A PUB in the centre of Oxford will be closed for three days as it undergoes a management change, the Oxford Mail understands.

The Mitre in High Street will reopen on Thursday.

The pub, currently part of the Beefeater chain, is understood to be taken over by Marstons and after this weekend will close for three of days ahead of the reopening.

A member of staff told the Oxford Mail: "The bar is closing because of a change in ownership.

"It will be closed for three days and on Thursday it will reopen. Marstons is taking it over."

It is understood the staff will continue working at the pub.

According to an Oxford history website, the present Mitre Inn dates back to about 1630, but there has been an inn on the site since about 1300. 

It has always belonged to Lincoln College, and its name is understood to have derived from the college coat of arms, which depicts the mitre of the Bishop of Lincoln. 

In the past it was an important coaching inn, and as early as 1671 there were coaches running between London and the Mitre on three days a week.

The Grade II listed building has the coloured engraving of the Mitre by J. Fisher which dates from about 1825 and shows the Defiance coach, which ran between Oxford, Henley, and London.

As one of Oxford's oldest pubs The Mitre’s central position meant that it was a good picking up and setting down place for long-distance coaches.