please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Good beer, good pizza and friendly staff, but unfortunately absolutely no character compared to its days as The Gloucester Arms. The White Rabbit, much like Far From The Madding Crowd used to be, would appear to be a busy pub but having looked closer it appears to be full of people sat around a table having their discussions whilst slowly nursing their one drink for the evening. Decent enough pub but in my experience the current clientele offer a pretty bland atmosphere.
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Now renamed and reopened as The White Rabbit, the result is pleasing enough with White Horse bitters on tap and a pizza kitchen but do we need another pub like this? At least the previous incarnation as rockers' pub provided something different and the new name must have taken very little imagination to conjure up.
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Scruffy but likeable rock pub with 2 or 3 interesting ales on. Very near the equally likeable Far From the Madding Crowd.
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What a great pub, full of people that make Marilyn Manson look a conservative dresser. A dark pub in many senses of the word, sticky tables, a mainly thrash metal and heavy metal jukebox, a friendly place. Saw 3 handpumps and as this isn't a pub that's really on the Oxford real ale map I wondered how well kept the beers would be, I shouldn't have worried they were in good nick, like many things with this pub, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
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Personally, I'm more of a 'hard rock' fan than 'heavy metal' but found this ok, with a friendly barman and the music not oppressive. Beer choice was reasonable (Yale Brewery 'Beat Bitter' on this occasion).
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Passed by at start of a recent pub crawl with friends, somewhat put off by heavy metal gig adverts etc (we're in our 50s and were never into heavy metal even when younger), but spotted the handpumps and gave it a go. Pleasantly surprised, friendly barman, good beer, nice interior, jukebox not too loud. This was Saturday lunchtime; I doubt if I would want to visit in the evening but would definitely go back when it's quiet.
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As I mentioned below, the 'Glock' is open again, and seems to be forging forward in much the same fashion as it did before, with plety of Heavy Metal coming from the jukebox. The interior is now very tatty indeed and could probably do with a bit of an update. There is the potential of a superb pub here; the building layout is just about perfect. Beer was pretty good - 2 Hook Norton offerings (Gold was very tasty), and Flowers IPA. A blackboard outside listed what beers are coming up, suggesting a welcome Real Ale focus.
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The pub is open again!
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This pub is CLOSED, has been for sometime, and appears that won't change. Looking for sorry for itself as it gently falls down right in the middle of Oxford... the old landlords have taken over The Wheatsheaf on The High, and pretty much used the same approach for it - i.e. loud RATM and lots of beer.
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used to be a fab pub next to the theatre. popular with actors, saw gareth hunt in there once, fantastic black-and-white photos of all the famous board-walkers on the walls, we're talking mid to late 1980s here, and sadly they've all gone now. why anybody would want to take em down is anybody's guess. used to fancy a fantastic blonde called laura. gone now, sadly, like the black and whites. changed a bit now but still has a great vibe. sufficiently scruffy to be put you at ease and a good jukebox
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Sadly it's been reported in the local press that this pub will close. There has been a pub on this site since around the 1820's.
The college that owns it has tried to close the pub before to sell off the building. So fingers cross they fail to close it down this time.
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It's just as it was when I was the full-time barman in the mid '70s! It rocks! The beer is good but I didn't see the ghost that I knew to 'live' there all those years ago!
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This pub is truly unique in every way for oxford city centre. especially the bar staff! great place!!
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This pub is great if you like heavy metal and the odd bit of 80 rock cheese. Cheap beer and funky staff - just dont go if you're a chav, you will more than likey be killed...
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Best pub in Oxford. Best Juke-Box in the world.
Staff are friendly and chatty, but can be rude somtimes. Especially Joe. Good booze and BEST ATMOSPHERE for any pub there is. Addlestones is good too.
If you like rock / goth genre check out the gloc.
...One of my favourite pubs.
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this pub has been bought by the rock-inn pub company. i spoke to the 2 owners,james and mark, last week and they plant to keep the fine tradition of this pub. they were telling me that they have plans to increase the size of the pub without killing the atmosphere. seems a great idea and they seem like passionate blokes when they talk about the pub. looks like the gloucester is in for fun times ahead!!
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Goth pub.
Admit it!
Music too loud, pints too cheap, a confusing and disorientating place.
anonymous - 19 Jan 2007 03:41 |
No Real Ale 28/12/06
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Real good pub if you can find it, a great secret with good staff and a real atmosphere unlike a few pubs in Oxford. Every visit to Oxford takes me back here.
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Good rock pub. Splendid cider (Addlestone's and Strongbow). Varied crowd. Friendly bar staff. I like.
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This pub is one of the many reasons I left behind America and came to live in Oxford!!!
The best jukebox, the best people, and just loads of fun.
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I like this pub, there are some weirdos there, but they are harmless. The music is very good as well. One thing though, I wouldn't recommend eating there, I have seen the chefs sitting in the bar smoking and they don't look like the shower - ever.
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Friendly rock pub with a mix of all ages. One of the few places selling real cider. Yes there are oddballs but the bar staff are well able to remove any that actually bother anyone. A cheerful place where you'll meet all sorts of people who'll give you a proper conversation over a pint. On the down side, it's very smoky, so a problem if you're trying to quit...
Kathryn - 19 Oct 2004 15:22 |
I've (been) drunk in the Gloc sporadically over a decade. It's one of the pubs I started drinking in.
While some of the regulars don't look "main stream", this also means that it's not full of chavs looking for a fight. Unlike some town centre pubs I could mention
The odd mix of decor - full of signed photos of famous actors from the Appollo Theatre, plus a thick layer of genuine bike and rock stuff (not supplied by the yard by a contractor), gives the place genuine atmosphere.
If you hate rock don't go there - otherwise it's a great place. And friendly....
anonymous - 13 Oct 2004 16:50 |
WOW!
andrew - 9 Sep 2004 16:40 |
only rock pub for miles around :) its ok but there's some weird lecherous losers there! heavy metal attracts geeks and society's dregs! you have been warned... lots of odd-balls.
wee mee - 29 Aug 2004 22:42 |
I have been going into the Gloucester Arms for many years now and can definitely say it is the best pub for miles around by a long way.
Peter - 27 Jul 2004 20:26 |
Just like to say thanks and glad you all like my pub so much. My staff all work hard to please you all and it looks like we are doing a good job keep it coming guys we need you. Raq the landlady
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Nice to see such a positive response on the web! As a member of staff I can say that we like you lot as well. I moved from a much better paying job for the chance to work somewhere I love, and I can safely say that it truly is the best pub in the world.
Joe the Bar Monkey - 30 Mar 2004 14:39 |
One word to describe it-FANTASTIC!
new management keeping up gloc arms standards. A must do.
Ashley - 7 Feb 2004 23:44 |
A truly great pub with an excellent mix of people! Great Juke box also!
Dean - 16 Jan 2004 00:46 |
Simply put, the best pub in Oxford. Cheap drinks, friendly locals, and the best jukebox this side of...anywhere.
D - 9 Jan 2004 02:05 |
The gloc is now under new management but it still retains the essence of greatness. it is a must to visit when you are in oxford.
Allan - 16 Dec 2003 21:17 |
This pub is suberb. In a world dominated by poor music, this is the one place in Oxford you can guarantee great sounds and a cheap drink. The punters and staff are the best I've found anywhere in the country so far...they truely know their music.
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This is the best pub in the world. All human life is here. And the Pedigree is superb.
Christian - 29 Oct 2003 16:44 |
Best pub in the world!!!!!
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Very busy, has a reputation as Oxford's goth/metal pub. Full of lots of extremely polite thought mean-looking older tattoed and pony-tailed men. Everyone's very courteous to women, who are something of a rarity (in the minority, anyhow). Friendly atmosphere although you can't usually hear what anyone is saying - they smile though which is how I know it is friendly! Great jukebox unless it has been hijacked by somebody with appalling taste who has paid for ten songs in a row - this seems to happen fairly regularly. Nice lagers, very busy, fun.
Gabrielle - 22 Sep 2003 21:03 |
This pub is well known for having the best duke box in Oxford. It can get very busy at the weekends - I would recommend it to anyone!
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this pub has the best rock juke box in Oxford, not a place to go if your looking for a quiet pint, but the beer is always well kept (even if the barstaff are not)and if you can stand the claustrophobic atmosphere and the volume of the music at the weekend, somewhere you have to visit when you are in Oxford.
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Jostly pub selling superb sellection of Imported lagers. A must for the lager connoisseur.
George Harris - 11 Jun 2003 10:55 |
