New management taking over a city centre pub has put up scaffolding and a sign telling customers it will reopen soon.

The Grapes in George Street shut suddenly at the end of 2021 but is now due to reopen within weeks after a London-based pub company stepped in to take it over.

The pub, which dates back to the 1800s, closed in December 2021 after the West Berkshire Brewery running it went into administration, and a note was placed on the door saying it would not be reopening.

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Now a London-based pub company has bought the lease from the building's owner the city council and a new landlord has been appointed.

The new owners hope to reopen the pub next month.

The Grapes will now join 16 real ale pubs in and around London including the Lyric in Soho, the Express Tavern at Kew Bridge, the Magdala in Hampstead and the Corner House in Windsor.

According to the Oxford Drinker, the magazine of real ale group CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), the new landlord of The Grapes will be Johnny Roberts, previously assistant manager at Wetherspoon’s Four Candles before moving to the White House in Bladon when it re-opened as a Community-Owned pub.

Oxford Mail: The Grapes in Oxford

Dave Richardson, of the Oxford branch of real ale group CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), said he was pleased to see the scaffolding go up as it was a sign that real progress is now being made.

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The Grapes is expected to have eight hand pumps and up to 25 keg lines, serving mainly independent ales and ciders, and will offer simple pub food.

Some of the pubs in the group are known for their vinyl record collections, adding to the quirky vibe in contrast to the mass market atmosphere of nearest competitors the Wig & Pen (Greene King), O’Neill’s (M&B) and the Four Candles.

City council spokesman Tony Ecclestone confirmed earlier this week the council as owners of the building had agreed the lease.

He said: "The documents are all agreed and, subject to one minor licensing issue that will take a few weeks to resolve, it is ready to complete."

Popular with theatre goers and real ale drinkers, the cosy pub with a long bar goes back to the 1800s.

Oxford Mail: The Grapes in George Street

This pub was established by 1808 and may originally have been called the Bunch of Grapes.

It was rebuilt in its present form in about 1894 and and once had 'swinging front doors likened to a Wild West saloon'.

Bath Ales were in charge in 2012 and revamped the pub.

It was renamed Beerd Oxford in 2015. And then its name reverted back to The Grapes by August 2017 when it was given a refurbishment, and theatre photos and memorabilia were removed from the walls.

Then in 2019, West Berkshire Brewery took charge, and went ahead with a £70,000 refurbishment, improving the bar area and created new wooden booths for seating.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

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