It's gone now. The fleur-de-lys painted on the wall above the door has 
reappeared since the hoarding saying PRINCE OF ALES in front of it has 
been taken down. (15.vii.2001)

The Prince of Ales (Morrells)
80 Cowley Road, Oxford.

This used to be the Prince of Wales with a W, an essentially unremarkable 
local which only ever had about three customers at a time, and bright 
woodchip decor.

Now it's been New Morrellsed in the style of The Bookbinders, The Old Ale 
House and The Berkshire Ale House, so we have a barrel full of monkey nuts 
(fortunately they had run out, so we weren't wading up to our knees in 
shells), and old beermats stapled to the walls in tremendous numbers. They 
have the temerity to put up Morrells Mild beermats too. Other tat includes 
an entire bicycle on the ceiling, a deckchair, and fake pharmacist's 
drawers, not to mention a fake door with a plastic centipede behind it.

In the old review I mentioned new landlords, who have been replaced, and a 
fleur-de-lys, where there now is a big sign saying PRINCE OF ALES. The 
mezzanine floor has been retained, with a new carpet and no pool table.

The beer, on the other hand, is in principle an improvement, though since 
there wasn't that many more people in when we went (admittedly after work 
on a Thursday) goodness alone knows how they get through all of them. 
Wasn't that impressed by Jenning's Cocker Hoop, but the Old Don was 
astonishing. Treacly, liquoricy, dark and only 4.8%. Steep this pub, but.

Acknowledgement

The author thanks James Davey for useful discussions and a pint of Cocker 
Hoop. (30.iii.2000)

Mark Dickerson adds:
Beer quality still good. I was worried I was getting used to NuMorrells 
decor, but then I worked it out: no windowsills, so no space for tat. 
Quite busy when I went, which was interesting. (v.2000)