5. Old Marston, with a foray to Iffley, Saturday 2 March 2002

Another post football match crawl, again attempted with Mr. David Wacey, following an epic 9-3 win for Geolsoc versus Italiansoc. Proceedings commenced with a trip to the Bricklayer’s Arms in Old Marston, the only pub open at 4pm, where a reasonable pint of moderately obscure ale can be quaffed. A nice pub from the outside, its interior appears to have been refurbished into a slightly family orientated place where a ‘Little Gnome’ menu is available for kids.

We pressed on the Victoria Arms at the riverside. In March this pub affords good views and is fortunately quite free from punters. Gimp’s piece of shit bike is submerged somewhere in the punt park at the rear of the pub. A selection of Wadworth’s products of average quality may be imbibed. It being only 5.30, upon exiting this establishment, we pondered our next move. The only place open for beer was Marston Saints FC in Boults Lane. This is essentially a clubhouse, but is quite cheap and cheerful even though the range is restricted to lagers. Toilets were dire though.

At this point, we felt that some pubs might be starting to open up, but no, not till 6.30. A fine fish supper was had at the Mediterranean Fish bar on the double roundabout at Marston: cod, chips, mushy peas all at an eat-in price of £4.30. Marvellous.

Galvanized by this fayre, we found that the Red Lion had opened and stopped for a pint of Ruddles. Confectionary was clearly available - this seems to be a trend of Marston pubs. Annoyingly, neither of the two pubs next door to each other [Three Horse Shoes and White Hart] had opened when we left, so we razzed on shit bikes into town. Moving onto halves, we ventured briefly into The Star on a road between St. Clements and Cowley Road. Not nice at all, poor real ales, and a toilet pan containing a big unflushed chod. The Oxford Blue received a slightly better mark - though this was populated by sloanes and general twats who had played some sort of hockey match.

After bidding Mr. Wacey goodbye, it was time put to the football kits on to wash and rendezvous with Dr. Nick Gardiner and Mr. Steven Ball in the Isis Tavern for a couple of quiet pints of Guinness. Not a bad pub, though I feel it lacks something in some way.


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Dan Lovegrove
dan@doctor-lovegrove.com

Last updated 26th July 2002.