The Kings Arms, Bicester

Official site of The Kings Arms - kingsarms-bicester.com

Official site of The Kings Arms - kingsarms-bicester.com

The Kings Arms has a small bar area to the left of the entrance with a serving counter across the rear that faces a couple of tables where two locals had set up camp. A late afternoon game show was playing on the television that is mounted above a fireplace on the left-hand wall. Premium keg was available alongside Carling and the lone hand pump stood unused. To the right of the entrance is a much larger L-shaped split level seating area with wood paneling and a mix of seating on tartan carpeted areas. This area doesn’t feel like it’s used much, maybe the country music in the background puts people off. I actually stayed here for the night, being put in what would have been the old high ceilinged living room when this place had a live in governor. The toilet had browny yellow water in it, I thought it might be dirty water leaking from the cistern so I flushed it and the water returned to clear. I then went out on my pub crawl, returning a few hours later to find browny yellow water in the toilet, which confirmed to me that there must be a leaking cistern. Imagine my surprise when I woke up in the morning to find nice clear water in the toilet, so not only had someone used the toilet and not flushed before my visit, someone had also gone into my room while I was out to use the toilet! Also, one of the window panes was missing and a crude attempt had been made to cover it with some cardboard. Being on the high street I heard every car drive past and every passing conversation throughout the night. The pub is mediocre at best, but the hotel is awful.

With time for just one more pub before my train departed from Bicester Village station, it was a toss up between the Lamb and the King's Arms. I was stopped at the door of the Lamb by a rope. So, I couldn't see what ales are available. But a helpful lady soon came over and advised that Landlord was on alongside a Lancaster beer. But the latter was nearly finished. Armed with this information, I decided to take a gamble and head to the King's Arms nearest the station instead. The gamble backfired! I followed a couple of tourists into the building. The front bar is fairly cosy and also serves as the hotel's reception. The 2 ladies in front of me were asked to scan the NHS app. They tried to scan it, but clearly didn't have the app. The two staff members failed to provide an alternative solution for these potential customers. So, being unable to scan the barcode or download the app, they departed, leaving me on my own. There are 2 handpulls. Both had Doom Bar clips. So, I reluctantly ordered a Doom Bar, only to be promptly informed that they had none. I was offered Sharp's Atlantic from keg instead and politely declined. Other options were Orchard Thieves (my choice), Pravha, Guinness, Amstel & Birra Moretti. The staff here were a good example of "the customer is always wrong". Other customers arriving were berated by failing to adhere to guidelines, whilst somebody on the phone was told that they didn't have a reservation as they must have sent their request to the wrong email address! How businesses like this survive is beyond me. Although, the hotel is very close to the nearby Bicester Village outlet mall, which must keep it afloat. A very disappointing end to a disappointing set of pubs in Bicester.

Hotel with a bar to the right on entrance. The bar room is quite decent, a small square space with third length varnished wood panelling and wedgewood green wallpaper. To the right is a larger lounge and food area with function room facilities beyond – the bar began to be flooded with the spill-out of a wedding taking place further in the bowels of the building. Four pumps with two ales and a cider - GK IPA, London Glory and Lilleys Lemon & Lime cider. The London Glory was in decent shape. No real complaints from me, it was a decent stop in the context of Bicester.

Thoroughly refurbished hotel reopened in 2015 featuring a small and square-ish bar with just four tables on the left-hand side of the main entrance and a much larger dining room to the right. Modern furniture and decor throughout. Also has some wooden tables out front, but it was hardly the weather for that when I stopped by. Disappointingly, only Hook Norton Hooky (£3.95) available from the four handpumps.

Called in on the 9th of July our last pub in Bicester its a chain pub could not find out which one asked the lad on the bar said he did not know he had only been there a week it was run down and not over clean. not one to rush back too