Oxford's pub of the year named by real ale enthusiasts

Members of the Oxford branch of real ale group CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) gathered earlier this month in the upstairs function room at Tap Social’s White House on Abingdon Road for a special awards night.

The celebration of pubs attracted about 40 people to enjoy a Tap Social cask ale, Ruby Tuesday, plus cans of oatmeal stout Inside Out and a buffet.

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The city Pub of the Year award again went to the Royal Blenheim in St Ebbes, which had won the last few city awards and will now have to rise to the challenge as newly reopened pubs compete for future titles. 

Manager Steve Lyne was there to pick up the award with assistant manager Natasha Micallef-Kelly.

Pub company Oak Taverns received an award for reopening three pubs in Oxfordshire.

The company is already well-known around the county, but over the course of a year it reopened three pubs – The Sun in Wheatley, Crown in Marcham and Red Lion in Yarnton.

The Crown and Red Lion had been closed for over a year, but have now been reopened, with the focus on real ale.

Another pub company, Morgan Pub Collective, also won an award from CAMRA.

Branch spokesman Dave Richardson told the Oxford Drinker, CAMRA's magazine: "When the London-based Morgan Pub Collective was revealed as the new operator of the long-closed Grapes in central Oxford, it was warmly welcomed as an operator supportive of real ale and with the best interests of its pubs at heart – in contrast to some larger pub groups which treat them as disposable property.

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"But Morgan then surprised us by reopening the Gardeners Arms in North Parade Avenue, Oxford as well – so it was a great pleasure to give the award to Dick Morgan, who coincidentally founded the company in 1974, and Grapes landlord Johnny Roberts."

The Town and Village Pub of the Year award was reclaimed by the Brewery Tap in Abingdon, having lost it last year to the Broad Face.

The first award of the night went to Hook Norton, the only brewery in Oxfordshire to operate throughout the last 50 years, with managing director James Clarke telling drinkers he has written a book about its 175 years of history, to be published later this year.

Another special award went to the Rose and Crown pub in North Parade Avenue, which has been in the Good Beer Guide for 33 years of the last 50, more often than any other pub.

Since 1997 it has appeared in every edition except one – a remarkable achievement for the Hall family which continues to run it.

Awards were also given to the Beers of the Festival, chosen during a “blind” tasting session by an expert panel at last October’s event in the Town Hall.

The winner was Renegade brewery (formerly West Berkshire) for Maharajah IPA, with runners-up Oxford Brewery with Trinity, White Horse with Konic and Wriggly Monkey with Ambassador.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

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