The Cape of Good Hope is a spacious, welcoming corner pub on The Plain in Oxford, at the junction of Iffley Road and Cowley Road (OX4 1EA). Originally built in 1785 and rebuilt to a HW Drinkwater design in 1893 for Morrells, it takes its name from sitting on a headland-shaped junction. Renowned for an eclectic taste in music and popular with students from the city's universities, it runs live music and open-mic nights alongside a weekly pub quiz and wine club — past programming has spanned folk evenings and punk nights. A PA-equipped grassroots room near the O2 Academy and Botanic Garden, welcoming both covers and original acts.
Oxford · Every Wednesday · Free
Oxford open mic at The Cape Of Good Hope — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Next night: Wed 18 Nov. Kick-off 20:00, sign-up from 19:30. 10-minute slots. Free entry.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
Wednesdays
| Night | Every Wednesday |
| Sign-up | 19:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 10 min |
| Entry | Free · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians |
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 27 Aug 2026 |
| Checked against | Music directory |
Oxford OX4 1EA
The nearest station is Oxford (rail station), about 1 mile away - a taxi or bus is the easier last leg.
| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
The Cape Of Good Hope sits on the corner where Iffley Road meets St Clement's, right on The Plain roundabout - a busy, student-heavy Oxford pub with a performance corner. Its open mic runs on Wednesday evenings: bring a guitar, keyboard, fiddle, harp, or just yourself.
Sign-up process
Walk-in on the night - put your name down at the bar. Slots run about 10 minutes.
Getting there
Iffley Road, The Plain, Oxford OX4 1EA - five minutes over Magdalen Bridge from the High Street.
The venue
Single-room corner pub with a PA. 18+, free to play and free to watch.
The Cape of Good Hope is a spacious, welcoming corner pub on The Plain in Oxford, at the junction of Iffley Road and Cowley Road (OX4 1EA). Originally built in 1785 and rebuilt to a HW Drinkwater design in 1893 for Morrells, it takes its name from sitting on a headland-shaped junction. Renowned for an eclectic taste in music and popular with students from the city's universities, it runs live music and open-mic nights alongside a weekly pub quiz and wine club — past programming has spanned folk evenings and punk nights. A PA-equipped grassroots room near the O2 Academy and Botanic Garden, welcoming both covers and original acts.
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The Cape Of Good Hope Open Mic
Oxford open mic at The Cape Of Good Hope — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
- Wednesday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 27 Aug
- Last verified
- Free
- Entry
- 10 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
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Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Cape Of Good Hope Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Cape Of Good Hope Open Mic runs on Wednesdays at The Cape Of Good Hope in Oxford, starting at 20:00 with sign-up from 19:30. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.

The night starts at 20:00. Sign-up is on the night from 19:30 - get there early to get a slot. Each act gets about 10 minutes. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in.
What’s on in Oxford this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Cape Of Good Hope sits on the corner where Iffley Road meets St Clement's, right on The Plain roundabout - a busy, student-heavy Oxford pub with a performance corner. Its open mic runs on Wednesday evenings: bring a guitar, keyboard, fiddle, harp, or just yourself.
Sign-up process
Walk-in on the night - put your name down at the bar. Slots run about 10 minutes.
Getting there
Iffley Road, The Plain, Oxford OX4 1EA - five minutes over Magdalen Bridge from the High Street.
The venue
Single-room corner pub with a PA. 18+, free to play and free to watch.
The kit on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
The Night at a Glance
How The Cape Of Good Hope’s Wednesday night runs.
Every Wednesday
Wed 18 Nov · Wed 25 Nov · Wed 2 Dec
The Cape Of Good Hope provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
Get there by 19:30 for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn and keep to about 10 minutes.
Find The Cape Of Good Hope
Iffley Rd, The Plain, Oxford OX4 1EA
The nearest station is Oxford (rail station), about 1 mile away - a taxi or bus is the easier last leg. You'll find The Cape Of Good Hope in The Plain, Oxford; OX4 1EA is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
James St. Tavern, The Eagle Tavern, The Royal Blenheim and The Harcourt Arms
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Wednesday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. The Cape Of Good Hope provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
How much should paid gigs pay you? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. A night in the Oxford live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people ask before turning up at Oxford's The Cape Of Good Hope open mic.
Venues Near The Cape Of Good Hope
No other gigs are listed at The Cape Of Good Hope in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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The Cape Of Good Hope open mic in brief. The Cape Of Good Hope open mic runs every Wednesday from 20:00 (free entry); sign-up opens 19:30 and slots run about 10 minutes. The Cape Of Good Hope’s venue page has its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For a different night this week, the open mics near Oxford are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Oxford? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Oxford gigs or check the going rate.
More rooms near The Cape Of Good Hope: Isis Farmhouse, James St. Tavern, Joe's Bar & Grill, JoJo's, Jude The Obscure, Kazbar, O'neill's Oxford, Red Lion, Sandy's Piano Bar, St Aldates Tavern and Studio Se7en.
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