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Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
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Detail Pages
The Rock of Gibraltar, Kidlington
Enslow
Postal town: Kidlington
OX5 3AY
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Rock of Gibraltar
ORIGINAL REVIEW March 2015
A fine building in Oxfordshire stone it stands overlooking the Oxford Canal and has a large canalside beer garden with substantial decking to one side.Sadly when you walk in ,it soon becomes clear this pub is owned by a pubco ,with a regular turnover of lessees creating an unloved feel .The stone floored bar room had sparse furniture and a functional but unattractive bar,although there is a decent fireplace to the left and a wood burner to the right in a double aspect fireplace which also serves the pool and darts room beyond .There is a conservatory but only a small part is functional after some wind damage to the lower section ,which also creates an unwelcoming darkness to a lower dining area behind the serving bar.With some TLC this could be an interesting interior but serious investment is badly needed.
Three real ale were being offered with the best option Wye Valley Butty Bach but although clear it wasn't in great condition and a good sized crowd of early doors builders were avoiding the real ale.
Food is listed on wall mounted slates but it looked like foodservice fare,with no food on the Thursday evening of my visit presumably as there was no one capable of working the microwave.
It could be so much better,there's lots of potential but in it's current state not worthy of a revisit.
UPDATE
A definite improvement since the last visit,food is now available Wed - Sun at lunchtime and in the evenings and was very decent,good value pub grub with a few daily specials.The upper conservatory is small but now houses art for sale by local artists,while the lower garden room is tidy but still not very inviting.There is an interesting dog powered spit roast contraption above the double aspect fire place ,is this a joke ? There is a skiff suspended above the serving area.
At the bar there are 4 handpumps offering a real cider,Doom Bar and Box Steam Piston Broke (ok condition,dull beer) with a further clip reversed.Not very exciting on the ale front,but the pub feels more loved these days with some community spirit.
On 5th April 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Rock of Gibraltar
Although this looks ok from the outside, inside it has the run down feel of a serially tenanted, pubco owned roadhouse.
It's an odd layout and feels much smaller than it looks with the bar being right in front of you as you enter, a poolroom to the right and unused conservatory to the left.
Although the welcome was friendly enough and there were a few locals standing at the bar chatting, it didn't invite a long stay.
Beer on was Bellhaven (GK?) Grand Slam, GK Old Speckled Hen and Wye Valley Butty Bach. The Butty Bach was drinkable but not in great condition.
Only worth a stop if you're passing and especially thirsty.
On 18th March 2015
- rating: 5
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]