The Kings Arms in Sandford-on-Thames, part of the Chef & Brewer collection operated by Greene King, reopened to the public last weekend.

King’s Arms in Sandford near Oxford (Image: Greene King)

Situated near Sandford Lock, the historic pub has been given a top-to-bottom refresh designed to modernise the space while preserving its character.

The internal upgraded space at the King’s Arms near Oxford (Image: Greene King)

Internally, the layout has been reconfigured to improve flow, with upgrades to the bar area, repositioned service points and new furniture and décor to create a more comfortable and inviting setting.

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The external upgraded space at the King’s Arms near Oxford (Image: Greene King)

Accessibility has also been improved, with new flooring and a refreshed layout making the venue more welcoming for all visitors, including those with dogs.

The internal upgraded space at the King’s Arms near Oxford (Image: Greene King)

Outside, the pub’s large riverside beer garden remains a key attraction. Enhancements include a renovated pergola, extended seating areas and improvements around the prominent horse chestnut tree, creating an appealing space for outdoor dining throughout the year.

The external upgraded space at the King’s Arms near Oxford (Image: Greene King)

Customers can also enjoy a new seasonal menu featuring traditional pub favourites, Sunday roasts and more contemporary dishes.

To mark the reopening, local resident Ann Bishop was invited to cut the ribbon. The pub has also made a donation to Oxenford Cricket Club as part of its community support efforts.

The internal upgraded space at the King’s Arms near Oxford (Image: Greene King)

General manager Lee Hyland said the investment had “truly transformed” the pub while maintaining its long-standing appeal to both locals and visitors.

The 66-year-old was born in the city and grew up in Blackbird Leys before going on to star in projects such as Jeeves and Wooster, Blackadder and The Night Manager.

He is perhaps best known globally for his role as the titular character in House, which ran for eight seasons between 2004 and 2012.

Another one of Mr Laurie’s biggest hits was the spy thriller, The Night Manager, which was released in 2016 and saw him play off against Tom Hiddleston’s Jonathan Pine.

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The six-episode series saw the 66-year-old win a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe for his villainous part as Richard Roper.

He reprised the role in a shock return during the long-awaited second series, which was released earlier this year.

Writer Janet Murray took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to criticise the long-running medical drama, suggesting each episode followed a repetitive formula in which Dr House initially misdiagnoses a patient and nearly loses his job, before eventually solving the case and avoiding dismissal.

“Eight seasons of this?” she asked, drawing an unexpected response from actor Hugh Laurie.

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“Thanks for your critique,” wrote the Blackadder star on X. “We actually tried a couple of episodes where House gets it right first time, but they were only 6 minutes long. NBC weren’t happy.

“Then we tried some where House never gets it right, and the patient dies. The audience wasn’t happy.”

He continued: “One could apply your trenchant analysis to other art forms: JS Bach wrote 30 Goldberg variations on the same chord structure; Frida Kahlo painted 50 portraits of herself; Henry Moore, what??

“The point is, or was, variations on a theme; if all you see is hospital, medical blah blah, then it wasn’t meant for you. Nonetheless, I look forward to your first novel!”

The fifth annual event hosted by the award-winning Oxford social enterprise brewery took place at the taproom industrial estate on Saturday, June 6.

Exclusively available from Brewser, the world’s first direct-from-brewery subscription service, the Change is Brewing box features Tap Social collaborations with 10 of the UK’s leading independent breweries.

Tap Social hosted an indie festival on Saturday (Image: Ed Nix)

Tap Social’s 10 new collaboration beers were showcased at its annual Change is Brewing indie beer festival (Image: Ed Nix)

Tap Social’s Change is Brewing festival 2026 (Image: Ed Nix)

Tap Social’s Change is Brewing festival 2026 (Image: Ed Nix)

People hold up pints at the Tap Social festival (Image: Ed Nix)

Tap Social’s Change is Brewing festival 2026 (Image: Ed Nix)

“Change is Brewing is a labour of love and an event that our team looks forward to every year,” said Brian Spencer, Tap Social’s marketing manager.

“We’ve had such a good time working with this year’s guest breweries on these beers.

“I couldn’t be more proud and excited to partner with Brewser and to get these delicious beers in the hands of its members.

“I hope they enjoy drinking them as much as we enjoyed making them.”

Oliver Morgan, co-founder of Brewser, said Tap Social is “doing something genuinely different” having built a brewery and social enterprise that employs former prisoners.

Tap Social’s Change is Brewing festival brought together a curated lineup of independent breweries from across the UK, along with a full day of live music, DJs, and street food.

East London post-punk disco band WIDGET headlined this year’s music lineup, which also featured Alto (indie rock), The Bobo (experimental electronica), Count Skylarkin (reggae/rocksteady DJ), Felix Ross (rising singer-songwriter), and DJ Molemann (funk).