“The clientele is a mixed crowd – from young teenagers drinking milkshakes to septuagenarians enjoying a cup of tea and a slice of cake……with all humanity inbetween”.

Underwood's original design of St. Paul's

St. Paul’s Church was built circa 1836 and designed by an architect from Bristol named Henry Jones Underwood (1804-1852). Part of the Incorporated Church Building Society, it acted as a church for poor people, supported by the Society until 1964, when it was closed. At this point it was deconsecrated and the Local Authority of Oxford declared ownership. The building became an Art Centre and theatre until 1987, when, close to demolition, it was bought by David Freud who created the space known by the sign above the door today as, Freud.

Historic buildings are special. Underwood employed rubble stone and ashlar on the exterior, yet much of the earlier features had been neglected. In addition, a wall had been erected to split the Arts Centre and theatre. The first priority was to therefore restore the building to its former glory and to do so, a combination of Structural Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Architects and specialist workers were brought in.

Removing the wall restored the original design enabling a communal space once again, but there was much work to be done. Most significant was the deterioration of the walls. Modern plaster on the lower walls had caused irreparable dampness so this was redone with original lime plaster to allow easy breathing. The north side wall was rebuilt using lime water and stone, the apse columns recreated with timber framework and lead specialists repaired the roof. Such changes remain intact today and the owners retain experts such as Andrew Townsend Architects on a rolling program to advise on how to care for it.

It is a common misconception that the building is in constant need of repair. This belies its history. Throughout the interior there are noticeable patches on the wall from which the paint has naturally separated. This may appear unkempt to the untrained eye, but it is no cause for concern. Rather one should reconsider that each time a new area is exposed, it is another opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the original stone fabric. It is a privilege to own such a grand piece of British architecture and it is important to recognise how such a structure is unlikely to be built again, given the cost and vision that enabled such a project to occur over a century and a half ago.

Indeed sitting in the Freud Café today, where, depending on the day of the week and the purpose of your visit (quick bite of a tasty snack/cup of coffee with a friend/quiet review of the newspapers/ dinner with a date/table of thirty for your mate’s birthday/deadly cocktail hit/Sunday brunch….whatever!), it is hard to imagine how there can be anything like Freud elsewhere. The nature of the building and its all-for-one, one-for-all accessibility must be hard to appreciate when it remains such a constant, imposing figure on the Oxford scene. In the face of modern establishments with stylish design and minimalist décor, it is easy to label Freud as a bohemian clubhouse for the discerning undergraduate. However the seamless transition from daily café bar stop-off to can’t get a table on the weekend restaurant is testimony to its success and popularity.

The most common reason for working at Freud is a love for the building, the clientele and the variety of events. The rolling menu sees new dishes served on a weekly basis (current special favourite is the Freud homemade moussaka) and with prices to hire available from £60 + vat per hour to £6,500 for the entire day and night (that would be the Freud wedding service), it is as much sought after by national blue chip clients looking for something different and the locals who keep it what it is.

Autumn sees the start of our new Panini lunchtimes and its goodbye to the pigeons once the silicon slopes are fixed…..we don’t advocate change for change’s sake, but it’s about time they stopped attacking the pizzas and this seems a good way to go about it!

Freud Management, Official Statement, August 2004

A party of four, we arrived early, knowing how packed Freud can get later in the evening. Deciding to eat at seven o'clock on a Monday night during the university vacation, however, proved to be something of an overcompensation. Except for a few late-afternoon coffee drinkers on the small terrace outside, the place was deserted. Not that this detracted from the atmosphere, but rather gave us an opportunity to appreciate our surroundings. The Neo-classical former church of St Paul with its stained-glass windows and cavernous dimensions forms an atmospheric backdrop to an evening out, and the sometimes remarkable but always enthusiastic artworks haphazardly festooning the walls provide additional eye candy. The stained walls and building-work-in-progress look of the balcony end of the place add to the impression that you could be visiting some kind of poshed-up artists' squat on the continent - the very essence of shabby-chic.

The starters, generous and unpretentious, left little to be desired. We shared garlic bread/bruschetta, a plate of houmous, olives, salad and fresh bread, and an enormous plate of spicy nachos with fresh guacamole, salsa, soured cream and cheese. Prices of these delicious inflated bar snacks were very reasonable, ranging between £3.50 and £5. The pizzas, chosen from a good selection and attractively priced at around £6 each, were on the bland side - the calzones rather too doughy, the pepperoni picante slightly overdone - and the halloumi cheese salad platter was rather too much like an expanded starter to be worth its £6.95. (Admittedly the huge size of the actual starters and the heat of the day might have dented our appetites, and thus our appreciation, by that point.) The service was friendly, though a little too relaxed; our waitress, although otherwise very helpful, was not sure of the names of cocktails (perhaps unsurprisingly give the extent of the menu) and of which ingredients/dishes were unavailable, and there was a long wait between ordering and receiving our pre-diner drinks. The cocktails themselves, at around the £4 or £5 mark, were delicious however, though there was some discussion as to whether they'd diminished in strength over the years (though thinking back to some of the nights I spent there as a student, this probably wouldn't be a bad thing).

As we left at nearly nine o'clock, the first of the evening's clientele were starting to arrive and the bar was beginning to get busy. You can wait a long time for a drink in Freud when it gets really full, but it's usually worth it, and the place itself is justly popular. This may not be the place to go for a romantic dinner for two or a memorable gastronomic experience, but for a quiet lunch or a less than quiet evening with friends, in beautiful and unusual surroundings, you won't go far wrong.

Susie Cogan

Reviewed
March 1998

 

 

 

 

 

Less of a café, more of a way of life for the residents of North Oxford, Freud's is quite overwhelming the first time you enter, being, basically a huge renovated church (thank the lord they left the stained glass windows in).

Serving a decent array of food from Nachos to a (quite extensive) selection of pizzas, Freuds offers you just that little bit more than the average café. Perfect for large parties (though don't expect the food to arrive all at the same time, as there is only one poor beleaguered chef on duty most of the time), it's also ideally suited for a quick afternoon cuppa. Live music is also on the agenda every night (great so long as you like jazz funk or funk jazz, not so great if you don't) - though the music is sometimes lost in the cavernous recesses of the building. Freuds also has a late license, so it's perfect for a post-pub hideously-overpriced bottle of Becks. Damn good cocktails too.

C.R.

Freuds Menu