Buck & Bell, Banbury

back to pub details

user reviews of Buck & Bell, Banbury

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

In here last Saturday lunch time and quiet with just three other customers.
5 hand pulls 4 for White Horse and I for Everards Tiger.
I tried the Ordinery Best Bitter which was well kept and cost £2.40 a pint.
bjbrummiejohn - 30 Apr 2012 08:11
Keen to find this new real ale outlet I headed up towards Banbury Cross only to find that the pub is actually a bit away from the actual cross and is easier to find if you go to the top of Parsons Street. Anyway, I found the place a bit soul-less and not very friendly (Tuesday early evening - four customers including me). It is a large bar which had been completely re-furnished and looks like a pub owned by a larger pubco chain - not intimate or cosy). It mirrors the other White Horse pub in Oxford in style and decor. Bar staff were chatting to each other but I got served fairly quickly. Huge selection of beers mostly from White Horse (as you would expect) and Titanic. Quality was fine but I left and went down to the Olde Rein Deer which was much more friendly and inviting.
I will probably go back to the White Horse to give it another chance. It is of course a welcome new beer outlet in the town so must be commended for that .
mcroyal - 26 Apr 2012 10:39
Now taken over by Everards and leased to White Horse Brewery. Renamed White Horse at Banbury Cross.
imdownthepub - 3 Mar 2012 10:22
Indeed - for sale/to let sign above the door.
mcroyal - 1 Sep 2011 22:34
CLOSED
lilscse - 8 Aug 2010 20:05
Only one ale on offer which was Exmoor Brewery, very nice comfy sofas but a rather unpleasent aroma of bleach in the air, 6/10 nothing special..
fat_beer_badger - 21 May 2010 22:46
This pub is a lot better since it re-opened. The friday night dj they have looks un-professional and isn't helping the place at all. On the upside have seen some really good ones on a saturday night. Good drink deals at the weekend and friendly doorstaff.
markhandleswell - 8 Oct 2009 13:49
CLOSED
lilscse - 26 Apr 2009 17:08
The pub re-open just before xmas with a new landlord.
much cleaner now and a better pub altogeather . Plays good music, shows all the sport on five big plasma screen very good for watching the rugby.
The landlord dosn't let the young football lads run the place like before.
eric123 - 22 Jan 2009 11:58
Closed for some time now
wellinformed - 26 Nov 2008 20:09
Very much for the younger scene. Large open pub with friendly staff. Not my cup of tea but generally well run.

Food: Not sure if they do food
Decor: Modern & tidy
Toilets: Lets the rest of the pub down. Dirty & smelly
Service: Friendly & generally fast
The_Whole_Truth - 8 May 2007 19:54
kids pub which is ok because you know where they will all be drinking ...good for wathcing the footie but watch who you stand next to
lilscse - 15 May 2006 08:42
Loud music and Sports dominate this pub which is aimed entirely at the younger market. No Real Ale on my last visit. The whole thing is opened up and can be a bit feisty at times, particularly during Football matches in other parts of the country. Decent for under 25's which is fine.
imdownthepub - 17 Feb 2006 17:44
Back in 2000-2001-2002 this was a really happening place and had ditched it's '90's roughness. Good looking girls, cool music and nice decor. But it's getting dated now. Carla's right - needs to move on a bit.
paul69 - 12 Nov 2005 17:53
This pub needs to be funked up, it's one of the trendiest if not the trendiest pubs in Banbury, the problem with 'The Buck' is the music. Ditch the R&B and play more of Benzi and Easy's funky house, why have funky house on a Sunday? Overall a good pub, they have a sister club called 52 degrees north which needs to be funked up and the music changed again from R&B to house, then each venue would get a much different clientel.
Carla Bison - 8 Oct 2004 12:37

got anything to say about this pub?

Please read our comments policy before posting.
Only registered users can post reviews. Please log in. If you don't have an account yet, register here.