The Head of the River, Oxford

Located, as it’s name suggests, in a prominent position alongside the Thames, this is a large pub with plenty of outside seating on a terrace at the front as well as accommodation on the upper floors. Internally it’s largely all one open plan room, although there is some partitioning and archways to break up the space a little. Décor wise it is fairly rustic I suppose, but also managed to look a bit artificial as well, almost as though someone has gone to a lot of trouble to make it appear rustic. Flooring is a mixture of flagstone style tiling and wood strip, with some chequered tiling around the bar counter. There was a decent amount of exposed brick walling including some attractive archways to the upper level, with cream plasterwork and blue/grey wood panelling elsewhere. Large windows facing the river made the most of the attractive outlook and some of the wood partitioning consisted of shelving that had been filled with a large quantity of old books, miner’s lamps and so on. A large exposed stone fireplace was an interesting feature, but appeared to be unused. Beers on tap were all from Fullers with their London Pride, HSB and the seasonal Red Fox whilst a fourth pump for Dark Star Hophead was presumably coming soon (or “Wish you were beer” as the small slate attached to the pump handle said). The solitary cider meanwhile was Cornish Orchard’s Gold. Prices seemed steep with a pint and a half coming in at £7.35, no doubt cashing in on the prime location.

I don't know when this pub opened as it's a warehouse conversion but it has been here since my one last visit, 23 years ago. Unchanged since the reviews below, this is indeed a large split level pub with much brick, both painted and bare. Furniture is conventional as well as button-wingbacked armchairs and leatherette banquettes; the floor is slate, covered with some kilims, the whole punctuated by muted music and friendly service. The overall effect is one of a hotel bar which is no surprise given that this is a hotel pub, except that I doubt other hotel pubs have run out of lavatory paper at just 7.30 pm; does no-one here check the lavs? Ales: the standard Fuller's range with the addition of Shotover's Oxford Prospect at £2.20 a half and ok, the high price being explained by the pub's tourist trap location. The main draw of course is the idyllic location and in this respect it succeeds, but as mentioned below, enthusiasm wanes on a rainy or winter's day when the disincentive of the long slog here from the centre of Oxford is a bit of drag. That said, on a hot summer's day there's no doubting that if you want a great riverside view, this pub gives good head.