Last week I had the opportunity to attend the launch party of the Holly Bush– a pub on Osney Island famous for hosting Radiohead’s first gig! It dates back to the 19th century when it was called the Bush and Railway Inn and has just opened this month after being shut down since 2013. The opening was momentous for locals in this part of oxford, as the building has been renovated with a stylish interior and has been bought under Charles Wells’ Pizza, Pots, and Pints umbrella.
The pub was about a 20-minute cycle ride from my college, which enabled me to explore a quiet and picturesque part of Oxford that I hadn’t visited before. I was able to bring a guest with me and after locking away our bikes, we were warmly greeted by the staff at the pub and shown inside to a reserved table next to correspondents from the Oxford Mail. To our surprise, we were then told we could order as much food and drink as we wanted from the menu free of charge!
The menu had a huge selection of delicious dishes to choose from- ranging from pizzas and salads, to curries and ramens.
Everything tasted amazing and filled us up- exactly what we needed after a long day of lectures! Unfortunately, we were far too full from our main and side dishes to order a dessert but we did manage to venture outside to see the pretty ‘secret garden’ area.
The waiters kept checking to see if we needed anything and stopped for a chat, asking about the TOG ambassador scheme works and telling us about the history of the pub; it was lovely how welcoming they were and overall, they made the evening really pleasant. The cycle ride there and back was definitely worth it and we will be going again- it certainly beat our poor attempts at cooking low budget student meals (pesto pasta and beans on toast!)
I definitely recommend giving the pub a visit-whether it’s for a drink or full meal. The prices are student friendly and the atmosphere is very homely. So grateful for this giveaway and I’m excited for future events!