A historic pub in the centre of Oxford The Grapes continues to refresh theatre goers as it has done for years.

The Venue
Dating back to the 1700s and purportedly the oldest building in George Street, The Grapes was originally a wine bar before being turned into a pub. It served as the bar for the New Theatre too and there used to be a bell installed so the theatre could warn them about the imminent rush of customers ahead of the interval.

It’s a fairly small, narrow place with a low ceiling, dark maroon walls and alcoves down the left-hand side. The bar is on the right and there are dark maroon glossy booths at the back as well as a raised area with a brass rail underneath. The walls are adorned with gold-framed mirrors and theatre posters are plastered over every inch of the ceiling.

The People
The Grapes still serves theatre goers, as well as plenty of passing tourists poring over their maps and planning their next move. Being in the centre means it's also at the mercy of the freshers' pub crawl so if you're unlucky you could find the door blocked by a sudden influx of beer crazed undergraduates in silly outfits. During more sedate times The Grapes' group of regulars converge on the place on a Saturday afternoon.

The Food and Drink
It's a Greene King pub so The Grapes serves Abbot Ale, Old Speckled Hen, Guinness, Stella and Brain’s Reverend James on tap and in bottles there’s Beck’s, Budweiser, Corona, Holsten Pils, Stella, Newcastle Brown, Leffe, Bulmer’s and Kopparberg. Bottles of wine start at around £11 or £3 a glass.

And to eat there are sandwiches, jacket potatoes, main meals and platters to share. Being on the tourist trail a bacon sandwich (described as deluxe) will cost you £5.25 and Oxford sausages are £6.95. A fresher’s chicken fillet burger is £5.95 (these prices will send some tourists scurrying to the local fast food joint).

The Last Word
The Grapes sells itself well and, as well as being a tourist destination, it still entertains its loyal locals.

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