The Fox Inn in Oswestry is a familiar and iconic building in the middle of the town with nearly 500 years of history behind it.

Built in 1550, this building was originally a house, but later became a coaching inn with stables at the rear of the building; Some of its equipment is still present inside the bar today.

II. The Grade II listed building was purchased by Joule’s Brewery in 2015 and has undergone an extensive yet sympathetic restoration which modernized large parts of the interior, whilst retaining the pub’s Tudor influence and medieval features.

There are three interconnected rooms occupying a long, narrow, medieval burglary; One of them has a wood stove in its centre.

There are also low ceilings with exposed wooden beams, paintings and memorabilia on the walls, a selection of bar furniture and tiled and veneered floors, giving the bar a traditional and cozy feel.

It’s run and managed by Mick Burton, who says he’s now worked at the pub for eight years, has worked as a publican around the country for over 30 years, and says the town is the nicest place he’s ever been.

He said: “I’ve lived all over England and Oswestry is the best place I’ve ever lived and I honestly don’t want to leave and will stay here when I retire.

“I came here because of Joule’s Brewery, who own the pub, and they asked me to come down and run the pub because it would suit me well because I’m really outgoing and easy to get along with.

“That’s the impression I got when I came here and the bar suits me well because there’s a good age group of young people here and the old wrinkles, which is great because I don’t want this bar to be just one thing, I wanted it to be something for everyone of all ages.”

Mr Burton said the bar was a place where you would get a warm welcome when you walked in, whether it was from himself, bar manager Rhianna or other staff members of locals drinking at the bar.

Being Joule’s Brewery pub, the main drinks in the bar are all from the brewery’s range; Pale Ale, Slumbering Monk and Pure Blonde are all regulars at the bar.

Mr Burton said he was always looking out for guest beers as well and the bar was an affordable place to grab a pint.

He said: “The most popular one we have is Pale Ale, then Slumbering Monk and we also have guest beers occasionally, especially in the winter months when we have beers like Old Number Six.

“I’d love to drink more beer and work with Stonehouse, but we can do whatever we want with spirits.

“On average, a pint of bitters or lager will cost you around £3.40 per pint, while a beer like Carling will cost you around £3.60 per pint.”

Mr Burton said although the pub was known as a friendly pint spot, it had made a name for itself for the great value and fresh produce it provided.

He said: “Everything we make is fresh, from pies to fries to roasted chicken and to-die-for ham fries, and you can have a really good meal for just £11.

“It’s not a small meal and from the curries to the lasagnes to the liver and onions it’s all cooked by hand, I think we’re the only bar that does it properly and it’s all traditional fare, nothing fancy at all.

“I like to say that all we have is our peas and our ice cream.”

The bar is also noted for its evocative and eye-catching decorations, which change with the season and ongoing events, including a full Halloween display and a massive poppy display during Remembrance weekend.

Mr Burton said the pub was his life and love, saying: “All the people are my family and friends and it’s a great pub that brings people together.”