It’s a typical weekend evening in Oxford and you’re wondering down the mecca that is Cowley Road when suddenly you fall down the rabbit hole into the hidden world of The Mad Hatter.

Once you’ve pressed the buzzer and successfully answered a Lewis Carroll style riddle you’ll find yourself in the midst of the city’s only speakeasy. With charming velvet-jacketed host Henry, Hendrick’s Gin cocktails in teacups, low lighting, a (sometimes) roaring fire and fantastic live music, this is a place of dreams.

I’ve visited The Hatter many times since its opening and although Friday and Saturday nights are increasingly busy (best book a table if you’re part of a large group), the sense that you are one of the lucky ones ‘in the know’ remains and I’ve had many a fantastic night introducing friends to its wondrous charms.

With delectable cocktails on offer (my personal favourite being a zingy Blueberry Bramble) and delightful, friendly bar staff, I promise you won’t regret a visit to this homage to British eccentricity.

Just remember it’s a secret, yes?

Images courtesy of The Mad Hatter