likely to end up as a house, like so many others in Jericho. Has a choice of beers on tap as well.

White Hart

126 Godstow Road, Oxford OX2 8PQ

Small, open-plan local facing the green at Lower Wolvercote, it was once a bakery with possibly a blacksmith's shop as well. A community-run pub since 2014 offering a welcoming, family-friendly environment. Sunday lunch is available. Regular music nights, jazz, sea-shanties, Irish folk etc. Under new management and now has a more interesting policy on beer choice with often local breweries featuring.

Dew Drop Inn

258 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7DX

The only real pub left in Summertown, under new mangement from mid 2015 and again May 2016. It was originally a cottage and then let as a shop and a beer house. It became a Simmond’s pub in 1888 which was later taken over by Courage. The pub still bears the name of the shopkeeper, J.H. Vallis, who became the licensee in 1902 and incorporated the shop into a larger pub. He operated a daily beer delivery round by pony and trap. Morse creator Colin Dexter was a regular visitor here and the pub features in many of the novels. There are 2 entrances to separate bars although you can get round at the far end.

Duke of Monmouth

260 Abingdon Road, Oxford OX1 4TA

This pub was built by Hall’s in 1930 and still has some ’HOB’ decoration, most notably the motif in stone on the front wall. Named after the illegitimate son of Charles II, James Scott, who led the unsuccessful Monmouth rebellion against James II and was executed in 1685. The sign used to be an English duke with no head which Greene King removed as part of their move to make all their pubs look the same. Refurbished Feb 2017 and a proper sign is back although not the original.

Porterhouse

68-69 Mill Street, Oxford OX2 0AL

Close to the railway station and a rare survivor: a traditional, Victorian, street-corner local. It is actually a grand building, rebuilt in 1899 and dated 1900, and has two rooms which have been joined together, served by a single small bar. There is another small room to right of the entrance, the old smoking room. Has recently had several changes of management but refurbished 2017 and now being run by the same people as the Punter on Osney Island. Gone upmarket with bespoke steak menu and prices to match. Open 8 to 12 for breakfast. No children's menu.

Seacourt Bridge

78 West Way, Oxford OX2 9JU

The Seacourt is the last pub left in Botley, and it is a good one. Built by Ind Coope in 1939 and then a Hall’s house, it was acquired by Banks's Brewery in 1995 and is now a thriving community local with keenly priced beers from the Marston’s range. It originally had separate public and lounge bars with an off-licence in the middle and a continuous bar counter. Now a single room, there are televisions showing Sky/BT sports in the bar area, though without dominating, and there are some quieter corners. The pub has food and drink offers every evening and quiz night is Sunday.

One

2 Botley Road, Oxford OX2 0AB