The Jolly Farmers

Very enjoyable pub right in the centre of Oxford. They dont serve food but you can bring your own, at least we did. We got a pizza from just around the corner and enjoyed it whilst enjoying some beers in the beer garden. Really welcoming and inclusive pub. Would happily return.

I small cosy pub with a comfortable garden. There’s a nice beer selection, including a couple of hand drawn local brews. The pub doesn’t serve food, other than nuts, crisps and the ubiquitous pork scratchings. It does, however, tolerate and encourage brought-in food, whether home sourced or purchased from one of the local bakeries. This is a friendly pub with a real ‘local’ feel, in contrast to local “booze barns” that cater for tourists and family groups.

Here, the farmers are far from jolly. Sadly, this was one of the poorest first impressions I’ve had of a local LGBTQ+ venue. The issue itself was minor, but the way it was handled was enough to ensure we won’t be returning. We visited on a quiet Wednesday afternoon and purchased two glass bottles of Coke Zero from the bar. We sat outside, and my partner placed an old, warm plastic bottle of Coke Zero from earlier in the day on the table because we didn’t have a bag to put it in. It was completely obvious that we were drinking the drinks we had just bought from the venue. After around 15 minutes, a member of staff came over and told us, in a very stern and unfriendly manner, that the plastic bottle was not allowed on the premises and had to be removed. To be absolutely clear, I have no problem whatsoever with the policy. Businesses are entitled to have rules, and we would have happily complied if asked politely. The problem was the attitude. There was no warmth, no courtesy and no attempt to treat us like paying customers who had chosen to support a local queer space. In hospitality, how you speak to people matters just as much as the rules themselves. A simple, friendly conversation would have achieved exactly the same outcome without making customers feel unwelcome. We deliberately chose this venue because we always try to support independent LGBTQ+ businesses, particularly at a time when so many queer spaces are disappearing. Oxford has no shortage of welcoming places to have a drink, yet we chose to spend our money here for that very reason. Unfortunately, if the culture is one where minor issues are dealt with through unnecessary attitude rather than basic courtesy, it becomes difficult to justify returning. I genuinely hope the management reflects on this, because people don’t stop supporting venues over reasonable policies — they stop supporting them when they’re made to feel unwelcome. Sadly, that was our experience.

Good selection of drinks and a really nice atmosphere. Inside is very homey and the back garden is delightful.

lovely historic pub, very cozy interior, incredibly welcoming staff, well worth the visit!