The Beach at the Big Bang

Sipping a cold beer in central Oxford, watching my teenage children playing volleyball from the safety of a deckchair, you’ll have envisioned me to the side of a school sports pitch somewhere. Yet there I was sinking my toes into the sand on The Beach of a Thursday night, as content as a fat cat on payday. Yes you heard me right, The Beach is big business this summer thanks to our favourite sausage man, restaurateur Max Mason, who obviously thought Oxford needed a bit of excitement.

Never one to do things by halves, he set about utterly transforming the Oxford Castle quarter by importing 32 tonnes of sand to create the 17m x 10m volleyball court outside The Big Bang. Characteristically jammy, Max also picked the right year for it — the weather so far having been absolutely gorgeous and ideal for sitting on a beach. And where better than Oxfordshire, which is as far away from the sea as any point in the UK? Sniff.

Max has joined forces with Creation Theatre to do a pre- or post-supper deal during the summer runs of Jekyll and Hyde and Henry V. J&H was good but hot, so we were delighted to re-emerge mid-evening on to Oxford’s cobbled streets and meander down to the Castle site, where said beach has set up shop.

It’s a really fun place to hang out, ringed by happy diners and drinkers, and we ordered our cool drinks and sat back to watch the entertainment — except there wasn’t any, Max’s in-house blonde, denim clad, sexy volleyballers being on a break, which left a small toddler to run about in the sand alone and deliriously happy.

But no matter, I had turned up with an entire volleyball team of teens. However, teens are such a funny mix of brash, bold and intensely shy and self-conscious, which meant a long debate ensued about whether they should have a go at volleyball, and if they did whether everyone would be watching. I solved the problem by offering to buy the first round of drinks if they got up and had a go, and they all leapt up.

A bit like being the first on the dancefloor, they were soon joined by a wide variety of other punters, including two community police officers who turned out to have a good lob and a fearsome smash, proving that the great thing about volleyball is that while it’s a brilliant spectator sport, it’s also really easy to pick up, making it the perfect sport for all abilities.

In fact, even our food arriving didn’t entice the rest of my party back to our table, they were having so much fun, until they turned and saw the BBQ fare on offer.

Our volleyballers had all gone for The Big Bang Beach Barbeque plate at £9.45 which consisted of a homemade burger, sausage, chicken wing, mixed salad, potatoes and bread, while I went for the more traditional bangers and mash choice.

Not having been back since it first opened in the old Carluccio’s site, I was agreeably surprised by how delicious my sausage and mash dish was, mounds of buttery, creamy potatoes and beautifully seasoned sausages swimming in a deep rich gravy and all for £9.99.

The BBQ plates were slightly spartan for such seasoned athletes, being more summer lunch party than caveman, but they were satisfied after finishing off with G&D’s ice cream’s ‘rich darn chocolate’ and ‘bananarama’ flavours from £2.50, and the chocolate mousse from the main menu (£4.45) which was to die for.

Having eaten, our volleyballers returned to the court and spent the rest of the evening battling away over the net and howling with laughter, as dusk turned to night.

It was only when all their phones began ringing simultaneously as anxious parents wondered where their offspring had got to, that I realised we’d overrun our curfew by having too much fun, paid up and fled back to the car.

So pray to the weather gods because Max and his beach will remain there “all summer”, with a wide range of events and evenings to enjoy — from toddler sandcastle building and beach volleyball leagues to full-on Saturday night DJ sets. Enjoy...

Opening times: Monday to Saturday, 10am-11pm (kitchen closed between 3pm and 5pm Monday to Friday); Sunday, 10am to 10pm
 

Make sure you try the... The Big Bang Beach Barbecue plate £9.45 (includes homemade burger, sausage, chicken wing, mixed salad, potatoes, bread). Or go for the classic Bangers & Dash at £6.95 (two sausages over creamed mash with gravy). More adventurous sausage fans will find an array of tempting flavours: for example, the exotic lamb and apricot tagine sausages or piri piri chicken sausage. healthy options on offer include salads or the healthy ‘lean’ banger meal. Veggies aren’t left out either — the stilton and walnut sausages are a big hit.
 

In ten words:
Peachy beachy fun bangers will make your tum go ‘yum’!