Drinkers are celebrating following the news that the Lamb & Flag pub in Oxford is to reopen after being taken over by a community group.

There was dismay when the pub in St Giles was closed by St John’s College earlier this year due to a reduction in takings due to the pandemic.

Here we look back at some old photos.

Oxford Mail:

Read again: The Lamb & Flag is to reopen

The college, which owns the pub, said it had been making a loss as a result of the lockdowns and would shut on January 31.

Oxford Mail:

Drinkers around the globe expressed their disappointment as the Oxford branch of the real ale group CAMRA said it would contest any application to change the Grade II listed building's use.

Oxford Mail:

Now a community group has come forward to take over the pub and it could be serving beers again by Christmas.

Oxford Mail:

Following the outcry, the Inklings Group – named in honour of the pub’s former literary patrons JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis – has signed a long-term lease to relaunch the pub.