Those dreaming spires, personally I'd rather go up the pub
Oxford; university town, home of Inspector Morse and Brideshead Revisted, and some rather decent drinking as well.
Every year the German drags me along to a literary festival held in the spring, and every year while she joins the middle classes in listening to some 'B' lister flog their books, I'm taking in the wonderful sights of one of the most scenic places in the UK.
And I don't mean Magdalen College, I'm in the White Horse, where you should be!
But first, a wonderful summing up of Oxford from those hardened drinkers at www.ciderspace.co.uk, so good I've knicked most of it, a touch of editing having to be done for some choice words, though the Yeovil boys are right about the lack of Morrell's pubs, a pint of Varsity, now brewed in Burtonwood, was one of the joys of visiting the 'city of dreaming spires'.
Oxford is a contrasting mixture. The historic centre, overflowing with students and tourists, is stuffed full of ancient pubs, a few still excellent, most overly precious, all tending to the expensive. The sort that featured in every episode of Inspector Morse.
If you do choose to drink in the city centre remember the ground is miles away, and traffic throughout Oxford a complete nightmare, so give yourself plenty of time to make kick-off. The fringes of Oxford, especially to the South where the new Kassam Stadium is, are industrial, with sprawling huge estates, many products of the very worst of Sixties and Seventies planning. The pubs there mostly tend to reflect their location.
Oxford once boasted one of the better independent breweries in Morrells. But a group of cretins were in control. As they were mindless fools they jumped on the Pub.co bandwagon, and sold off the brewery side to Thomas Hardy Brewery in Dorchester, (formerly Eldridge Pope, who were doing exactly the same thing with their brewing and pub sides, messing them up), and concentrated on ripping the guts out of their stable of pubs.
Their design concepts stretched to three : which is the least puke making is open to debate. There is the olde worlde "rustic"; nautical (er, Oxford!), and Upstairs Downstairs Victorian / Edwardian kitsch. Twats like this should have the mass produced fake stuff they litter over every available surface in their pubs shoved into any open orifice.
They made such a screw up of what one would think was a relatively simple task of running a chain of pubs that lots were in turn sold on to Greene King, and now don't even stock Morrells beers. We've tried to find a few reasonably close to the ground that shouldn't be instantly raised by a bulldoser, but it's not an easy job.
Thanks lads. So get there early so you can avoid the stadium; those on coaches, bad luck, but we've given you a couple of 'choices' nearby and, as far as we are aware, alcohol is served in the stadium.
In The Town
Remember you will have to leave by two to give yourself plenty of time to catch a bus or taxi to the stadium, info on buses below, so get in early, it's well worth it.
You can get the Oxford Bus Company Service, Number 5 or 106, via the city centre to Knights Road in Blackbird Leys, which is a short walk away from the ground.
On Saturday afternoons the buses run regualrly with journey time to the stadium around 25 minutes. For more information visit the Oxford Bus Company website. (Especially as it's a Bank Holiday.)
Alternatively a taxi will cost you in the region of £10, from the station to the stadium.
Please attempt to visit both, they are ten minutes apart.
White Horse: 52, Broad St, OX1 3BB.
This was a tough choice, as the following two pubs would fight for the No.1 spot in most of the League Two grounds we visit this season.
Small but pefectly formed, and can get very busy at lunchtime, this is a terrific pub with several beers usually on offer, Hobgoblin & Wayland Smithy of two the last time I drunk here.
Try and get the snug at the back, if not don't be concerned, your soon be talking to a local very soon, or being asked for directions by a cute Japanese tourist!
Great food, thier soup of the day is strongly recommended if the temperature drops.
The Bear Inn: 6 Alfred Street, OX1 4EH.
Without a hint of irony to my west country friends, the Bear actually appeared in an Inspector Morse episode, the cricket one I recall, this is always the first pub I visit in Oxford.
Warning; it's very, very, small, even smaller than the White Horse, but hopefully there will be few students and even fewer tourists in town over the new year, well certainly Yanks, and we are not talking about Weatherspoon prices here.
However, if you can grab a table, or be brave and sit outside, or even force a space at the bar, you will be rewarded by a choice of up to three well kept real ales. A gem.
There's also a good choice of whisky's if you fancy a chaser, which I usually do!
Food served.
It even has it's own Wiki page!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_Inn,_Oxford
White Horse: Broad Street at the top; The Bear: Alfred Street bottom left, off the High Street.
In the Village
King's Arms: Church Road, Sandford-on-Thames, OX4 4YB.
Huge pub in a lovely location down the Thames at Sandford Pool.
A Chef & Brewer hostlry, which isn't usually the best recommendation, but serves up some decent ale, with a big garden and play area if you're taking the kids.
King's Arms: Bottom of Church Road, off A4074 follow Henley Road
Near the Ground
George Inn: 5, Sandford Road, Littlemore, Oxford, OX4 4PU.
Was Morrells, then became Gales, which was taken over by Fullers.
The public bar has a pool table and Sky TV, and there is a more foody lounge area with alcoves and a large beer garden.
George Inn: that's Sandford Road, bottom left, off A4142 and down Oxford Road
The Priory: Priory Lane, Littlemore, OX4 4YY.
Was owned by former Oxford chairman Firoz Kassam, and might still be.
The pub is the closest to the ground, in a turning off Greenoble Road, just behind the club car park, but you could be in for a long wait for a beer.
Usual stuff on draught, nearest to real ale to be found in a bottle, cheese and ham rolls on offer.
www.ciderspace.co.uk tells us: 'There're also a couple of bars in the retail/leisure development that has been springing up around the area: one in the Holiday Inn Express Hotel and another in Ozone, a cinema and bowling complex. They serve exactly what one would expect - mainstream fizzy brands at high prices, but are open to well behaved football types.'
The Priory & Ozone: Find Grenoble Road and above it is the ground and all the glorious facilities
(All pub photos supplied by the wonderful people at www.beerintheevening.com, cheers.)