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Beer of the Week (w/e 26th April 2026) with Tris39 on the Pub Forum

The Griffin Inn, Banbury

9 Culworth Road
Chipping Warden
Postal town: Banbury
OX17 1LB
Phone: 01295660311

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Pub Type

Local Pub (Marstons)

Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Komakino . left this review about The Griffin Inn

With the recent HS2 works, the A361 now bypasses the village, and it was a sign stating "Cask Ale £2.80 a pint Tuesdays" that piqued my interest for a revisit. It remains described as Nick below, but had a generous attendance at approx. 3:30pm on a Tuesday afternoon, even though, as someone in their fifth decade, I was the youngest in here by a country mile. Of four handpumps, just the single clip - Ringwood Razor Back, with a Marston's Pedigree clip reversed, and two pumps unclipped. Served by a friendly landlord, the Ringwood was actually in fine fettle, which I decided to enjoy on one of the pub benches out front, which was catching some late March sunshine. Wetherspoon-esque offers of Carlsberg at £2.95 a pint Mon-Thurs, and 3 x bottles of beer for £9.50 everyday (with a DrinkAware logo at the bottom of the poster). Beer garden out back is generous too. Worth an extra couple of points on this showing.

18th July 2016
Another one just over the border in Northants, this is just off the main A361 road which runs through the village. Lots of locals outside enjoying the Sunday summer sunshine and more inside watching Formula 1 on a large screen in a largish rectangular room with lots of menus and offers on the tables. Four pumps all dispensed Marston's Burton Bitter, which was disappointing when one considered the plethora of Marston-related pump clips displayed behind the bar. Probably missing a trick on the ale choice, but if you're a Marston's fan, there's a chance there might be something for you.

On 31st March 2026 - rating: 5
[User has posted 1098 recommendations about 1098 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Nick Davies left this review about The Griffin

Attractive Cotswold stone building, now the only remaining pub in this handsome village, a waypoint on the busy Banbury - Daventry road. Very much the traditional layout, two rooms knocked through: the public bar to the left, fireplace and telly, the area to the right more loungey with sofas and all that. There have been no noticeably crass refurbishments despite its Marston's ownership, but said ownership is sadly betrayed by much table clutter pushing the food-service menu, including daily offers - curry on Thursdays, fish on Fridays, JDW be flattered by the imitation.

And Marston's ownership spoils the beer range too. Five pumps, four (yes four) clipped for Pump House, the other for Director's. The Pump House was dreadful - tired, flat and tasteless, one point on the Camra scale. Everyone else, mostly local lads assembling after work for their Friday night observances, was on Carlsberg, so maybe we got what we deserved.

With different management (the staff on the ground were doing their cheerful best with the tools they were given) this could be a cracker. As it is its one saving grace is being open all permitted hours, a rarity in this sparsely populated - and thus sparsely pubbed - area.

On 25th January 2019 - rating: 5
[User has posted 582 recommendations about 574 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Ian Mapp left this review about The Griffin

Nice village pub. Friendly staff. Food was good value. Three real ales on, a Hobgoblin Gold and a couple from Marstons. I went for the original bitter. Decent pint.

Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2hDKhXp

On 31st December 2016 - rating: 7
[User has posted 277 recommendations about 276 pubs]