The reasons for The Chequers being left out of the renowned guide for real ale enthusiasts but now the hostelry off the High Street is back, and it’s been selected as the Oxford Mail Pub of the Week.
Like The Crown off Cornmarket, The Chequers is run by pub brand Nicholson’s.
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Dave Richardson, a spokesman for the Oxford branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), welcomed the pub’s return in CAMRA’s magazine The Oxford Drinker, saying: “The Good Beer Guide 2027 has few surprises in and around Oxford but the continuing excellence of a small number of pubs which appear in the guide year after year should be recognised.
“The only changes in the Oxford branch area are that The Chequers returns after dropping out for 2026, while the Red Lion in Northmoor returns after a two-year gap after a period of closure and change of tenancy.
“Competition to get into the guide is fierce with only 24 spots available for Oxford branch, which also covers Abingdon, Witney, Kidlington and surrounding villages.
“Throughout Oxfordshire there are 67 pubs in the guide out of a nationwide total of about 4,500.”
The Chequers in Oxford (Image: Contributed)
The Chequers was given a £400,000 refurbishment in 2022.
College crests adorn the walls, and the pub is popular for its cask ales and traditional pub food,
The pub has a fascinating history, and Nicholson’s has highlighted its past, saying: “Dating back to 1279, our Grade II-listed pub was once an exhibition hall for animals and inventors, and a base for money lenders.
“In the 1500s, the building was rebuilt by Alderman Richard Kent, transforming it from a moneylender’s tenement to a tavern.
“And, as they say, the rest is history. In the mid-1700s, the pub was home to a semi-permanent zoo of 14 exotic animals, including a camel, an opossum, and reportedly a shark.
“Today, the exhibits of strange animals discovered by 17th century explorers have gone but features such as the stained glass windows and carvings above the bar remain as a reminder of the building’s rich history.
“Rumour has it, the pub also has a secret tunnel that leads to another pub on the High Street. It is said to have acted as an escape route for Catholic priests illegally celebrating mass during the reign of King Henry VII.”
Kerry Skrzpiec, manager of The Chequers in 2025 (Image: Andy Ffrench)
The pub has a four out of five rating on reviews site Tripadvisor.
One visitor last month posted: “Great example of a truly historic British pub in a delightful, genuine and very old environment. Service was friendly and quick despite being at a busy time of day (Saturday, 1.15pm).
Inside The Chequers (Image: Andy Ffrench)
“Staff were competent and welcoming. The menu had something for everyone – eight guests – and everyone was positive about their meals (pies, chicken and chorizo, salmon fish cakes, fish and chips).
“Prices were reasonable. Would absolutely recommend for a really “British” and historic experience (make sure to read the background story on the way in). We’ll be back.”
CAMRA publishes the Good Beer Guide, which is independently compiled using evaluations and votes from CAMRA’s 140,000 members across more than 200 local branches.
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