#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!