#290 Red Lion, Cropredy, Oxfordshire : 1998 to 2021

Our first ever visit to Cropredy was on the evening of Wednesday 2nd September 1998 on our way to Oxford by boat for the first time. On that evening we paid our first visit to the Red Lion (as well as the Brasenose Arms - #286)

We also stopped there on the way back on the evening of Tuesday 8th September 1998.

There are only two things I remember about the pub. Firstly that it was a cosy village local that did good food and, secondly, that there seemed to be no mention of Fairport Convention, nor the annual folk festival...anywhere! (Not quite sure what I did expect, but there were no pictures/posters at all!)

Our next jaunt along the Oxford Canal took us back to Cropredy on the evening of Monday 27th May 2002 as part of a short trip to Banbury and back.

Hardly any changes...even the same flags were hanging outside!

The next time was at lunchtime on Tuesday 24th August 2004 in the early part of our journey that had started out from Oxford.

Again, not much appears to have changed although the flags have gone (and the house that was 'Sold' last time appears to be back up for sale!)

It was a long time before we ventured back down the Oxford Canal, but our next stop at Cropredy was on the evening of Friday 26th July 2019 - the first evening of our journey that would take us down the River Thames.

At least, this time, the hanging sign has changed and the bloke in the picture is wearing different clothes (and there's still a house for sale!)

Our most recent visits were on the evenings of Tuesday 18th May 2021 and Monday 24th May 2021.

The first visit was very fleeting. The pandemic restrictions had only just relaxed to allow for indoor eating and drinking, but as we hadn't booked, there was no room for us to even just have a drink! (We'd intended to eat in the Brasenose Arms, but it was the chef's night off!)

On our return from Oxford, we made the decision to book in advance, so there were no problems this time. I can also report that the Red Lion is still a cosy local village pub that does very good food!

#289 Foxton Locks Inn, Foxton, Leicestershire : 1986 to 2021

 I know, it's been a while since I last posted, but I'm back now with a few more new pubs from my archives!

This time I'll start with a pub that didn't exist! Back in 1986, we descended Foxton Locks (a genuinely thrilling experience...then, as now!), but this was the scene that greeted us at the bottom on the afternoon of Wednesday 23rd July 1986.

From this viewpoint; to the right is the set of ten locks that make up the Foxton Flight; to the left is the 1½ miles of the Market Harborough Branch and behind is the rest of the Leicester Section of the Grand Union Canal leading to Leicester and the Soar Navigation beyond that.

Back in 1986, the building directly ahead was Foxton Boat Services which was a chandlery and boat repairs in the main.

The next time we visited, in 1997, it was still the same set up and I didn't take a photo. However, it was a memorable and potentially disastrous visit at lunchtime on Wednesday 27th August 1997.

This was the day that I nearly blew up our boat Emma Jane! We'd descended the locks without problem and gone for lunch at one of the nearby pubs. After lunch, we needed to buy a new Calor Gas cylinder as the previous one had run out. 

I connected the gas and William paid for the cylinder in the shop. It was my turn to steer for the afternoon, but we were in no rush. So, before starting the engine I stepped back onto the boat where I got a very, very strong smell of gas...one burner of the gas cooker was still open and the whole cabin was filled with gas!! I quickly closed the valve, opened the windows and got off the boat (and warned William not to light his cigarette!!)

Fortunately, there was no spark and, after a few nervous minutes, the gas dispersed safely...but it could have been a very serious event!

The next time we were there was on the evening of Tuesday 8th September 2009 and the scene was very different!

A completely different vista to previously and a new pub had been established. This picture was taken before we entered the lock flight and moored above the locks for the evening. The Foxton Locks Inn had become a popular tourist destination and we only had a pint before moving on to one of the other Foxton pubs.

I have no idea when it became a pub, but it certainly has become a popular place. Our next encounter was on the morning of Saturday 29th August 2015, although we were only passing by on the way to Market Harborough for lunch.

In the intervening years the exterior had been repainted and the restaurant had got a more permanent, flat roof.

Our most recent encounter was at lunchtime on Monday 9th August 2021.

Little seemed to have changed in the six years since we were last passing by, but it is certainly a popular spot during the boating season! It was still operating a table service system, but as it is more of a restaurant than proper pub, that wasn't a problem.

This final image is from the same bridge as the first picture back in 1986 to give the perspective of 35 years of change! (And it is nice, for a change, to be able to report on a pub that has been created rather than reporting on one that's been lost!)