Oxford pub of the week which focuses on beer over food

The Royal Blenheim in St Ebbe’s is owned by Titanic Brewery, and landlord Steven Lyne is usually there to serve drinkers Titantic Plum Porter, or a Titanic variation.

But the pub has a passion for cask ale and often provides a range of guest beers too.

READ MORE: Pub of the year awards handed out by real ale enthusiasts

There are no meals at the Royal Blenheim – it’s all about the beer, which is one of of the reasons why it was chosen as pub of the year by the Oxford branch of CAMRA earlier this year.

It may not win the title again but even if it doesn’t it will remain highly thought of by real ale enthusiasts in the city.

“It’s a consistently great pub with a great range of beers,” said Oxford CAMRA spokesman Dave Richardson.

(Image: Oxford Drinker) “Steven Lyne is a top man – a very thoughtful landlord who is considering why Gen Z don’t drink in pubs as much as older generations.

“It’s a proper pub with no distractions and it attracts a really good mix of people, including students.”

In February, the Royal Blenheim retained its city pub of the year title, while pub company Oak Taverns received an award for reopening three pubs in Oxfordshire.

The corner pub retains many of its Victorian features including the date of construction – 1889 – which appears in the stonework.

In Mr Richardson’s book, Oxford Pubs, he recalls how Modern Art Oxford next door was once occupied by a brewery, with the pub functioning as the “brewery tap”.

(Image: Oxford Drinker) During lockdown Mr Lyne said he wanted to create a “village vibe” at the pub to take people’s minds off Covid.

He said in 2020 after being appointed landlord: “It’s a very friendly environment here – a community vibe where people can come in and have a pint and a chat if they have had a difficult day.”

Last year Mr Lyne told the Oxford Drinker that although the pandemic had been a challenge it was a prompt to alter the way the pub was run.

He added: “With a refurbishment by Titanic Brewery back in 2017, the Blenheim had already become a favourite pub for many. Tucked away off the main streets of Oxford, it almost felt that the pub was a locals’ secret.

“One of those pubs you would only find due to a friendly conversation with a local ale drinker. For those patrons, it was a frequented venue for a reason, and I didn’t want to change any of that.”

(Image: Oxford Drinker) Mr Lyne said: “What I did realise, though, was that the pandemic was giving me the perfect opportunity for the Blenheim to go through a transition. What would happen if the pub were to become wet-led, without food?

“Focusing even more so on the casks and kegs that came through our doors. Stepping away from the expectations that many have of British pubs of walking in and grabbing fish and chips on a whim, to becoming a venue where you were guaranteed to be spoilt by a vast range of beers.

“It was something I felt that we were all missing in the city centre, and it was something I thought many of our followers would be thrilled to take part in.”

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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.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

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