One of Oxford's most historic pubs The Grapes has shut.

In April 2019, the pub in George Street, popular with theatre goers and real ale drinkers, reopened following a £70,000 revamp.

Now there is a notice on the door informing drinkers the pub has closed.

Read more: Grapes closed: a timeline before the pub shut

"It says: "Dearest friends it is with great sadness that I inform you The Grapes is closed. We will not be reopening."

Oxford Mail:

In 2019, West Berkshire Brewery bought the lease of The Grapes in George Street from The City Pub Company and it closed for a month for refurbishment before it reopened.

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Rumours that the pub, thought to date back to the early 1800s, was closing for good proved false.

Oxford Mail: Romy HewittRomy Hewitt

General manager Romy Hewitt, 25, from Wallingford, in charge of a team of about 10 staff, said at the time: "We are delighted to be open and we really want to welcome everyone.

“There’s a 'tradition with ambition' vibe, combining old-school casks, with craft beers.

Oxford Mail:

“We want everyone to feel welcome here - young and old - you can even bring your dog.”

Dave Richardson, a spokesman for the Oxford branch of real ale group CAMRA, said he was saddened to hear of the closure.

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He added: "One of our members saw the notice on the door and the furniture being removed.

"Hopefully it will reopen at some point in the future.

"It's quite a small pub and I believe the rent is quite high."

Oxford Mail:

Mr Richardson added that the lease was owned by the city council.

WBB, a microbrewery, launched in 1995 and is based in Yattendon near Newbury. It has been contacted for comment.

The brewery's website says: "We began our journey in 1995, when our founders, two avid homebrewers, pursued their passion for beer and sold their home to fund a 5-barrel brewery, in a shed behind the Pot Kiln Pub in the picturesque village of Yattendon.

"Our dynamic and passionate team of brewers continuously push the boundaries of new beer flavours and styles, which has resulted in our multi award-winning and innovative range.

"Uncompromising in our approach means we never take short cuts when brewing, we remain dedicated to using the finest quality, locally sourced ingredients.

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"Today, we are a 60-hectoliter state-of-the-art brewery and packaging facility capable of brewing and packaging all beer styles, brew sizes and formats on site.

"Our brewhouse includes an automatic hop-dosing unit that adds hops at pre-planned stages and a Hop Back that can be packed with hops to add additional flavour and aroma, allowing for more creative styles of beer."

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The closure of The Grapes follows the closure last year of the Lamb & Flag pub in St Giles.

The Lamb & Flag, owned by St John's College, has now been taken over by a community interest company, and is due to reopen next month.

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