Rose & Crown PH — Restaurant in Oxford

If you're looking for a pub in Oxford with a questionable reputation when it comes to inclusivity, I would like to share my experience.

My family and I have been residents of Oxford since 2017, and today was our third visit to this pub over a span of six years. We had our 5-month-old baby with us with the sweltering heat. Initially, we attempted to find a seat in the pub's garden at around 4:30 pm. While we were aware that Sundays are dedicated to jazz events, which typically commence at 7:30 pm, we were denied seating until 5:30 pm by the same individual we encountered before. Faced with the scorching weather, we opted to sit indoors for some relief and respite. However, once we placed our drink orders, the guy instructed his staff to inform us that children were not permitted in the pub after 5 pm. I suspect he conveyed this through his staff because there have been instances where we struggled to comprehend his accent when he spoke English in his native manner. It is important to note that English is not our first language. This incident mirrors a similar occurrence from two years ago when we ordered food here. It seems that unless one speaks English in a manner that the owner deems native, they are automatically assumed to be a tourist or visitor to Oxford. However, one's command of the English language does not serve as proof of their place of residence. I have resided in Oxford since 2017, and it is not necessary for me to conform to a specific British style. If the owner wishes to be understood, he should make an effort to communicate clearly, rather than delegate the situation to his staff. This unfortunate experience sheds light on a hidden and unspoken form of...

A traditional TINY Oxford pub. The front room has only three tables (plus a piano) and the back room (where the bar is) has two long tables and benches. There are stools and benches in the corridor. The lovely back courtyard has more seating though but some complex rules on signs everywhere that limit where and when you can stand, drink, eat and smoke. I suppose this is all part of the quirky nature of the place but seems unnecessary to me.

Fine real ales, well kept, with one guest ale option. Good selection of interesting bottled beers. The tiny bar seems well stocked with spirits and mixers too.

Food is genuinely excellent pub grub (strangely lacking in the north oxford area where everything seems to have gone a bit artisan Hipster for my liking). Fish and Chips £13 actually turned out to be breaded plaice but was delicious and served with crusty bread, excellent chips, tartare sauce and mushy peas. Toasties are also great, little touches like a pinch of fresh parsley make all the difference.

Camra members get a small discount on real ales but having heard about the place in Camra’s book I was disappointed to find this doesn’t apply on Fridays or Saturdays. What a shame. If it wasn’t for this and the inability to pay for a pint on contactless (£5 minimum for cards) I’d give the...

Extremely racist man managing the pub who was uncomfortable with the fact that a large group of non-white people were in his pub.

It was extremely clear from the minute we got in that the very grumpy man managing the pub was racist, even though there was a large group of friends who had already ordered drinks and were giving the pub their ENTIRE service for the night. He came up to us twice to say that we must order drinks and ‘do we not know that in a public house in england you must order a drink, you can’t order tap water unless you’re eating or drinking’. I’ve been into pubs my entire life and this has never been the case. I have never been treated in such a disgusting manner.

We were just popping in to tell our friend happy birthday and both didn’t drink so didn’t need to buy a drink and were then promptly told that using our religion as a way to get out of buying a drink is ‘ridiculous’ and that ‘as far as I know during ramadan you can drink after sunset’.

Our entire group (around 20-30 people) left the pub because of how disrespectful this man was. None of us will be coming back.

Avoid at all costs, do...