the_billet_building // 118 Cowley Road // Oxford OX4 1JE

Oxford's
Creative
Living Room.

Coffee. Repairs. Musical curios. Live music. Workshops. Exhibitions.
One room that becomes what the community needs. Originally a Lipton's tea dispensary — the marble, tiles, and shelving wall still here.

Hire the space Explore the space 01865 722027
// 01
Café
Daily 8am–6pm · coffee, repairs, curios, workspace
// 02
Live Venue
Open mics, gigs, album launches, DJ sets
// 03
Gallery
Rotating exhibitions · local artists · works for sale
// 04
Hire
Workshops, meetings, screenings — up to 40
the_bar // est. 1950s + 2014

Our bar is
a sound system.

The marble counter is original to the building. The speakers underneath it are David Norland's — the man who pressed Supergrass's first single, built OX4FM community radio, and ran Soundworks for 20 years.

David died in 2014. His Desta*Nation sound system is built into the bar. Every coffee goes out over his bass bins.

david_norland // 1974–2014
backbeat_records · soundworks · ox4fm
"he always fought for the underdog" — Gaz Coombes, Supergrass

70 years
on
Cowley Road.

1950s
Lipton's Tea Dispensary
The marble counter, Victorian tiles and shelving wall. One of several businesses that occupied 118 Cowley Road before the Potters.
1970–2022
Oxford Sound & Light
The Potters operate for 52 years. Music equipment, repair, community service. A fixture of East Oxford.
1993–2014
David Norland
Backbeat Records, Soundworks, OX4FM. Oxford music's underdog champion. His Desta*Nation system lives in the bar.
2023–
Workshop Café
Cleared the building, rewired the electrics, opened the café. Same building. Same purpose. Different century.

The Potters ran Oxford Sound & Light from this building for 52 years before choosing us as their successors. Not the highest bidder — us. Because the work continues.

We cleared 50 cubic metres of stock, rewired the electrics, and opened without grants. Daniel Norland — David's brother — helped build it. The lineage is physical, not decorative.

"Same building. Same purpose. Different century."

Workshops.
Events.
Music.
Exhibitions.

One room. Multiple uses.

coffee repairs records & curios tech solutions live music open mics gallery venue hire workshops AI art
Work alongside others daily
Bring your sound here evenings
Show your work here rotating
Host your event here by arrangement
Hire the space →
what's_on //

Open mic.
Every month.

Songs, words, stories, instrumentals. All welcome. Doors 7pm. Sign up on the door. Free entry.

Get on the list Book a show
free community tool
Planning an event? You may need a TEN.

Most unlicensed events in Oxford require a Temporary Event Notice. We built a free tool that fills the official form automatically.

Prepare a TEN →
back_of_house // same building
Cowley Road Studios is out back.

Recording, rehearsal, AV production and repairs. The studio is right through the back — same building, same team.

Cowley Road Studios →