Waxing lyrical

From the Oxford Mail, first published Thursday 28th Aug 2008.

I'm back and feeling better this week. Miss me? Thought so!

You may be aware that since the beginning of August, it has no longer been necessary to risk life and limb in Temple Cowley's The William Morris pub to benefit from the corporate giant booze merchant JD Wetherspoon's cheap drink deals and delightful ambiance.

Not that I know anyone who's made the journey specifically for this purpose.

It always astounded me why there wasn't a Wetherspoon's in the city centre - it could have shared some of the strain with the horrendous Old Goose on Gloucester Green.

Well, now there is!

It's called The Four Candles or The Fork 'Andles as the Two Ronnies would have named it, and it's located in the centre of the pre-club drinking universe, George Street.

No surprises then that it has turned out to be exactly what you would expect of Wetherspoon's first attempt at a city centre bar in Oxford.

There's cheap lager, wine and alcopops to build a loving relationship with the drinkers of Oxford.

The place is stag and hen do friendly.

And it's these factors that make The Four Candles a prime candidate if you're planning to end your night in Lava & Ignite or The Bridge.

Trust me, you need somewhere cheap if this is the case - I was at Lava & Ignite a couple of weeks ago, and they've taken the word inflation to a whole new level.

People were paying in excess of £4 for a tiny bottle of alcopop - that's £4 for a single unit of alcohol! Disgusting behaviour.

I thought The Four Candles was a pretty decent place.

Recently refurbished from the old Slug & Lettuce, the furnishings are brand new and luxurious and you don't have to wonder why the floor is sticky anymore.

The staff were keyed up and on the ball, making sure the night passed trouble-free - it's always good to feel you're not in danger of a rogue glass being flung at the back of your head, Trainspotting style.

Everyone seemed to be having a fun-filled evening, bathing in the novelty of a new bar, before it starts to feel like a routine.

There was a strange but very pleasing mixture of young and old, local and foreign, that made the bar feel welcoming to all who stepped through the door.

So well done JD Wetherspoon, you have created the best bar that has ever been housed in that building (at least in the last half a decade anyway).

Next week we'll be in Jericho. Raouls to be precise.

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