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Date of photo: 2022	Picture source: T C
The Grapes was situated at 7 George Street. This pub closed in 2022 and was briefly known as Beerd c2016.
The Grapes did re-open after the lockdowns but closed in December 2021 after leaseholder West Berks Brewery got into financial difficulties. Owner Oxford City Council is now seeking a new leaseholder for what is the last traditional pub on George Street, but it is likely to prove too small, with limited kitchen capacity, for a big group to take over. Rents in this area, dominated by restaurants and bars, are notoriously high. The 19th century pub - so-called as inn serving wine as well as beer often took the name Grapes - has had a chequered history over the last decade as successive leaseholders have tried to make it work. It passed from Greene King to Bath Ales which made quite a success of it, but then rebranded it as Beerd as the craft keg movement gathered pace. When St Austell brewery took over Bath Ales and didn't want the pub there were rumours it would become yet another coffee shop, but the lease was taken on by West Berkshire with a mix of cask and craft keg ales.
Dave Richardon, Oxford Drinker magazine, August 2022
Reopened in August 2023.
T C (August 2023)
Review from tantallon.org.uk:
Morrells Oxford Bitter GBP 1.95 (9.ix.1999) Morrells Graduate Bitter GBP 2.15 (30.v.1999) Carbonnade a la Flamande GBP 5.25 (9.ix.1999) James Davey writes: The link between The Grapes and the nearby theatres (The Apollo, Playhouse, BT and OFS) is unmissable. The ceiling is lovingly covered in various flyers and posters from shows old and new. This gives the interior a very pleasant look, much more like an authentic pub than any of the others on George St. The pub is not particularly large but the seating is comfortable and easily accessible. The beer is the standard Morrells fare (Graduate, Varsity and Oxford bitters) Food is also available, I particularly recomend the Fisherman's Pie (They also serve jacket potatoes, baguettes, scampi and chips, lasagne etc.) (I found the jacket potatoes excellent - Ed.) However, service is slightly slow so don't pop in if you want a quick bite to eat before the theatre or you may miss the first 10 minutes of performance. Definitely worth relaxing in if you are in the area and the food is good too. Owen Massey writes: It's usually taken me a while to get a free seat in the Grapes, which I think you might want to record. (Well, not about me personally, of course.) That said, the barpersons do pretty well even when it's busy. Colin Batchelor writes: Ooh. It's been reupholstered and repainted on the outside. Much more of the feel of a Victorian pub to it now with proper thick leather seating rather that the ripped House of Lords-style benching it had before. Otherwise, almost exactly the same but for the barrelly tat above the doors to the facilities. Excellent pub if quiet every time I've been in (which is no bad thing) and the Graduate is cheap as far as Graduate goes. The ginger beer comes in genuine ginger beer glasses, or so Elaine tells me. Behind the bar is a model of a sheep's head wearing a beret and smoking a cigarette. (30.v.1999) Mark Dickerson adds: The beer was fine and the food excellent. Some of the padded benches towards the back are raised up to remind one of leg-dangling childhood. Very loud big-band tape on when I went, and an irate man arguing about the use of a church for a human rights banner. (9.ix.1999)
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