Oxford is well-known for its range of historic and charming pubs which are popular among students, locals and tourists alike. 

Occasionally, pubs which close can make a comeback, like the Lamb and Flag in St Giles, which reopened around a year ago following a takeover from a community group.

Here we look back at some of the pubs which have been loved and lost over the years.

In the past, pubs have been demolished for housing, or converted to other uses.

Oxford Mail:

The Mitre in High Street shut in 2019.

One of the old pubs we have pictured is the former Apollo in St Aldate's, which still features the Morland Brewery plaque.

According to closedpubs.co.uk, which documents lost pubs, it was a lively place to visit before it closed in 1993.

One contributor wrote: "The Apollo was a very lively gay pub which closed in around 1993 I think.

Oxford Mail:

"I remember it as full of characters such as the landlord, Derek who often put on drag shows, swinging from a trapeze from the ceiling or arriving in front of the pub bedecked in feather boas on the bonnet of a customers Rolls Royce; all this right in front of the police station.

"Derek's mother also lived above the pub as I remember. The Apollo had a great community vibe and some weekends I remember motorcades of customers driving to The Greyhound club in Slough after closing, only if there was no lock-in in a little room behind the bar."

In 2012, The Cavalier pub in Marston was demolished.

Oxford Mail:

The pub, in Copse Lane was opened in 1956 but was demolished to make way for student flats after standing empty for four years.

It was the first pub to open in the city after the Second World War.

The pub closed in 2008 despite an appeal for support from the landlord, Brian Minns.

A sign was put outside the pub saying: “Pub or flats, your choice – support your local.”

Mr Minns, who is now a driving instructor, said at the time: “The local population didn’t use it so they lost it, and that was it.

“To me it is just a building of bricks and mortar.

“I was landlord of The Cavalier for five years and I have fond memories of it.

"There are some nice people there, but they cannot go out every night.”

Far from the Madding Crowd in Friar's Entry was popular until it closed in 2015.

Oxford Mail:

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Staff served the last customers after a 13-year spell in the city.

Landlord Charles Eld said it had been struggling since 2011 and blamed a number of factors including a change in the culture of drinking and the rent.

He said at the time: “It is a very sad day but the support we have received from our customers on Twitter has made a difficult time more bearable.”

The 63-year-old former manager of Morrells Brewing Company added: “I’m getting old now and I don’t think at my age I’d consider reopening the pub in another location.”Far From the Madding Crowd was opened in 2002 by Mr Eld.

After establishing itself as a place for a multitude of locally-sourced ales, it was awarded the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Pub of the Year Award in 2009, 2011 and 2012.

Mr Eld added: “What has caused a massive issue is minimum alcohol pricing, which puts a great strain on pub owners.

“The culture of drinking has changed too and we can’t compete with supermarket pricing of alcohol.”

Not all pubs, however, are universally popular with local residents and in 2002 some campaigned for the closure of the Horse & Jockey pub in Woodstock Road.

The pub that year shut its doors following the campaign.

Oxford Mail:

Tilly Flynn who lived opposite the pub kept a diary of disturbances to her peace for more than two years.

She and Peter Strong, a former chairman of the Walton Manor Residents Association, celebrated the closure.

Morrells of Oxford said at the time it had tried to save the pub and restaurant since it took it over, but failed to improve slumping sales.

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People living in nearby St Bernard's Road, Belsyre Court and Plantation Road frequently complained about noise and disturbance from the 18th-century pub.

Morrells commercial manager Peter Long said at the time: "This is a large pub which isn't popular with its neighbours."