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Detail Pages
The Trout Inn, Oxford
Wolvercote
Postal town: Oxford
OX2 8PN
Pub Type
Premium Country Pubs (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Trout Inn
This is a pub with a history which apparently dates back to the 12th century, the current building dating from 1737. As mentioned in the previous review, this is a Morse pub but not one where he drank; the beer garden featuring in the episode Second Time Around. I came here a handful of times from the summer of ’94 to ’96 and aesthetics aside, it wasn’t a great pub with awful ale and bearably drinkable Guinness, the main attraction being the superb beer garden and rickety bridge. There was also a large herd of peacocks, shrieking their heads off and crapping all over the place like flying Labradors.
With a mini crawl of neighbouring Wolvercote, I decided to knock this one on the head with the short walk to Godstow. On arrival, I noticed a peacock (now the only one) perched on the roof, like a giant weathervane; it was being squawked at by a large murder of crows. On entering, I didn’t recognise the place, which is as described below, now with a lounge holding area, with male and female Front of House enquiring: ‘Good evening, Sir. How may we help?’. I told them that after 26 years I didn’t recognise the place, which has undergone the full country pub gastrofication, with lovely timber beams, unsullied with paint, justified and ancient (like The KLF), but with a cream of mushroom soup colour scheme, furnished with wingback chairs; it’s all very corporate hospitality in appearance, looking like the bar for a country club or rural hotel, with spotlights. There’s a partial flagstone floor, paintings in gilt rococo frames and long bar to the rear, all to the gentle accompaniment of ambient mood music.
The ale choice here is unimaginative, with just Landlord at £2.50 a half and fine, served by professional staff.
This place is good for a lager or ‘craft’ beer on a sunny afternoon in the beer garden, but it’s just a bit sterile for me; the White Hart up the road in Wolvercote is a far better bet.
On 23rd August 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Trout Inn
Some wonderful old buildings as you approach which fills you with hope for a wonderful old masterpiece but perhaps inevitably this place has had a four-to-the-floor gastroisation. Get in round the side and through a holding area to a long, bland and narrow bar. Two ales on over 4 brass handled pumps; a dull selection of Doom Bar and a lacklustre Wainwright. The terrace overlooking the river teeming with trout and a bridge to a small island is the star attraction. A location for Morse but I can’t imagine him actually drinking here…
On 10th September 2018
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Trout Inn
Stopping off during a walk. Absolutely packed, as you would expect on a summers day, but the staff did seem to be coping well.
We just wanted a quick pint as refreshment. Not too outrageous £8 for a lager and lime and an old hooky. Old Hooky in poor condition - not clear and poorer than average.
Great location.
Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2tTyJCt
On 24th July 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 277 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Trout Inn
Beautiful 12th century building,now a gastro pub which is extremely popular with diners.There is a riverside terrace where Inspector Morse often used to sup,but I doubt if he would have felt comfortable inside.There has been an aggressive internal refurb,timbers are exposed but everything else is uber modern,and most tables are given over to diners.Drinking is possible around the bar area,which has copious lager fonts and two handpumps with St Austell Tribute and Sharp's Doom Bar on my trip.Even the tables in the bar area had been taken over by diners,so expect to drink vertically at busy times.
I didn't eat so cant comment on the food quality,but this is not really the place to pop in to for a quiet drink when it is too cold to venture outside with your pint.
On 25th January 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tim Morten left this review about Vintage Inns
AKA 'The Trout At Godstow'
A Wonderful building in an enchanting riverside setting that has had the full 'Vintage Inn' makeover (ie a Harvester with pretentions). This famous pub still manages (just) to retain some of it's charms. Go once, just to w
On 5th August 2004
- rating: 6
[User has posted 12 recommendations about 12 pubs]