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The Four Candles (JD Wetherspoon), Oxford
Oxford
OX1 2BE
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Steve C left this review about The Four Candles (JD Wetherspoon)
The Four Candles is a relatively small Wetherspoons with a bar counter along the rear wall that supports two banks of five hand pumps that were drawing the usual suspects plus Elland Brewery’s 1872 Porter, Daleside’s Monkey Wrench and Salopian’s Darwins Original. After experience of the high % Porter putting a spanner into a recent crawl I went for the Daleside, which was OK. I didn’t venture upstairs to the mezzanine, but for some reason I did think it important to note that it has a balcony that overlooks the bar counter.
On 31st October 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5254 recommendations about 5222 pubs]
Quinno _ left this review about The Four Candles (JD Wetherspoon)
Trundles along as is usual for a Spoons pub. It’s very busy and the tables are incredibly cheek-by-jowl even by Timbo’s usual standards. Packed-out and awkward; he can definitely make a coin on a third venue in OX1 if he can find a site. Uninspiring ale selection on this visit so decided to go for one of their new craft can range to go with my grub. A victim of its own success – I like it when its quiet but when it isn’t (which is often) it feels like hard work. A shame, as it’s a neat venue. 6.5
November 2014
A bit of a disappointing visit on Saturday morning as the 4C was in classic JDW stereotype mode; understaffed bar (two people serving 20), a load of beers not on despite being clipped. My eventual Cameron's Strongarm was fairly mediocre. Docked a point - should do better. Rated 7
Jan 2014
Popped back here in order to re-charge the batteries halfway round our crawl. The place has been looked-after and hasn’t slipped into the careworn shabbiness that blights so many pubs in the JDW chain. Food and drink were both spot-on, my pint of Righteous (one of the US collaboration brews) was impressive. Perhaps the main downer was the over-muted lighting which made the place feel gloomy on what was already a grey day. Still, I rate this as one the UK’s best Spoons and is a better bet in Oxford than some of the so-called ‘classic’ pubs nearby. Rated 8
July 2011
Recently-opened two-level JDW housed in a distinctive building with a corner turret. Named after the Two Ronnies sketch as Ronnie Barker attended a nearby school. Being in Oxford it seems like Spoons pushed the boat out here as the interior is a definite A+ for them, with a nice bar back, illustrations and some chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling above the servery. A good ale selection including Oxfordshire Ales Pride of Oxford, a LocAle, which tasted good. The seats by the corner windows were a nice area in which to imbibe. All in all, impressive for a Spoons on this showing. Rated 7
On 11th May 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Four Candles (JD Wetherspoon)
A mediocre Spoons, not very large on the ground floor (we didn't venture upstairs) and the wedged-in collection of tables in the gloomy interior were all in use. Not great on the beer front either, with only two festival ales on plus the trio of doom. Much better nearby.
On 20th October 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Four Candles (JD Wetherspoon)
Popped into here as I had limited time before my train - standard issue Spoons barn on two levels, tourists queuing shop-style at the bar didn’t help initial impressions. Some nice decorative features and some good information about the Two Ronnies on the wall. The usual Greene King and Doom Bar casks plus two from White Horse and a Loddon Ferrymans. Not the most impressive choice for a city centre and the pub had no atmosphere on a sunday afternoon, even by Wetherspoons standards. Staff were okay and the place is inoffensive but there must be much better in Oxford.
On 6th February 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Four Candles (JD Wetherspoon)
Unremarkable, split-level 'spoons, although the oddly positioned windows in the upper seating / dining area suggest that the ground-floor ceiling has been raised at some point. OK selection of nine real ales from the two banks of five handpumps, with several local beers including the Chadlington Oxford IPA (£2.49).
On 29th September 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Four Candles (JD Wetherspoon)
Used as a meeting place for our PuG crawl, I opted for a half of Coke which cost a fortune. I tend to avoid JDW outlets so don't know if this place is good or bad for the breed...
On 5th September 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Four Candles (JD Wetherspoon)
This Spoons had a traditional interior with the main feature being the timber staircase up to the first floor. The main bar facing you as you enter, was in oak with a black granite counter. The colour scheme was predominantly burgundy painted walls and burgundy and gold patterned wallpaper. A row of six small chandeliers also hung in a row along the bar front. Ten handpumps along the bar, with the majority of our crew opting for the Salopian Oracle, which was a wise choice as it was in good shape. I agree with Moby the service in here wasn't the best for a Friday lunchtime and if anyone ordered a coffee, the bar service came to a grinding halt.
On 26th July 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Four Candles (JD Wetherspoon)
A small spoons as described below, the beers and ciders as mentioned by BF didn't generally inspire but the stand out was the Salopian Oracle which was an excellent beer. I found the service to be rather Lackadaisical and on a couple of occassions the servee had no idea who was next despite only two people being at the bar.
Apart from the convinence factor and the excellent (on the day) Salopian Oracle, I cant see a lot to recommend here.
On 25th July 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Four Candles (JD Wetherspoon)
One of the smaller 'spoons,on a street corner with a carpeted ground floor and an interesting first floor,partially ovelooking the action below.The two banks of 5 handpumps were offering on my trip the regular GK IPA,Abbott,Doom Bar as well as two real ciders,Burton Bridge Top Dog Stout,Inveralmond Lia Fail,Blindman Icarus,Brakspear Oxford Gold and a very decent Salopian Oracle.I thought that was a respectable choice,it's a neat and tidy place offering decent value and made a good starting point ,not too far from the station, for a crawl around Oxford.
On 23rd July 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2728 recommendations about 2728 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Four Candles (JD Wetherspoon)
This is one of two Oxford City Centre's Spoons, this one being housed in an older and nicer looking building than the other one which is all glass and steel. It's named after a joke based on word play that once you know what's coming ceases to be funny.
The bar is a wide room with the bar at the back and an upstairs level that I didn't venture into. The furnishings are fairly typical.
The ten hand pumps on the bar were all in use with no doubling up, no available soon and no spurious cider clips. Beers were the IPA variant of the JDW Trio Of Doom, Marston's One Is 90, Cameron's Fridge Magnet, Hook Norton Nerdherder, Great Newsome Holderness Dark, Otter Amber, Dartmoor Jail Ale and Titanic Lifeboat. All but one of the seven guests were bitters, all of them boring and all in the roughly 4.5% ABV downwards range. None of them were Locale. This may have just been bad luck but the Cameron's Fridge Magnet (£2.59 and laughingly billed as Cameron "craft") although in good condition was the epitome of a boring bitter. The plus points were it seemed to be well run, it's a pleasant venue, the prices (£2.59 for a standard guest ale) are reasonable for a city centre Spoons and despite the upper level the toilets were downstairs.
It's a good Spoons but I've been to better. I would go to either of the two Oxford JDWs in preference to the expensive tourist traps that get all the undeserved publicity.
On 27th June 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]