| Pub | Comments | Location |
|---|---|---|
| BANBURY | ||
| Bell | A great locals boozer, pleasant and comfortable. Only one cask ale on when I visited but it was spot on.
Last visited February 2026. |
Middleton Road / Waterloo Drive |
| Wetherspoon Exchange | A comfortable standard one.
Last visited February 2026. |
High Street / Church Passage |
| White Horse | A pleasant traditional boozer with a good selection of cask ales. Apart from a slight faux pas when I stood in front of the TV to order my drink, it was a pleasant visit. I managed to find a quiet corner free of rugby fans.
Last visited February 2026. |
North Bar Street / Parsons Street |
| OXFORD | ||
| Bear | A tiny historic gem hidden down a side street, this is what the tourists need when they are looking for a classic pub! The usual Fullers range of quality ales are on offer, and the food appears good as well.
Last visited February 2026. |
Bear Lane / Blue Boar Street |
| Grapes | Something of a classic, this one, and with eight handpumps the beer selection is good. Including some local ones. Also about thirty keg taps on the back wall if the cask is not to your taste.
Last visited February 2026. |
George Street / Victoria Court |
| Punter | Pleasant corner house in a residential area away from the tourists and convenient for the station. Up market food is popular. Matchwood (painted blue) and whitewash on the walls. Decent real ales are from the Greene King range, I think.
Last visited January 2017. |
East Street |
| Royal Blenheim | A rather fine traditional pub. I was rather surprised to find a Titanic house in Oxford. I chose one of theirs that neither I nor the barmaid had heard of, Road Trip, and it was very good, a rather fruity pale one.
Last visited February 2026. |
St Ebbe's Street / Pembroke Street |
| Turf Tavern | Famously Morse's favourite, and listed in all the tourist guides, this place wasn't quite what I expected. A tiny bar room with historic decor but then lots of other rooms further back with plenty of space for tourist diners. I drank Reggie's, a rather good bitter named after the pub dog.
Last visited February 2026. |
St Helens Passage |
| Wetherspoon Four Candles | Not the giant tourist trap I was expecting in this world famous city, just a compact well done out place on two floors. The pleasant decor was slightly marred by an excess of bunting advertising their forthcoming beer festival, still over a week away.
Last visited February 2026. |
George Street / Bulwarks Lane |
| Wetherspoon Swan & Castle | Don't be diverted by the brewers tudor Swan next door! A modern Wetherspoon, large and pleasant.
Last visited February 2026. |
Castle Street / Oxford Castle |
| ©2026 Phil Wieland | Elsewhere in the World | My other Pub Guides |