The Britannia, Headington, Oxford

On approach, one of the first things you notice, apart from the old Halls ceramic plaque, is another stating that Oxford United FC was founded here on 27th November 1893. What though you can’t fail to notice before these minor treasures, is the huge billboard showing a picture of a Sunday roast, just in case you don’t know what a Sunday roast looks like; I don’t even think McDonald’s plumbs such depths. Thereafter things improve, with a very recent ‘showroom’-style interior (ochre and white), to a pub on multiple levels with a carpeted or ceramic tiled floor, leading out to an attractive beer garden. Furniture is plush, rather than what you would normally expect in a pub, but what you won’t find in a Barratt home is the array of unattractive flashing games machines. Thereafter there are ugly sauce bottles and pictorial laminated menus to tables (the pub could be described as a restaurant masquerading as a pub), mood music and by way of further entertainment, the pub also hosts Psychic Wednesdays. Given the recent makeover, customers aren’t as bad as described, probably including a few Brookes’ students. The ale choice was limited to three unused pumps, then just Black Sheep or Tribute at a laughably cheap £1.40 a half, but sadly not on great form, served by a friendly barman. Otherwise, given the pub’s penchant for a weekly Medium, a fizz line-up better described as Mystic Keg. This isn’t a great pub, but it’s certainly better than the Royal Standard next door and lightyears better than the dreadful White Horse down the road.

Official site of The Britannia - www.emberinns.co.uk

Official site of The Britannia - www.emberinns.co.uk

An Ember inn (old Halls Brewery ceramic hare on the outside wall). Multi-area’d. Usual corporate carpeted interior with some dodgy sax muzak to add to the Barrett Showhome feel. Oddly chavvy customers. Usual Ember food offerings, and I noted a number of tables remained resolutely uncleared throughout or 20 minutes. Ostensibly impressive line-up of eight ales; Doom Bar, 6X, Brakspear Oxford Gold, St Austell Proper Job, Gadds Wheat, Woodfordes Flagondry, Adnams Single Hop and a cherry ale of unknown provenance that was unavailable. The Adnams was OK but my companions Flagondry was appalling (note the Monday ale club here, not sure I’d bother on this evidence!). Get the feeling the management in this place need a kick up the rear.