Jacobs Plough, Bicester

With two of my target pubs along Sheep Street closed until later in the afternoon, Jacob's Plough was my next stop, just on the edge of the town centre. A well appointed pub, it seems to focus on diners. But with four real ales on, it does not disregard the drinker. I was seated on a sofa next to the large open fireplace. I'm not sure if the pub is still run by Greene King. Morland Old Speckled Hen was the solitary beer from them. Others were St Austell Tribute & Timothy Taylor Landlord. However, I opted for the North Cotswold House of Jacob, which was well kept. I didn't/couldn't venture further than the cosy front bar. But service was decent here. So, don't ignore it on any crawl of Bicester.

Unusual looking exterior that doesn't obviously appear to be like a pub at first glance and seems to be a bitsa of old buildings and extensions that have melded over the years into what we see today. Done out really nicely inside though – there’s a bar as you enter, a small lounge section to the left and a long narrow section to the right which opens out. Painted wood panelling on the left and exposed stone to the right, as well as lots of old tin signs, dried hops above the door and a welcome skylight above the bar. There’s also a lovely paved and flora heavy side garden. Five pumps with three on: GK OSH, Golden Hen and Timothy Taylor Landlord. The Landlord was OK but marred (as they are so often when guesting in GK pubs) by having a residual GK tint, so someone didn’t flush the lines prior to it going on. Also expensive at £4.20. Overall I quite liked it here and would pop in again. If the beer was top-notch, it’d be up there with Bicester’s best.

Official site of Jacobs Plough - jacobsplough.com

Official site of Jacobs Plough - jacobsplough.com

Greene King pub comprising a jumble of various buildings and extensions, all quite traditional. 'L'-shaped bar with a pool table, with a dining area beyond. Light, semi-modern decor. Small patio beer garden. Just two of the four handpumps were on when I called in, with a 'house' 3.9% bitter and Shipwreck Coast from Penpont Brewery as a guest (£3.30).