Somebody always ends up organising it. It lands on a desk in October, usually with a headcount that keeps changing and a brief that amounts to “somewhere everyone will actually enjoy.” That’s a harder job than it sounds, since an office Christmas party has to work for the person who wants three courses and the person who’d rather just have a couple of drinks and go home by nine.
The Chef’s Counter, for a Smaller Team
At The Double Red Duke in Clanfield, eight seats sit right at the Chef’s Counter, where the brigade cooks in front of you rather than out of sight. It suits a team that wants the evening to be about the food itself: venison with spiced quince, wood-fired scallops, dishes that give a smaller group something to actually talk about over the table rather than making small talk to fill the silence.
The Feasting Room, for Something More Private
For up to twelve, the Feasting Room gives a team a proper private space without needing to hire the whole building. Dinner first, then through to one of the snugs afterwards for the part of the evening where nobody wants to be the one who suggests going home.
Hiring the Whole Restaurant
Bigger teams, up to forty, can take the restaurant itself: a welcome drink in one area, then through to the table once everyone’s arrived. The Garden Room holds up to forty-five if the guest list runs longer still, and for a work do that wants to properly let its hair down, the entire pub is available to hire, DJ included if that’s the direction the evening’s heading in.
Bicester Village, for Teams Spread Across Offices
The Double Red Duke at Bicester Village works differently. A lot of the bookings here are teams who don’t normally see each other in person, scattered across offices or working remotely most of the year. Turning the party into a full day, shopping first, dinner after, gives that kind of team more reason to actually show up than an evening-only booking would.
The Wild Duck and Mason’s Arms, for Something Quieter
Not every work do needs to be a production. The Wild Duck, tucked into the countryside near Cirencester, suits a smaller team or one that’s decided this isn’t the year for a big night out. And Mason’s Arms in Clanfield, trading since 1610, doesn’t serve Christmas Day lunch itself, but is very much open for parties through December, and has the kind of worn-in warmth that makes a work event feel less like one.
Booking Ahead
December fills quickly, and a booking made in October has far more choice over dates and space than one made in November. Wherever suits your team best, we’d rather know sooner than later; drop us a line and we’ll talk through what works for your numbers and your night.
