The Library, Oxford

The Library is a small bar in a converted house that is accessed up a few steps from the passing street where there were some arguing delivery drivers during a recent Tuesday evening visit. There is minimal furniture in the small bare boarded bar area where I sat alone, although there was a small queue at the bar because the seating down some steps at the rear was full of student aged customers. Craft keg was available and a lone hand pump was drawing Hook Norton Brewery’s Hooky, that wasn’t the greatest pint of the day. There was some modern background music playing, but no other distractions. The owner seemed friendly enough, but I’m the wrong demographic for here, at least on a Tuesday night anyway.

Despite living for four years just off the Cowley Road, we never ventured into this pub which despite looking like a conversion, was originally the Crown, dating back to at least 1871, acquiring its current name in 2011. The interior is tiny with a small pale wood bar and décor comprising pale grey t 'n' g to dado height with white walls above. There's a modern wood floor with much foreign brewery guff to the walls, the overall impression given is one of being a small live music dive bar which is what it is, given that live music can be heard wafting up from the basement, competing with the ambient music playing in the bar. Sport is obviously shown at times as there's a projector screwed to the ceiling. Due to the size, furniture is limited, comprising just a few tall stools and drinking ledges whilst there's comfortable seating in the patio garden out back. Customers seemed to be a mixed bunch with older trendies, hipsters and a younger crowd who I suspect may not be students given the university holidays. Ales: surprisingly one real ale, XT's Cormorant at a reasonable £2.00 a half. This place is better than expected, though expectations should never be high when tramping along what is probably Oxford's most unappealing street.

Blink-and-you’ll-miss-it pub, seemingly a converted single row house squashed in amongst bigger, more dominating buildings. The main room is pretty small, only space for 30 or so with a teeny bar at the far right end. Extra seating is downstairs on way to a rear patio garden. Odd mixture of customers, middle-aged trendies in the front bar, posho students out back and a collection of gibbering chimps who I was struggling to place as being students or local. One ale on, a fair Adnams Bitter. Efficient, hardworking barman made sure to acknowledge me despite the queue and lack of help. TV showing Champs League footy in main bar. Pizza oven in the rear patio, fired up and working and at around 6 quid a go not bad value either. Intriguing little place, a 6.5.

Official site of The Library - thelibrarypuboxford.com