The Olive Tree at The Plough — Restaurant in Cherwell District

Looking for accommodation in Bicester? Then look no further than The Plough Inn, conveniently located in the heart of this old town

As b&bs go, this is much better value than the several 3 and 4 star hotels that I've used over years, which seem to elevate their prices because of the main tourist attraction - 'The Bicester Village' boutique centre and have lost focus on other visitors with tighter budgets than the transitory international shoppers.

As a frequent traveller, I don't usually consider b&bs, but there is a limit to what I'm prepared to pay for 3+ star hotels.

Most of the time, all that my wife and I look for are a reasonable sized room, a comfortable bed, a tidy bathroom and toilet, a clean bedroom with basic hospitality such as coffee/tea, free wifi, a nice outlook, location and, as appropriate, air conditioning or heating. A restaurant is also always a consideration - in-house or close by.

The Plough used to be a run down public house in need of a make over. With the retirement of the previous owners, a family group acquired the leasehold who put a former employee in charge.

They immediately made significant changes to make it more appealing while retaining the many historic features. As well as the usual bars, there is a comfortable dining room and a spacious outdoor seating/dining area with its own pizza oven.

There is nothing complicated about the menu that we saw. There was an interesting selection and the chef has yet to finalise it! I was assured that the chef is outstanding and will introduce his own signature dishes over time. Unfortunately, at the time of visiting, he was on holiday.

If the fish and chips, our two guests, my wife and I had, are an indication of the skills and quality served by the kitchen is typical then The Plough is not only to be recommended as a b&b and pub, but a restaurant in its own right.

Next day, our guests were still talking about how delicious a simple serving of fish and chips could be!

Okay, although the bedroom was alright for size, the bathroom was small but adequate. (There are seven rooms across two floors accessed by stairs - no lift. Given the age of the building, the layout is always challenging when redeveloping to meet 21st century regulations and customer demands.)

The bed was comfortable and, although a full English breakfast is served Friday, Saturday and Sunday, for other days, individual breakfasts are provided in 'tiffin' style baskets delivered to your room. The Continental style breakfast contents comprised an assortment of good quality items. Delicious. [This may be a temporary arrangement.]

There was a generous supply of coffee sachets, tea bags, other beverages, sugar, sweeteners and milk cartons - no need to ask room service for more!

Our guests lived 100 meters away and were surprised that we were staying at this 'old pub' which they thought had closed down.

They were very keen to see how it has been transformed. It is now a regular drinking and eating place as well as a very convenient accommodation for visitors.

There is ample onsite parking (register your vehicle at reception to avoid a parking charge).

The team deserve to succeed as they both have the right attitude and obviously appreciate the importance of good customer expectations and the many challenges in managing a multi-discipline business - for many, its the 'local'; as a b&b, a clean, comfortable alternative to hotels; as a restaurant, delivering an interesting menu without compromising quality.

Given our experience at The Plough, we will consider b&bs as an alternative...

It’s The Plough, but not as you know it…

Enter, The Olive Tree, an exciting new venture, with some familiar faces, but fresh ideas. The welcome is warm and inviting, while everyone you will meet is helpful and knowledgeable.

There is an extensive drinks offering available, including excellent local beer & spirit choices and alcohol free options. G and Leon are already a well oiled machine, outstanding at what they do, and a great team to front the pub for hopefully years to come.

The new food menu is varied and well thought out. Presentation and flavour combinations show a chef and team who are clearly highly focused on the quality of everything coming out of their kitchen. Particular highlights are the crispy pork belly Sunday roast, as well as the ‘hot as hell’ wings, and that’s no lie!

If you’re on the fence about visiting, hop off, and get down there to support a new management team who truly care about their pub...

Absolutely blown away by the team at The Olive Tree at The Plough. Was really worried it wouldn’t live up to the reviews - but it exceeded them. We were a group of 10 celebrating my dads birthday and the team went out of their way to deliver utterly delicious food, a brilliant selection of drinks and great service. We were late, as we were stuck in Oxford following the Oxford half, and the team were really flexible and understanding - which was much appreciated. Due to pre-booking we also had vegan options for two of our group, who commented on how delicious their option was. Keep up the good work - we will most certainly be back! Best roast we’ve all had out in...