| And they’re off! Forget Cambridge: OutUK’s own little fresher Adrian Gillan strips 'em down for a boy bender binge to examine if Oxford really makes the gay grade. The ultimate university challenge: marks out of ten for looks, brains and sheer thrill of the chase! | |
| Ah, the dreamy spires and crowds of bright, brainy boy babes who’ve just left home, hungry for new knowledge. But being a mere hour from London by train, anyone can say they “went to Oxford” these days. What's more it's such a relief to know that the smart slapper or clever cutsie you’re currently petting may be considerably more than just a pretty face. |
Oxford's dreaming spires. |
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Without question there are lots of gay men in Oxford and to be honest
most of them are pretty great, particularly those at university. Some people picture Oxford as
being predominently straight, white and Establishment - and indeed there are some people who are like that, but
the city can also be rather rainbow, glamourously glitzy and really quite gay.
Of course, don’t loose your head in bookish boys and neglect the truly local produce either. Whatever your taste, most of the action occurs only five minutes’ walk from the train station. Oxford's oldest gay pub, indeed the oldest gay pub in the UK outside of London or Brighton, can be found here. | |
| It's the Jolly Farmers and it can be found on the sublimely named Paradise Street. This is ye olde community hub of a pub in town, serving up ales and cocktails amid low oak beams and a real fire. Queer locals of all genders and ages merrily prattle away the hours, mulling over life and love or reliving the recent Pride blow-by-blow. Also it does good food throughout the day up until early evening. |
Loving Couple hugging in the street in Oxford. Photo: monkeybusinessimages |
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Plush Oxford is a privately-owned and operated bar which was first established in Oxford in 2010, and which has been solely run
and directed by members of the lgbtq+ community since its inception. They moved a few years ago to a new venue becoming
Oxfordshire's premier lgbtq+ nightclub. They have two bars, a cocktail bar, dynamic dance floor lighting, luxurious seating & VIP area, student nights
and some of the UK's best commercial DJ's appearing every night.
Glamorous Oxford is the city’s newer LGBTQ+ venue, offering a blend of a modern cocktail bar and nightclub. The owners also have venues in Coventry and Birmingham. It's Located in St Clement’s, a 5-minute walk eastwards down the High Street and over the Magdalen Bridge. They have nightly special offers on a wide variety of drinks, as well as award-winning international drag artists, top UK drag artists, resident DJs, and student nights in their cosy lounge, and cocktail bar on the ground floor, and their underground club room. The unofficial cruising ground is the parkland the other side of the ice rink near Oxpens Road and, incidentally, the site of Oxford Pride, a celebration of lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer life in Oxfordshire. The events supporting or arranged by Oxford Pride promote awareness of LGBT issues by providing information, education and entertainment in a safe and encouraging environment. Oxford Pride is a membership based non-profit organisation run by a dedicated team of volunteers. Oxford Pride Parade & Event take place most years in late May to early June and the Festival itself runs a few days either side of the main parade. | |
| Worth mentioning is the Old Fire Station (OFS) on George Street. It's a rather enjoyable venue which is open to all but holds a number of gay-friendly or gay-themed events. A café-bar by day, OFS hosts dance, drag, comedy and spoken word events all of which are highly popular - especially with that elusive much sought-after dirty stop-out student crowd, who like to dress to impress. |
Looking Out Over View Of Oxford Skyline. Photo: monkeybusinessimages |
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Revised January 2024. |