Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 14th April 2024) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Lighthouse, Oxford
Oxford
OX1 1HH
Pub Type
Leased (Marstons)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 Lighthouse
A first in here the other night and a welcome change from our experience in the Oxford Retreat over the road. This was originally built as the Navigation End, rebuilt as the Queen's Arms to become a branch of Rosie O'Grady's by the mid-'90s, later the Duke's Cut and recently the Lighthouse.
The pub is situated in Oxford's rather dreary Park End area overlooking a municipal car park with a long side wing with a beer garden looking out over the river.
Internally there's much stripped pine, a boarded floor and large oversized industrial lights. Furniture comprises some high stools and tables with raised brown leatherette banquettes and tables. The side wing has more conventional furniture and appears to be geared more towards dining. There's something of a seafaring theme going on here with a picture of a squid on the wall and mirrors fashioned from ship portholes. There's even the Beach Boys playing on the gramophone!
Ales: Wychwood's Hobgoblin and Brakspear's Oxford Gold which was fine but at £4.10 a pint is expensive for Oxford and certainly for Park End.
A better choice of ales at a more sensible price would gain a few extra marks but in short I'd some up this place up thus: Nautical but nice.
On 31st August 2017
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1982 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Lighthouse
Quite nicely done out inside but given the beers on offer ,Oxford Gold and Hobgoblin it didn't really do it for me here.
On 25th July 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Lighthouse
Refurbed into a comtemporary bar,to the right of the entrance is a room with a good looking curved window set in stone,much wooden cladding throughout the interior ,and two further sections to the left of the bar.Popular with younger drinkers ,the real ale options were only Brakspears Oxford Gold (boring but drinkable) and Hobgoblin.More a cocktail kind of place,the barman was friendly enough and showed us the menu.We sloped off in search of better real ale.
On 23rd July 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Lighthouse
A very impressive refurb in here, much nicer than its previous incarnation. Self-described as ‘nautica steampunk’, very pretentious but they’ve at least properly gone for it. Lots of nautical prints on the walls, Glenn Miller on the stereo etc. There’s a very small but well-done outside seating area overlooking the river though it needs better lighting, the heaters were being constantly switched-on by the punters for their light-emitting qualities despite it being a fairly mild evening. Mainly cocktails and their ilk at the bar however two Marstons-list ales were on – a fair Oxford Gold (at an eye-watering £2.10 a half) and Hobgoblin. Staff were friendly and on the ball. I started to warm to this place as time wore on, though I doubt I’d be rushing back to pay £4+ a pint for Brakspear any time soon.
July 2011 (as Dukes Cut)
Refurbished a few years ago from an “Irish pub” called Rosie O’ Grady's. The interior is Brakspear-by-numbers (light blue shades, laminate wood flooring, flowery wallpaper) and lacks any real charm bar the patio overlooking the river. Four ales on: Ringwood Best (poor), Brakspear Oxford Gold (decent), Hobgoblin and Jennings Tizzie Wizzie. I suppose it’s useful for a swift one before the train. Rated 5
On 18th September 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Rosie O'Gradys
Nicely refurbished, but perhaps needs to get a bit of character. Some good beers though.
On 23rd December 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]