A hostelry handy for city centre shoppers is the Oxford Mail Pub of the Week.

The Plough Inn can be found on the corner of Cornmarket and St Michael's Street, the perfect location for shoppers, locals, and tourists.

Records show that it was first recorded as an inn in 1656 but it closed as a pub in the 1920s, later becoming a branch of tailor Austin Reed.

READ MORE: Key road reopens after week-long closure 

When the shop closed in 2016, the building became derelict until it reopened in December 2018 under its original name, the Plough, with “at 38” added as the number on the street.

Full trading started the following month, then in February the pub changed hands and it is now run by City Pub Group.

(Image: The Oxford Drinker) Although real ale is not the main focus, The Plough has lots to offer, including a cosy interior, a food menu featuring pizzas and Sunday dinners, and a loft space with a shuffleboard and large TV screens.

The pub's website says: "Nestled in the historic heart of Oxford, The Plough Inn invites you to experience the charm of a bygone era with a modern flair.

"Steeped in history, this old-world pub dates from 1656 and seamlessly marries tradition with contemporary delights, making it a cherished destination for locals and visitors alike.

READ MORE: Graduate in Google Street View 'hammer attack'

"Best quality traditional British pub food meets square pizzas and shuffleboard in this historic venue."

The shuffleboard is a game in which players push weighted discs, sending them gliding down a narrow surface before they come to rest in a marked scoring area.

The game apparently dates from Tudor times, and the Plough Inn’s board is available for hire at a cost of £10 for 55 minutes.

There is beef (£19.50), chicken (£18) and pork (£17) on the Sunday lunch menu and there is a vegetarian option (£16).

(Image: The Plough Inn) In the summer, tables and chairs were introduced outside the entrance in Cornmarket and also in St Michael's Street. 

There is usually enough seating for about 30 customers on each side of the pub.

The new seating was introduced after the pub's owners were granted a pavement licence by the city council.

The licences are granted under the pavement licensing system introduced during Covid. They last for a year.

Additional outdoor seating was popular for pubs during the pandemic as some drinkers wanted to avoid being in packed indoor bars.

(Image: Andy Ffrench) A barman said in the summer: "We're a family-friendly dog-friendly pub and we are trying to offer as much as possible to cater for everyone.

"When the better weather comes in the spring we now have these designated outside seats.

"You can have a drink underneath the parasol umbrellas and watch people walking by and there are some heat lamps with the seats in St Michael's Street."

The pub has a four out of five star rating on reviews site Tripadvisor.

One reviewer wrote: "Great spot, middle of the hustle and bustle. We booked here for a pre-theatre meal, travelling from the Midlands for a show at the New Theatre.

"Service, food and drinks were great, but particularly the food. Highly recommended."

Help support trusted local news 

Sign up for a digital subscription now: oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe 

As a digital subscriber you will get:      

  • Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website   
  • Advert-light access       
  • Reader rewards         
  • Full access to our app 

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.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.