The Red Lion, Brackley

A crudely modernised old pub but retaining the usual pub features. The main area is knocked through into one large room, with odd pillars showing where once were walls. A few beams lurk amongst the scruffy modern decor, with distressed tables and sundry mismatched furniture, while variously scattered round are a pool table, dartboard, keyboard and juke box. A large garden at the back was featuring live music on this visit. Just two hand pumps, with a clip reversed London Pride and an acceptable if overpriced Anchorman. A couple of other Charlie Wells Brewpoint craft were on keg. The overall impression is a bit basic and homespun, but it is clearly popular with the locals.

Right by the town hall, and looking a bit like a pub from the road, the light modernised interior here is definitely in café-bar territory... However, some of the outside tables in the side alleyway were catching the warm spring sunshine, so I quite enjoyed my pint of DNA (£4.10), one of two Charles Wells beers from the four handpumps (with the other being Origin).