Dew Drop Inn, Summertown, Oxford

Little changed from the descriptions below, this is the only pub in Summertown, a rather dreary quasi Oxford suburb which is oddly the city’s wealthiest area. The bar back is modern shiny black tiled and the furniture appears to have been ‘zoned’, with different styles filling various areas of the interior which looks like a pub furniture showroom. The floor is modern bare boarded with a tiled bar apron. Paintwork is the usual unimaginative blue/grey with a white ceiling. To the front, is a slightly raised area which is carpeted and home to – you guessed it – another style of furniture. An item of furniture which deserves a special mention is the gent’s cubicle, which would be outsized by something in a caravan. Ales: a reversed clip, Wooha’s Sunshine IPA and Hook Norton’s Old Hooky at a reasonable £4.25 a pint and in decent shape. The Dew Drop Inn may feature in many Morse novels, but I can’t see him actually bothering to come all the way out here, given that the far superior pubs of Jericho are more centrally located.

Official site of Dew Drop Inn - www.thedewdropinnoxford.co.uk

Official site of Dew Drop Inn - www.thedewdropinnoxford.co.uk

Set back from the parade of modern shops, this is a two room pub separated by a central bar with a large front garden area sporting a bit of fauna. The smaller left bar has little of note, just live football at far end (Rangers v Falkirk) watched by no one. The other room is bigger and slightly more upmarket but not by much, with a brown, cream and purple colour scheme. Did spot a selection of papers here. Three pumps, Courage Best, GK Golden Hen and Old Hooky all sparklerised. My Hooky was serviceable but uninspiring. Given it's the only proper pub in Summertown, it gets the business. But could be much better.