A historic pub once frequented by Lord of the Rings author J.R.R Tolkien is to close after 450 years. Due to its close ties to the beloved writer, the pub is often recognised as being a core part of the Middle Earth franchise, with local newspapers referring to it as “The Lord of the Rings pub.”
As noted by Standard.co.uk, The Lamb & Flag first opened in 1566 before moving to its current location on St Giles in 1613.
Since 1997, the Oxford pub (which is owned by St John’s College) has used some of its profits to fund scholarships for graduate students.
The pub was also a place regularly frequented by not only J.R.R Tolkien but also his good friend C.S Lewis, the author of The Chronicles of Narnia.
The Lamb & Flag is one of the most traditional pubs in the UK, so much so that it has no TV or jukebox. It is a place for residents to come together to have a drink and a good old chinwag.
“It has no TV, it has no jukebox, it has no music. It’s a place where people come to talk to each other, to enjoy the traditional, historic surroundings. Generations of people have done that, students, townspeople, people from afar,” said Dave Richardson of the Oxford branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.
Unfortunately the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the closure of many businesses, which will soon include The Lamb and Flag. As this news shows, even businesses that are over four centuries old are not immune.
“The Lamb and Flag, like many other businesses in the hospitality industry, has been hard hit by the pandemic,” said Steve Elston, deputy bursar of St John’s College said in a statement.
Elston continued: “The trading figures of the last 12 months have meant that the pub is not currently financially viable.”
If there’s one positive from this story is that scholarships that were funded for graduates by The Lamb & Flag will not be affected as St John’s College will directly fund future scholarships.
Back in December 2020 it was revealed that actors from The Lord of the Rings movies formed their own fellowship to save the home of J.R.R Tolkien, so let’s hope that there’s a way to save this historic Lord of the Rings pub too!
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