The Ock Mill, Abingdon

Named after the adjacent river, the Ock Mill is a Beefeater that also acts as the dining facility for the Premier Inn next door. The large right hand side of the pub is geared towards diners so I remained in the bar area to the left where a television up on the wall was showing muted rolling BBC News. Standard and Premium keg is available and one of the two handpumps was unused leaving Sharp’s Doom Bar as the lone cask option. The service was polite, but I’m not sure why anyone would visit here just for a drink.

Beefeater in a nice old pair of buildings. Not much of note inside bar a feeling of it being like late-80’s upmarket hotel in feel, it is quite small and dark for a Beefeater and almost a bit posh. Two pumps, one ale on, an utterly pedestrian Doom Bar. As mentioned below, it’s only really for completists and corporate credit card holders.

The review below is still current apart from the fact that the real ale choice has diminished. A choice of Wadworths 6X and Hook Norton Old Hooky on my recent visit. Still, not shabby and the Old Hooky was in good condition. This is a good place to start a pub crawl along Ock Street back into the town centre. You can call in the White Hart, CrossKeys, Brewery Tap on the way, all three offering a good choice of ales.

Ock Mill page at the Beefeater site - www.beefeatergrill.co.uk

Ock Mill page at the Beefeater site - www.beefeatergrill.co.uk

A Beefeater attached to a Premier Inn. It is housed in a building of some character with plenty of room inside.The bar had Brains, St Austells and Adnams on tap.When rushed I noticed a tendency to short measure on the pints which not enough people picked up on. I think it was the lack of experience of the young barman. Standard Beefeater menu and most people appeared to be eating a bar snack or waiting to disappear into the dining area. Large car park and easy access for wheelchairs. If in Abingdon and you like real ale a visit to the town centre will be well rewarded.