Pub of the Year 2025

The Oxfordshire round has been completed and the clear winner was the Red Lion, Horley. The Crown, South Moreton and The King’s Arms, Wantage came joint second, with the Grapes, Oxford in fourth place. There were nine judges, but only from SOX and Oxford branches.

The Regional round will be between:

• Red Lion, Horley (Oxfordshire)
• Pelican Inn, Gloucester (Gloucestershire)
• Olde Tavern, Kington (Herefordshire)
• Fleece Inn, Bretforton (Worcestershire)

New tenant at the Sun

The Sun at Hill Bottom, Whitchurch Hill has a new landlord. John O‘Grady moved in on May 19th from running a Batemans–owned pub in Cambridgeshire. John and his wife Svitlana had turned around a failing pub in Swaffham Priory, the Red Lion, and been awarded two CAMRA accolades, notably ‘the most improved pub’ and the ‘Rural pub of the year’ awards.

Despite these achievements, John and Lana were keen to run a free-of-tie pub and jumped at the chance to take over the Sun when it became available. Their plans suggest South Oxon drinkers will have a centre of real ale excellence to visit, as John is passionate about real ale and is keen to build upon the freedom to purchase different ales that running a free-of-tie pub will provide.

There will be two pumps dedicated to local Ales, probably Loddon ‘Hoppit’ and Renegade ‘Good Old Boy’ and two more pumps offering rotating ales from far and wide. There will also be one ale offered straight from the cask each week, and during events, it is planned to have ales available in the outside Bar. In addition, a rotating real cider will be available from a pin.

It is planned to have two beer festivals on the May Bank Holiday weekend and at the end of September to coincide with National Cask Ale week. Several ‘tap takeovers’ will take place each year when the pumps will be exclusively dedicated to beers from a selected brewery. Furthermore, CAMRA members are offered a discount on the price of ales purchased.

We wish John the best of luck and look forward to visiting soon!

Many thanks to Keith Grant for his report of which this is an excerpt and for the photo of John.

We are delighted to announce that South Oxfordshire CAMRA’s Pub of the Year 2025 is The Crown, South Moreton.

Many congratulations to Di Humphrey and everyone associated with this fantastic community-owned village pub.

As ever, it was a tight competition as the other contenders are all equally great pubs. The runner-up this year is the Spire & Spoke, Watlington.

We’ll be presenting the Award to the Crown in due course. It will now go through to the Oxfordshire County round together with the PotYs for the other branches covering the county, which are the Kings Arms, Wantage (White Horse); the Grapes in Oxford (Oxford); and the Red Lion, Horley (North Oxfordshire).

Our Winter Pub of the Season 2024 Award has been presented to Di Humphrey at The Crown Inn, South Moreton (pictured above with Branch Chairman Graham Hards).

This community-owned village pub goes from strength to strength and is a wonderful example of a welcoming pub that is the beating heart of the local community. The cask ales, including from local brewers Loose Cannon and Amwell Springs, were in excellent condition as well! Well done to Di and everyone involved with the pub!