The Black Boy, Headington, Oxford

This was a 17th century pub which was demolished to make way for road widening, the current incarnation dating from 1937. As described below, the interior is indeed a bit Sunday Times colour supplement which, along with the modern furniture, blazes out of the pub’s homepage, so I shan’t bother describing it, though the accompanying soundtrack is still a bit Hall & Oates. There were no customers at the time of my arrival, then three turfed up at 8.15 to eat, only to be informed that the kitchen was going to close at 8.30, which is a bit lame, especially on a Friday night. There were three pumps, all unclipped, me opting for a half of Guinness at £2.65, served by a friendly barman. I don’t think my experience was as bad as Quinno’s, matching KK’s, but quite how the pub has the brass neck to describe itself as ‘One of Oxford’s hidden gems’ is anyone’s guess; the lack of real ale losses the pub one point. The vastly superior White Hart is next door.

Official site of The Black Boy - blackboyoxford.co.uk

Official site of The Black Boy - blackboyoxford.co.uk

Still under the auspices of Everards and still more restaurant than pub. Internal decor is very Sunday Times Magazine but at least the small drinking "snug" has some character. Three Everards beers of which two had the dreaded half-glass over the handle (Tiger and Sunchaser) leaving the Hobson's Choice of Golden Hop which was in decent nick and at a reasonable "new normal" price of £4.30. I was the sole drinker and there were two people at a table in the dining area, outnumbered as we were by the staff. The odd muzak choices still ring true; "He's The Greatest Dancer" by Sister Sledge and "You Make My Dreams" by Hall & Oates made appearances during my brief sojourn. It's not the complete lost cause Quinno visited back in 2016, but it's a cursory Headington tick rather than the 'must-do' that the nearby White Horse and Tile Shop Ale House are.