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Disappointment of the week with trainman
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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Far From the Madding Crowd
The Far from the Madding crowd is closing its doors for good at last orders on Saturday Night 24th this week. I gather the nearby Tesco are having it as a staff canteen. From Twitter:
"Sad to confirm that Far from the Madding Crowd is closing on 24 Jan. Landlord wants us out by end Jan as we can't do a deal on the rent"
August 2014
A couple of years on, no real change inside beyond a bit more wear and tear of the furnishings. Five on, and a good selection of Byatts x2, Salopian, Goddards and Kelham Island. My Byatts Red was fine if a little flat (end of barrel?). It’s never going to win a charm contest but in terms of being a premier division Oxford alehouse that should be on the crawl list, it’s a shoo-in.
August 2012
Enjoyable modern pub/bar in the town centre opened at the turn of the millennium, located down a small alleyway by Debenhams - which means you won't find it by accident so few tourists in situ as a result though there are numerous students. There’s plenty of ale on, a good selection too with a number not seen often down south and usually including a stout or mild. One of the ales is always a “manager’s special” and retails for about 50p less than the others. Quality is usually excellent. A selection of Belgian and German bottled beers is also available as well as proper cider. Food is fair if not exactly spectacular and staff service is good – you’re given an honest waiting time for the food before ordering, most places would take your cash and then let you sit twiddling your thumbs. The atmosphere is pleasant with a broad clientèle mix all of whom all seem to rub along happily. Sunday quiz. The interior is fairly bland but it was converted from a shop, so expect JDW+ not the Bird & Baby. Granted, it might not be the quintessential Olde English Pub that some are after but it does more than enough to warrant a visit if in the city and it's a good place to take non-ale drinkers. I like it and would recommend it. Rated 8
On 21st January 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Far From the Madding Crowd
The name is most appropriate,it is far from the maddening crowd of tourists who flock around Oxford during the day in good weather,this is an oasis of calm and the preserve of the real ale drinker.Not much to look at down an alley next to a Tesco Metro ,the interior is basic and now well worn .The green sofa in to which I slumped was difficult to extract oneself for a trip to either the bar or loo.
The six handpumps were drawing Orkney Dark Munro,Brakspears Bitter,Ulverston Laughing Gravy,Beowolf English Norseman,Kelham Island Mistress Flames,and Sadlers Elementis and both my pints were in good shape as befits a 2013 GBG entry.Food is very much pub grub and looked good value although I didn't partake.
The ale policy here seems to be a completely rotating selection ,so your view may be a function of what's on offer at the time of your visit.There is no history or features here,but I have a feeling that if Morse wanted to escape the throng common to many town centre pubs ,he may well have sloped in here for some decent real ale while knocking off the Times crossword.
I will always be popping in to see what's on offer when ever in Oxford.
On 9th June 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Oggwyn Great left this review about Far From the Madding Crowd
As other reviews have pointed out the interior of this place is rather bland and uninspiring , it was quite busy on my visit and the beer and service was very good .
My pint of Isle of Purbeck Solar Power was pretty good , even though the beer was good and one of the barmaids appeared to be wearing her pyjamas i felt no need to stay for more than one pint .
On 9th June 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 797 recommendations about 683 pubs]
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Steve of N21 left this review about Far From the Madding Crowd
Yes this is a CAMRA award winning, independent pub in the heart of Oxford which is rightly popular for; real ale, ciders, quality pub food and quarterly beer festivals. And it correctly receives plaudits for having six regularly changing real ales available, sometimes even changing during the day depending on the demand. Which is why it was awarded Oxford CAMRA Pub of the Year 2011.
But unfortunately this does not totally overcome the issue that it completely lacks character and the experience is equivalent to having a beer in a doctor’s waiting room. But given that the building used to be a warehouse/storeroom for Debenhams I guess they have done as well as they could with the interior.
Plenty of available comfortable seating to enjoy a fine pint of Vale Brewery Best Bitter on this particular Saturday lunchtime, but then there was hardly anyone in.
On 4th October 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about Far From the Madding Crowd
The points made by previous reviewers are very valid: you won't find it by accident so it isn't full of tourists and there is more than whiff of the 'Spoons about the place given its open plan layout and identikit furniture.
The upside to this is that it does appeal to locals and attracts a mixed and friendly clientele. There was also a warm welcome from behind the bar from staff who are very knowledgable about their beer and very happy to recommend and discuss the various ales on.
The real draw though is the ale selection which included: Elland Karma Citra, Great Heck Yorkshire Pale Ale, Newmans Exuberant - a popular 'Manager's Special' at £2.90, Roosters Pentathlon and Salopian Kashmir. That's a well chosen selection across strengths and styles and everything I tried was in top condition with the Kashmir being one of the finest ales I've had all year.
A must visit if you're in Oxford for beer.
On 5th September 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
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Moby Duck left this review about Far From the Madding Crowd
I didn't take to this pub at all,large open plan and totally devoid of any atmosphere that I could detect,it reminded me of a cross between a large JDW and a works canteen.My beer of choice was the aptly named (by this time of day)Puddled Duck by the Green Duck Brewing Co,it turned out to be a rather forgettable drink.I didn't enjoy my short visit here and are not likely to return.
On 12th August 2012
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
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Danny O'Revey left this review about Far From the Madding Crowd
Modern open plan pub hidden behind a shopping development and the theatre. Floor board, very Wetherspoony tables and chairs with a smaller sofa'd area up one step. Piped chart music.
Different world to old Oxford, its rather characterless and needs better quality beer to me if it were to fit in with the rest of Oxford. Picked from the 2009 Good Beer Guide Entries, there were 5 real ales, but the quality was poor, the beer far too warm and unpleasent. Maybe a one off considering other comments below?
Poor
On 7th June 2011
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
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Gill Smith left this review about Far From the Madding Crowd
I often regard this as the best pub in Oxford for ale choice. While staying in Oxford to travel to Reading beer festival we spent a couple of days round the Oxfors pubs. On 27th April enjoyed Wadworth Lily the Pink and Salopian Peccadillo, then on 2nd May enjoyed Raw Edge Pale Ale and Holdens April Showers. The soup with hot bagette went down well too.
On 10th May 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
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Pub SignMan left this review about Far From the Madding Crowd
A 2002 shop conversion, this modern pub offers a good range of real ales in a quiet corner of central Oxford. Finding the pub is half the challenge - the map on this site is a little misleading as it is not possible to access the pub from George Street. Instead you should approach from Magdalen St and turn down the small alleyway behind Debenhams.
The pub is somewhat simplistic, with a single, large split-level room full of standard tables and chairs summing up the interior. This may put off the pub traditionalist, but it feels like the sort of place you could get away with dragging your non ale drinking friends to, which is a big plus in my book.
The pub has a nice community vibe to it, with plenty of events organised, such as curry and quiz night (£3), pizza night, talent contests and four beer festivals each year. The staff were very welcoming and their commitment to good beer can be seen by the healthy collection of pump clips on the walls around the bar. A blackboard next to the bar lists the current selection, with all 6 pumps in action when I visited. I had a choice of Brakspear Bitter, Sadler's Pumpkin Eater and Thin Ice, Enville Nailmaker Mild (manager's special £2.50), Acorn Quantum and Breconshire Baroque. Aside from the manager's special, the beer was priced around the £3.00-£3.20 mark.
They have recently won the Oxford CAMRA pub of the year award and it's easy to see why. A nice, versatile pub with much to recommend.
On 2nd November 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ed davies left this review about Far From the Madding Crowd
A lovely pub - slightly off the beaten track. Don't let the modern stylings put you off, the beer (6HPs) was in top form, staff and locals friendly, and free wi-fi. No food Monday night, quiz night & curry Sunday nights. Local CAMRA POTY 09. Prices from £2.10 (managers special) to £3.10
On 8th February 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 13 recommendations about 13 pubs]