The Exchange - Banbury

Visited 3rd September 2011.

I have planned a little surprise for Mrs S. and a couple of friends today. I have been on Groupon again and splashed out for a few tickets for something that I don't think any of us have done before. The general idea is to all meet up early (for us) and drive to Banbury to visit a couple of 'spoons and then come back to Oxford for the main event in the evening. As is completely predictable for anything involving the four of us things don't go entirely to plan! (I was once charged with organizing a leaving do for a work colleague and managed to get him and myself to one pub and the rest of the company to a completely different pub - enough said!)

We had arranged to meet up about 10am, by the time we did meet up it was nearer 12. Never mind our plans were fluid and we can at least now set off for Banbury... Oh no, wait, first somebody has to refuel a plane... Fortunately it's not an airbus a380, but it is in a big, windy field and the girls are soon complaining about their windswept hair, the cold, the lack of toilets (No!It's not ladylike to go behind the shed), no coffee, no food and about a hundred other things. Eventually we are back on the road and Stiggy is having to listen to us chat about the sea, fountains, fast running rivers and sudden downpours along with the rules of toilet roulette whilst being bounced up and down as we travel over what must be some of the bumpiest back roads in England.

We finally make it Banbury and pass 'The Exchange' while looking for a place to park. After a few requests to "Get on with it", we park and take a short walk to the pub. There is a little more leg crossing as Stiggy is grabbed and forced to pose for the photo shoot but she finally breaks free and like chocolate at a Weightwatchers meeting is gone.
By now we are all hungry and four all day brunches were swiftly ordered along with a pint of 'The Pride of Oxford' for me and a Disaronno and Pepsi for Mrs S. with the other two opting for a gin and tonic and a pint of lager. We sat in a small booth drinking and waiting for our food, which arrived after not to long a wait and was served by a very friendly member of staff. The pub itself was long and dark and had a pleasant atmosphere which we continued to enjoy over coffee. I asked at the bar for directions to the next pub, which turned out to be only a short walk away. We would have been there quite quickly but had to stop at a sweet shop and then a toy shop on the way. What a bunch of kids!

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