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.
The Plain · Every Wednesday · Free
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.
Open mic at a glance The Cape Of Good Hope · Oxford
Wednesday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
27 Aug
Last verified
Free
Entry
10 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Oxford open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 27 August 2026
The Cape Of Good Hope Open Mic — Quick Facts
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.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayWednesday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length10 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity–
Performer typesMusicians
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The Cape Of Good HopeIffley Rd, The Plain
The Plain
Oxford OX4 1EA
The Plain, Oxford — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Contact
Walk-in sign-up only
No advance booking
Highlights
Free entry for all
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Musicians welcome
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.
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About The Cape Of Good Hope
About This Open Mic
Every Wednesday in The Plain, Oxford
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
10-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Oxford open mic directory
The Night
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.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How The Cape Of Good Hope’s Wednesday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
00:00Venue closes
Every Wednesday 10-min slots Free entry
Find The Cape Of Good Hope
Iffley Rd, The Plain, The Plain, Oxford OX4 1EA
Planning Your Wednesday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until late. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Oxford live music scene.
What should you charge for paid gigs?Most open mic musicians are ready for paid work sooner than they think. Check live UK rates by role, city, and venue size.
Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Oxford's The Cape Of Good Hope open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Oxford open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
10 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Oxford mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
Iffley Rd, The Plain, The Plain, Oxford OX4 1EA.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Oxford regulars across the Oxford open mic scene. Oxford open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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