City Life Oxford

City Life:

Oxford

Everything that you need to know about what this great city has to offer. Full of information and stories from the people that have made Oxford their home.

The Oxford University Student Union City Guide to

Oxford Oxford is a city that changes its colour and shape depending on the people that live in it. It’s full of adventure and has multiple entertainment options depending on your tastes. In City Life: Oxford we have tried to give you a quick rundown of what’s available.

Whether you are staying 5 hours or 5 years, Oxford is a captivating city that is constantly developing. As you’re new to this city, we advise you to take a look at our Neighbourhood section (p. 18) which summarises all that is worth exploring and knowing about each area of Oxford.

For those of you after a quicker fix of what this city can offer have a look at our Essential guide (p. 4) where you can find a taster of what great shops and restaurants there are.

It is the people who live in Oxford who make it such a great city to live in and visit. We hope that you will enjoy listening to some of the locals who have made Oxford their home as well as the entrepreneurial minds that are constantly developing this city’s trade.

To all of you making Oxford your new home we say good luck. Go and explore all the great things that this city can offer. Remember, anywhere you go, always ask for a student discount!

2 Worcester Street Oxford OX1 2BX T (01865) 288 452 www.ousu.org t f OUSUnews

Contents 04−12 the Essentials Everything you need to know to get around in Oxford, from sandwish shops to bike shops and then some.

14−16 Oxford Comma Oxford University and all its colleges play an important role in shaping Oxford − here are the best places to explore.

18−27 In your hood Navigate through the different neigbourhoods of Oxford with ease with this guide and find your own favourite part of the city.

29−32 Entertainment When you are not studying for your exams you can be ejoying time out at a nice pub, bar, cinema, restaurant, club or why not a museum?

34−35 The 12-hours plan: All you need to entertain your friends at short notice, and a plan for when the parents come to visit!

Editors: Yara Rodrigues Fowler & Theo Sundh Photographers: William Bourne & Yara Rodrigues Fowler Advertising: Max Richardson Art Direction: Theo Sundh Published and copyrighted

by Oxford Student Services Ltd., the commercial arm of the Oxford University Student Union.

No responsibility is taken for any errors or omissions, or any loss arising therefrom.

Oxford - the Essentials

City Rhythm

Oxford city centre is positively saturated with character, surprises and distractions – both ancient and brand new – all within stumbling distance of the main university buildings and college accommodation. Experiment by shopping at small, local shops, playing grown up by going for a romantic meal at the weekend, and keeping up to speed with the wonderful talks, concerts and theatre productions. This section has all the information you need to begin exploring Oxford in your day-today life, as well as tips and short cuts for doing those mundane everyday things, such as bike repair and kettle-buying.

Finally, let's see if you can spot The Iron Man by Anthony Gormley. A clue: he is somewhere on Broad Street.

 food Eating – in and out – in Oxford can be an absolute pleasure: restaurants aren’t always cheap, but there are bargains  the to be had and – with a little resourcefulness – the specialist shops and cheap markets make this city an excellent HomeWare  food place to learn and experiment with cooking. The cheaper

Food Fashion

Bookworm B bikes  miscellaneous

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restaurants – good for birthdays – tend to be in Cowley and Jericho; look to the city centre for somewhere to take mum and dad.

01

Oxfork

Quick guide to Poaching an Egg

Food, East Oxford, 39 Magdalen Rd

Hidden in the residential criss-cross between Cowley and Iffley, this little place began as Oxford’s premier underground supper club in 2011; now an established café-cum-restaurant, it serves delicious breakfasts made with local eggs.

1) Fill a deep pan with 4−5 inches of water and heat until the water is simmering.

2) Break an egg into a cup and pour it slowly into the simmering water.

3) Let the egg white set around the yolk until the egg floats to the surface.

4) Remove the egg from the water with a slotted spoon, and dab with a paper towel to absorb any excess water.

5) Eat! Bed of spinach to serve the egg on is optional but full of iron!

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Best for Breakfast

02 Tick Tock Café 3-5 Cowley Rd All day full English for £5: nuff said.

03 Combibos 93 Gloucester Green Amidst the plethora of Oxford's coffee shops, Combibos stands out for the warmth of its welcome, and its array of breakfasts.

04 St Giles Café 52 St Giles Rd Of many suggested remedies for a hangover, the full English is the most enduring, and the St Giles Café is one of the best places in Oxford to indulge in a cooked breakfast.

05 Jacobs & Field 15 Old High St J&F is tucked away next to the Waitrose in Headington and stocks a wide variety of local and ethical produce you won't find in the store next door.

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Working Wi−Fi

However high-ceilinged and well-stocked, you may sometimes want to escape the libraries of Oxford – in which case there are five qualities an alternative working space must supply. They are: comfy chairs, free Wi-Fi, nice unobtrusive music, good coffee and evening opening hours. Here is our pick of the very best of Oxford’s work and Wi-Fi spots.

Rick’s Coffee Shop, Cowley 88−90 Cowley Rd Rick’s menu makes it a unique place with great breakfast options, a selection of sandwiches prepared and served fresh to order, soups and freshly made salads.

Turl Street Kitchen

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Restaurant, City Centre 16−17 Turl St With its central location, group workspaces, long opening hours and comfy armchairs, Turl Street Kitchen is so utterly pleasant that you’ll inevitably run into someone you know.

Introduction Albion Beatnik As we sat in Shop, the Eagel and Coffee Jericho Child34weWalton dreamed of one city St where you could do all your The Albion Beatnik is an independent Shopping and citeseeing with and enthusiastic bookstore in Jericho, ease. Then we realised that which opened in 2008. It has an Oxford was the perfect city. eclectic collection of titles, a relaxed cafe, and is open until 11pm four Writer evenings each week Theo Sundh G and D’s Photographer TheoCoffee Sundh Shop, City Centre 94 St Aldate’s G and D’s is a cute intra−Oxford chain. Drop in at least once for their delicious and original ice-cream flavours which are best served over their warm cookies and brownies. They also do bagels, salads and soups.

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 Fashion

Shopping in Oxford is fun: in the spirit of the city’s spired myth, vintage and charity shops are appropriately stocked with everything from ball gowns and capes to trainers and subfusc, at a range of prices, for both men and women. Always check out the book section of charity shops: ex-students often donate course books and reading material, meaning you may just stumble on an academic bargain.

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Unicorn Fashion, City Centre, 5 Ship St I was trying on a lovely hooded silk coat when the rather cheeky shopkeeper interjected: “Let me put this back; it does not fit you." Visit Unicorn for its range and the eccentricity of its stock − everything from French lace to ball gowns to knitwear to stilettos − and the sheer chaos of its layout. Its range unfortunately caters mostly for women, but most of the stock can be hired.

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Ballroom Fashion, East Oxford, 5−6 The Plain Garb your inner Sebastian Flyte (with a budget to match) at the Ballroom. It stocks an impressive collection of what Oxford undergraduates must have been wearing between the 1930s and 1950s, for both men and women. Check out the rail outside the shop for more recent cheaper items.

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Uncle Sam’s Fashion, City Centre, 25 Little Clarendon St The place for those with neither the stamina for charity shopping, nor the cash for more upmarket vintage shops, Uncle Sam’s has a decent range of clothes, ranging from high street unremarkable to vintage, plus a large selection of suits.

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Homeware

Despite meticulous planning, most of us inevitably forget something or other – never fear! Centrally located department stores and independents stock all the random and mundane things that you never realised you needed.

Central

Boswell’s

Debenhams

1−4 Broad St

1 Magdalen St

At once totally indispensable and a bit boring: go here for all those essential things that you forgot, from clothes to kitchen stuff: gloves, backpacks, kettles, umbrellas and the miscellaneous.

Includes a pharmacy on the ground floor.

Also essential for those little things you’ve forgotten or lost, although more clothes-orientated: bed sheets, trainer socks, pillows and mascara.

Department Store, City Centre, Department Store, City Centre, Homeware, City Centre,

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33−35 Little Clarendon St

Good quality, modern furniture; also a good place to source gifts.

Objects of Use Homeware, City Centre, Market St

Objects of Use provides a source of enduring household tools and functional items.

Shop Talk Hazel from Objects of Use told us more about the shop “Beginning life in 2007, Objects of Use aims to source enduring household tools, often things that have been made in the same way, by the same people, for decades if not centuries. We are 'against throwawayism', preferring both sustainable materials and ethical production, meaning many of our products are sourced and manufactured in the UK or Europe, with the notable exception of a few extraordinary Japanese items which we hope provide a window in to a very different and entirely admirable approach to the crafting of the everyday.”

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Bikes

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Knowing your local bike repair shop in Oxford is key, because if something goes wrong you don’t want to push your bike across town. Top tip: avoid buying your bike in Oxford around September and October as prices rocket and finding a bargain is very hard. Make sure you check out Gumtree and ebay as well as local shops. Here are a few other miscellaneous institutions.

01

Zappi’s Bike Zone Bikes, City Centre, 28−32 St Michael’s St

Dan from Zappi’s says: "Zappi’s is a small, independent cafe inside a traditional local bicycle shop in the heart of Oxford. It’s a velocentric space but you definitely don’t have to don the lycra to get involved! Our no. 1 love is coffee (we think it’s the best around) and you’ll get your flat white with a grin. We have a cult following of the most dedicated regulars around, mostly because of our famous homemade banana bread (try it toasted with a slab of butter!)."”

Ohh, Toasty Love

I don’t know when, why or how this started, but the cheap eateries of the City of Oxford have an obsession with panini (some have branched out to wraps and ciabatta). Hot, crunchy and easy to eat on the go, fantastic and filling combos have been developed in the would-be-sandwich shops of the city of spires: try the mango chutney chicken made by the impressive assembly line at the Alternative Tuck Shop, Mortons' ever-delectable wholegrain and mozzerella panini, and Olive’s upmarket ingredients direct from Italy. Here are a few of the best.

06 Olive Sandwich Shop, City Centre, 42 High St Specaliseis in Italian and French delicatessen. t OlivesOxford

07 Mortons Sandwich Shop, City Centre 02 Cycloanalysts 150 Cowley Rd Friendly, no-nonsense staff in the centre of Cowley.

03 Reg Taylor Cycles 285 Iffley Rd The local bike shop for those based in the Iffley area.

04 Beeline Bicycles 205 Cowley Rd Bright and pleasant shop.

103−105 The Covered Market Mortons currently have four outlets in the city centre comprising a mix of Introduction cafes and takeaway shops.

As www.mortonsatwork.co.uk we sat in the Eagel and Child we dreamed of one city 08 you Taylors where could do all your Shopping and citeseeing Sandwich shop, Citywith Centre, ease.

19 Then High we St realised that Oxford wasisthe city. family− Taylors anperfect independent, owned gourmet food emporium which Writer has been keeping Oxfordians in hot Theo Sundh drinks and delicious, nutritious foods Photographer for a couple of decades.

Theo Sundh www.taylorsoxford.co.uk

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Best for Dinner 09 Edamame 15 Holywell St Edamame is just the best: don’t let the funky opening hours or the queues put you off this lovely family-run Japanese restaurant.

Grab yourself a hearty bowl of noodles and veg in perfect miso broth, or sweet soy salmon, or the reliable yakisoba tofu. Sushi fans head over on a Thursday night, for the best sushi in Oxford. They also do takeaway if you call in advance.

10 Ashmolean Dining Room Magdalen Rd Spanning the top floor and roof terrace of the Ashmolean Museum, the Ashmolean Dining Room is a pretty classy option, serving excellent seasonal British food. The entrance is around the corner from the main museum entrance.

11 Cherwell Boathouse Bardwell Rd Another pretty classy restaurant serving British and French meals, the Cherwell Boathouse, which is about 15 minutes’ walk from the city centre on the bank of the Cherwell river (you can go punting from there), is the ideal place for dinner with parents in summer. Book ahead.

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Gloucester Green Antiques and Collectors’ Market Fashion, City Centre, Gloucester Green Every Thursday Gloucester Green hosts a large market whose treasures include a stall where all items of clothing cost £1, fine lace retailers, antique watches, brooches, earrings, furniture and carpets. It’s worth wandering around for the spectacle alone, but also a good place to source gifts.

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Bookworm If the City of Oxford were an animal, it might just be a bookworm. Aside from its unrivalled libraries, Oxford boasts fantastic niche bookshops, and many charity shops stock rare and antique books. Browse them near the end of term to pick up holiday reading.

01

Blackwell’s Art & Poster Shop Stationery, City Centre, 27 Broad St

Ben from Blackwell’s Art and Poster Shop tells us more about them: "We are a specialist Art bookshop unique to Oxford. Our friendly, expert staff are here to help you choose from an amazing range of books, posters, gifts & cards. We’re sure you’ll find something that floats your boat! The book I’m holding [Illustrations Unlimited] − a compilation of a variety of illustrations − is my favourite of our selection."

02. Blackwell’s 27 Broad St Check out their sister shop, the legendary Blackwell’s, for all your academic, leisure and gift-giving needs. It boasts a fantastic science section and runs events with authors.

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03. Oxfam Books 15 Turl St This charming little second-hand bookshop lends insight to what the residents of Oxford have on their bookshelves: browse with an open mind and you’re sure to walk out with a dusty edition of some poetry book you’d always meant to read.

04. Philip’s books 82 St Aldate's This labyrinthine shop specialising in theology and history has a very beautiful selection of antiquarian and rare books.

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Cook it yourself

01. Lung Wah Chong Chinese Supermarket 41-42 Hythe Bridge St This specialist East Asian supermarket sells delectables for home cooking such as tofu, miso soup, a range of noodles, frozen dim sum and edamame beans.

02. Gloucester Green Market Gloucester Green Every Wednesday Gloucester Green hosts market stalls selling all kinds of food from cheese to fresh veg and cakes. (And it’s cheaper than Tesco.)

Wednesday 9am-5pm

03. Simpli Fresh 236-238 Cowley Rd This fantastic shop stocks all the ingredients slightly too obscure for the mainstream supermarkets which are so often key to noneuropean cusine: a huge range of spices, fresh herbs, very cheap fruit and veg and lots and lots of grains and flour.

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miscellaneous 04

Thirsty Meeples

Game & Coffee Shop, City Centre, Gloucester Green

Shop Talk John, founder of Thirsty Meeples, says:

"Thirsty Meeples is the UK's first board game cafĂŠ. There are over 1,500 games that people can come and play for a small cover charge. The games have been collected over the past 9 months from private collections, ebay and newly purchased. New games are added every week. The collection includes party games, classic games, strategy games and adventure games. Working at the board game cafĂŠ are Game Gurus who can recommend games to play and explain the rules."

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sweet tooth 12

Chateau Gateau Patisserie & Chocolaterie Food, East Oxford, 17 St Clements

Chateau Gateau is a French artisan patisserie that has brought a little chunk of Paris to the heart of the Cowley area. It is the perfect place to taste the most scrumptious and divine patisseries. Inspired by the art of French pastries, the owners have tried to recapture childhood emotions by making and sharing French classics with a contemporary twist to create modern versions of traditional cakes and desserts.

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mahoganyhair.co.uk ‘One visit to Mahogany will change your view of hairdressing for life!’ Oxford 5 Turl Street OX1 3DQ T: 01865 248143 30 Little Clarendon Street OX1 2HU T: 01865 552494 5 Market Street OX1 3EF T: 01865 790245

London 17 St George Street W1S 1FJ T: 0207 629 3121

Oxford Comma

The University of Oxford undoubtedly takes exploring. The collegiate system means that often the best buildings and gardens are kept 14 relatively secret, even from tourists; never underestimate the access that a Bod Card grants you.

College Bars

All colleges have bars where drinks tend to be cheaper than down the pub; it’s best to have an invite, as some bars cater for college members and guests only. Look out for ‘Drink the Bar Dry’ events near the end of term.

Magdalen Sit under the beamed ceiling and pretend you’re Oscar Wilde.

St Peter’s Infamous for its big bar nights and potent house cocktail, The Crosskeys, St Peter’s bar is always lively.

Mon-Sat: 7pm-11pm Balliol Even more infamous for its weekly £1 pints and 75p single plus mixers, dubbed “Crazy Tuesdays”.

All week: 6.30-11pm

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Theatres

Dinner is Served

Halls

Perhaps the best known and shared of collegiate resources, the University’s theatres host most student productions. Check your pidge for flyers.

• • •

The most obvious is of course Christ Church Hall: the Great Hall of Hogwart’s, unfortunately it does tend to be slightly underwhelming for that reason — no floating candles or starry ceiling.

Keble — Keble O’Reilly Wadham — Moser Theatre Lady Margret Hall — Lee Simkins

The halls of the colleges are all different, offering varying degrees of culinary quality; a good way to check them out is via www.hallsurfing.co.uk, a website which sets up swaps.

And in summer watch out for garden plays in good weather...

Art and Museums

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Oxford is home to some world-class and totally free museums, which everyone should check out, and which bear some relevance to nearly all academic disciplines. On top of this, the city is home to plenty of art (look out for the Ruskin Degree show in Trinity).

Modern Art Oxford Pembroke St A lovely venue, open for events, with a nice bar and… modern art.

Ashmolean Beaumont St A massive, fantastic and unparalled museum of art and archeology whose specialist visiting exhibitions are all free with a Bod Card. And what’s even more wonderful: check out their themed live event ‘Ashmolean Live Fridays’ on the last Friday of every month between 7.00–10.30pm.

Pitt Rivers Parks Rd A museum of archeology and anthropology, the Pitt Rivers is fascinating if only because it’s where they keep the shrunken heads.

Oxford University Natural History Museum Parks Rd At the time of writing: shut for maintenance “during 2013”. Home to brilliant collections of fossils and shrimps and the like.

Museum of the History of Science Broad St A smaller museum which catalogues the history of the discipline we now know as science.

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Gardens 16

Oxford is full of very large and well-looked after gardens with very few people in them.

Trinity Lawns Famous and says what it does on the tin really.

Hosts garden plays in summer.

Magdalen The large garden and Fellows’ Garden are open to all: follow the little paths along hidden streams.

Worcester Deceptively large grounds including a very picturesque lake.

HEALThY OPtions Christ Church Meadow

If you fancy exercising in the sunrise, and hearing the encouraging shouts of a cox, then Christ Church Meadow circa 6am is for you. Apart from being the preferred spot for rowers it’s also shockingly picturesque for a space located so close to a city centre and therefore prime for jogging.

South Parks

Although running here can be tough because the park is essentially a massive hill, it has its perks: South Parks boasts arguably the best view of Oxford. Go there at sunset (the gates are always open). Keep going up St Clements from Magdalen roundabout.

Oxford University Sport

10 minute walk, or 5 minutes by bike, from the city centre, Iffley is home to most University sports clubs’ training sessions, a gym and 25m pool (check their website for opening times, which vary). Students get special rates on top of which some colleges offer extra subsidies.

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DELIVERING TILL

5AM 7 DAYS A WEEK

19 Park End Street, Oxford, OX1 1HU

(01865) 200 222 Opening hours: 10am - 5am, 7 days a week

57 Between Towns Road, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 3LR

(01865) 777 137

Opening hours: 10am - 5am, 7 days a week

126 London Road, Headington, OX3 9ED

(01865) 742 020

Opening hours: 10am - 12 Midnight, 7 days a week For orders after Midnight please call the Cowley store

In Your

hood

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Jump on your bike and venture out of the city centre’s University bubble into the branching neighbourhoods of Oxford.

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Much like the centre – but equally, entirely independently – Oxford’s neighbourhoods have their own character, secrets and commercial districts; unsurprisingly many students find living out with friends the highlight of their university experience.

We've summarised the areas most popular with students: East Oxford, including infamous Cowley, traditionally over-run with students and their neighbourenraging parties; Jericho, an alternative, and somewhat more chilled and chic, option for student living; and Summertown and Headington, both slightly leafier and further from the city centre, but featuring good transport links and specific advantages, for example, proximity for medics to the JR Hospital.

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city Centre

High St, Broad St et al Most buses go here.

Traditional Beauty

Oxford has one of the most famous city centres in the world.

Whether it's the Harry Potter sets within the colleges, the Botanical Gardens and rooftops explored by Lyra in the His Dark Materials series, or the streets walked by Inspector Morse, every grand twist and turn will have inspired a new fictional world. With a college on every street, there’s no doubt that this is the central hub of the university – and there are plenty of independent coffee shops, high street stores and nightlife establishments to complement the ancient colleges.

Best of the City Centre 01. The Covered Market Market St An indoor marketplace selling all kinds of readymade food (sandwiches, chocolate) and fresh ingredients all week long.

Includes a florist’s for those all important exam carnations.

02. Cornmarket St Known simply as "Cornmarket" to lazy Oxonians, this street is home to ever-changing high-street shops, greasy fast-food outlets and the occasional bank branch.

03. Alpha Bar Covered Market The healthy-foodie’s dream, not to mention the vegan and the vegetarian’s: Alpha Bar does the best and most generously portioned salads (plus a couple of seasonal hot dishes) in Oxford. Order online to skip the queues at www.alpha-bar.co.uk.

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East Oxford

Cowley, Iffley and St. Clements Rd Bus 1, 5, U5, 10, 12 & 16

Meltingpot

East Oxford is made up of three areas clustering around the three eponymous roads of the Plain roundabout: St Clements, Cowley and Iffley. All of these areas are popular with students living out (Brookes and University), as they offer nice big Victorian houses and some of the cheapest rents in Oxford.

If you want a break from spires and tourists and punting and gowns go to the Cowley Road: it’s the ‘edgy’ side of town, full of cheap, ever-changing restaurants, bars, specialist local supermarkets selling baklava and clothes shops that don’t stock subfusc.

Best of East Oxford

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01. Reign 136 Cowley Rd A vintage shop more in the style of Brick Lane or Camden Market, Reign boasts impressive stock for both men and women of uniformly high quality. Look out for their sale rack for the best bargains.

02. Truck Store 101 Cowley Rd A specialist music store doing good coffee; check out their website for live events. http://truckmusicstore.co.uk/ 03. Magic Café 110 Magdalen Rd This little vegetarian favourite is tucked away on the far side of the Cowley Rd. For a casual eating experience, the comfortably hippyish Magic Café is hard to beat.

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Your Hood Nathalie Wright, 21 English 3rd year, Wadham College "Everyone knows Cowley is the best part of Oxford for students and the coolest place to attend/throw a house party.

Along Cowley Rd you’ll find ALL THE FOOD − a dreamy vision of multicultural gastronomic delight − as well as bars and pubs in all shapes and sizes."

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Natalie’s Insider Tip

“"Have a jog round South Park then go to the Magic Cafe' (110 Magdalen St) to eat your own weight in vegetarian goodness."”

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Jericho

Walton St and Little Clarendon St Bus 17

Bohemian Bliss Calm, classy and within walking distance of both the city centre and station, Jericho is an attractive living-out option for many students, although rent tends to be slightly more expensive than East Oxford. Its atmospheric pubs, bars and restaurants are only minutes from the sprawling, and deceptively pastoral, Port Meadow. Go there for a romantic dinner or drinks, and walk under the fairy lights lining the street.

Best of Jericho

02. Phoenix Picturehouse 57 Walton St One of Oxford's most famous independent cinemas, which shows indie movies as well as blockbusters. Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. www.picturehouses.co.uk 03. Port Meadow Access from Walton Well Rd, Aristotle Ln and Wolvercote Port Meadow is beautiful: 440 acres full of cows dazily chomping at the vast grassy space between the wooded city edge and the river, where multicoloured houseboats are moored.

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ď‹ż

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01. Al Andalus 10 Little Clarendon St A thematically decorated little tapas bar and restaurant serving reasonably priced and sizeable portions. Try the cheese baked in honey with a jug of sangria.

Your Hood Griff Rees, 28 Sociology PhD student, St Cross College

"In Jericho there is always a great pub a couple of metres from where you’re standing. It’s the same with restaurants and food. It’s calm, the housing is good, and it’s a great place to live.”"

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Griff’s Insider Tip

"The Bookbinder's Pub (7-18 Victor St) does great crepes."

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Your Hood Garlen Lo, 30

Vice−President for Graduates, Oxford University Student Union (OUSU)

"Summertown is clean, safe, pretty and it has lots of good restaurants and both independent and well-known shops like Starbucks and Marks & Spencer. But it is more expensive than other areas of Oxford."

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Garlen’s Insider Tip

"Pop into the Wolfson College bar for a cheap beer in the evening."”

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SummerTown

Woodstock and Banbury Rd

Affluently Rustic

Bus 2, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D & 500

Pretty, leafy and quiet, Summertown is home to commuter families but also a surprising number of students. Check out the charity shops for bargains and South and North Parade for some classy eats out.

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Headington

Headington and London Rd Bus U1, U5, 8, 9, 600 and London Buses

Cordially Calm

Popular with medics and Brookes students, due to its proximity to the John Radcliffe Hospital and the Brookes campus, Headington has its own town centre with restaurants, delis and many charity shops; not to mention its own Oxford Tube stop.

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Entertainment

Oxford has lots of entertainment, much of which – in true Oxford style – combines intellectual stimulation with fine wine and hearty beers.

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Ashmolean Live Friday is a prime example. For your archetypal freshers’ experience, look to our Clubs section, and for birthday drinks check out the bars and pubs. If you’re stuck for somewhere you can take your mum or nip for a quick essay/worksheet break, check out the theatre and cinema section and classical music. Most of all, keep an ear out for new nights and bands and exhibitions.

Cinemas

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It’s pretty easy to watch a mainstream movie in Oxford: head for the Odeon, or for something slightly less Hollywood to either of the Picture Palaces.

Check out Magdalen Film Society (look out for their flyer) for screenings of handpicked films from all eras in the Magdalen Auditorium for very cheap prices (with snacks and wine!), as well as various one-off screenings, including of student films by OUFF (Oxford University Film Foundation).

Ultimate Picture Palace Jeune St 01865 245288

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Phoenix Picturehouse 57 Walton St 0871 902 5736

Odeon Magdalen St and George St 0871 224 4007

Clubs There is a significant student-driven clubbing scene at Oxford, with rival nights (listed in parentheses) usually playing either ‘cheese’ or ‘alternative’ music – ie top 40 or anything else.

Listed here are the main institutions, and a couple of popular nights – although you will in your time see many come and go. For this reason, flyers and facebook groups are the best way to keep up to date. And be prepared to queue.

Babylove 3 King Edward St Generally veers away from the mainstream music. Tuesdays is ‘Poptarts’, a gay night (all welcome; rival to Camera), and on alternate Thursdays the infamous ‘Supermarket’ (rival to Junction and Bridge).

Bridge 6-9 Hythe Bridge St Typical ‘cheese’ spread over 3 chaotic floors.

Popular on Thursdays (rival to Babylove’s Supermarket and Junction).

Junction 42-43 Park End St Pretty unremarkable but very popular, appears to be themed “road works” inside. Popular on Thursdays (rival to Bridge and Babylove’s Supermarket).

Wahoo 3-5 Hythe Bridge St Very similar to Bridge but only has two floors, one of which, bizarrely, doubles as a sports bar and restaurant. Popular on Fridays (rival to Camera).

Lava and Ignite (aka ‘Park End’) Cantay House, Park End St Cheese but with three rooms, and sticky patterned carpets that you’ll learn to love. Remember: whatever other regrettable things you get up to there, don’t call it ‘Lava Ignite’! (Rival to The Cellar’s Subverse).

Camera St Ebbes St The stuff of Daily Mail dreams: Oxford students wearing bow ties dance in a doughnut-shaped room to Kanye West and pop champagne. Popular on Tuesdays (rival Poptarts) and Fridays (rival Wahoo).

The Cellar Frewin Ct (off Broad St) Tucked away in the subterranean centre of Oxford, The Cellar is a gem for live music, DJs and noncheesy music in Oxford. Look out for new and oneoff nights, and the established Subverse Presents on alternate Wednesdays.

Theatres

Here are the main theatres in Oxford, ranging from the large (Playhouse) to the intimate (Burton Taylor). In addition to these, plays are often performed in college theatres (see University Town), gardens and even on Worcester Lake. The best way to keep up to date is to look out for play flyers and posters, or have a look on www.oxfordtheatrereview.com to see what’s on.

Oxford Playhouse Beaumont St

Burton Taylor Theatre New Theatre Gloucester St George St

The North Wall Arts Centre South Parade

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Pubs

Oxford has excellent pubs. They’re kooky, most have decent outdoor space (The Turf has heaters!) and you can enjoy the smug novelty that your seat has been figuratively warmed by C S Lewis, or Tolkien or Clinton... And there’s a Spoons (51-53 George St) too.

The Chequers 131 High St Just a nice pub. Boasts an “eclectic” range of ales.

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Bars Although not as established as the pubscene, the bars of Oxford do offer some attractive happy hour deals, perfect for birthdays and nights out. Make sure you take your Bod Card for the best discounts.

Eagle and Child 49 St Giles Sit and drink where ‘The Inklings’ (CS Lewis, Tolkien and friends) sat and drank.

House Blue Boar St, A shiny and upmarket bar, which perhaps lacks character although you can’t argue with their central location and happy hour prices.

Happy Hour: Sun-Thurs 5-9pm; Fri and Sat 5-8pm; all cocktails £3.95, beer and wine £2.95

King’s Arms 40 Holywell St One of Oxford’s more expensive pubs but claims to have the highest IQ per square foot anywhere in the world.

Café Tarifa 56-60 Cowley Rd A large and welcoming bar not very far up the Cowley Rd. Also does food.

Happy Hour: Tues-Fri: 5-7pm; all cocktails £4.50

White Horse 52 Broad St Pretty tiny but very cosy in winter.

Angels Dartington House, Little Clarendon St A smaller bar convenient to both the city centre and Jericho – and check out their Happy Hour!

Happy Hour: all day with a student card!!!

Cocktails between £3.80 and £5.50

Turf Tavern 4-5 Holywell St Where Bill Clinton smoked but didn’t inhale; has outdoor heaters and a decent range of ales.

The Jolly Farmers 20 Paradise St Oxford’s best gay pub and bar, and one of the oldest pubs in England (established c. 1300), the Jolly Farmers is a lively part of the Oxford gay scene, both town and university. Go on Thursday for the all you can eat ‘Curry Night’.

Sponsors this magazine.

Freud’s 19 Walton St A bar in a church – it doesn’t feel quite right, but it is very beautiful. Although at the pricier end of Oxford bars, Freud’s is worth a visit for its crumbling columns and stained glass alone.

Also does food.

Live Music

To give you a feel of the live music scene in Oxford, we asked Snique Pique, a student Jazz band, about the best places they’ve performed. As always, keep an eye on your pidge and sign up to music mailing lists at Freshers’ Fair for up-to-date listings.

Snique Pique says: “As one of the best live jazz bands in Oxford, I, 'Snique Pique', have been around. I was born on The Preview Show, and found my feet at various garden parties, and inspired by the Tuesday jazz nights at The Bullingdon (62 Cowley Rd), where students reveal their true colours, the only place you will find people wildly dancing to jazz in a large dark room with a good bar. If quality is what you are after however, the Uni-run Jazz Soc at the Wig and Pen (9-13 George Street) displays some of the finest student, as well as professional, talent. I first burst onto the scene at The Punter Pub (7 South St, Osney Island) - which is gloriously situated next to Oxford's beautiful canal on Osney Island (Oxford's only island...). Now, you'll find me as you wander into the magical summer balls, setting the scene while you sip, preciously, on your beloved bubbles and smoking your gold-tipped cigarettes. See you there....”

O2 Academy Oxford 190 Cowley Rd The O2 is where the big dogs go when they go to Oxford: 2013 saw Azalea Banks, James Blake and Fat Freddy’s Drop. Check their website for upcoming shows.

The Sheldonian Broad St The Sheldonian, the theatre designed

by Wadham Alum Christopher Wren in which you’ll matriculate and graduate does breath-taking classical music with attractive student prices. Pick up a leaflet or go to www.concert-diary.com to find out what’s on when.

Holywell Music Room Holywell St Europe’s oldest purpose-build music room holds regular concerts, on a smaller scale than the Sheldonian, including £10 Coffee Concerts every Sunday morning. Check www.concertdiary.com for listings.

 This magazine is sponsored by

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The 12−Hour Plan

Cobbled, spired and illustrious, Oxford leaks history – just walking around and in and out of quads often keeps visitors entertained, and if you can remember where T S Eliot used to hang out, and recognise scenes from Morse, even better. Here’s a rough guide to how to give your guests an insider’s introduction to the city in 12 hours – we’ve tailored it according to weather and broad visitor type, but of course feel free to mix and match.

The Parent Trap

When you mum/dad/little sibling’s in town...



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10-10.30pm Grab a yummy, crunchy and portable Italian panini at Olive's (see p9).

10.30am-1pm Good weather: go for walk and save your panini for a riverbank picnic in Christ Church Meadows (see p16). Bad weather: have an amble around the 4.30-7pm Find a concert at the Sheldonian (see Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers (see p15). p31) on concertdiary.com or indie movie at the Phoenix Picturehouse (see p24), depending on 1-2.30pm Go for a gourmet cake and macaroons at taste.

Rick’s Cafe in Cowley (see p6).

2.30-4.30pm On your way back to the centre of town, stop strategically at Reign (see p22) for vintage clothing or Blackwell’s (see p11) for books and posters (perhaps it’s your birthday soon...?).

Sponsors this magazine.

7-10pm Dine finely at the Ashmolean Dining Room (see p10), if the weather is good, sit on the roof terrace as the sun sets.

Buddy Break



When your BFF’s in town...

10-11.30am Have a wander around the Covered Market or Gloucester Green (see p21). Check out all the little stalls and buy cheap, fresh ingredients for dinner...

11.30am-12.30pm Good weather: go punting from Magdalen Bridge (or your college may own punts).

Bad weather: check out the shrunken heads at the Pitt Rivers Museum (see p15).

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12.30-3.30pm Play a boardgame you’ve near heard of over coffee or beer at Thirsty Meeples (see p12).

3.30-4.30pm Go for a 10% discounted lunch at the Vaults and Garden Café (1 Radcliffe Square); if the weather is good, eat looking at the wonderful Rad Cam from their garden. Discount is only valid after 2pm Mon-Fri. 5-8pm Good weather: walk through the field of cows to the river, and have a leisurely BBQ in Port Meadow (see p24). Bad weather: cook them dinner with fresh ingredients you bought in the Market.

8-10pm Cocktails at Angels (see p30) or, if it’s the last Friday of the month, go to Ashmolean Live Friday (see p28), or, if it’s a Thursday, Catweazle (Cowley Rd).

10pm... Depending on the night, dance with Subverse @ The Cellar (see p29), or Supermarket @ Babylove (see p29), or check out a new student night...

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