In the 51st edition of the Good Beer Guide, CAMRA has surveyed 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK to compile what is considered by many to be the definitive beer drinker’s guide.
As many pubs and breweries are currently struggling in the wake of the cost-of-business crisis and the constant pressure of increasing fuel bills, CAMRA is campaigning for more support from the government to protect them.
Here is a list of the 13 local pubs around Banbury and the neighbouring Oxfordshire towns and villages that have been selected as the best by the CAMRA experts for 2024.
For the full list of pubs recommended in the edition, order The Good Beer Guide 2024 from the CAMRA website, which can be found here https://shop1.camra.org.uk/
9. Red Lion, Deddington
Address: Market Place, OX15 0SE. CAMRA said: "Reopened in 2019 in an attractive marketplace location, this is now established as the premier village pub. The menu focuses on excellent home-cooked plant-based dishes and fish & chips." Photo: Ian Taylor (Red Lion Facebook)
10. White Lion, Fewcott
Address: Fritwell Road, OX27 7NZ. CAMRA said: "A family-friendly rural free house that is the hub of the community. It is warm and cosy, with a welcoming fire in the winter and a popular garden for summer." Photo: Google Street View
11. Malthouse Kitchen at the Hook Norton Brewery Visitor Centre, Hook Norton
Address: Brewery Lane, OX15 5NU. CAMRA said: "The Visitor Centre, popular with locals and tourists encompasses a well-stocked shop dispensing brewery merchandise, the licensed Malthouse Kitchen restaurant (open every day for breakfast and lunch) and a museum area." Photo: Google Street View
12. Pear Tree Inn, Hook Norton
Address: Scotland End, OX15 5NU. CAMRA said: "This wet sales-driven pub, under the excellent management of a longstanding village resident, serves the full range of Hooky beers, which may be enjoyed in the cosy bar or large family-friendly beer garden." Photo: Google Street View