One of Oxford’s most beloved historic pubs, The Eagle and Child, is set for a major renovation.
Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle and a tech titan worth an estimated $393 billion, has purchased the iconic pub for a reported $10.7 million, as reported by the Telegraph.
Located on St Giles in the heart of the city, The Eagle and Child, also known as the Bird and Baby, has stood for centuries.
Its true claim to fame, however, comes from the 20th century, when it became the regular meeting place for the Inklings, a literary group that included ‘The Lord of the Rings’ author J.R.R. Tolkien and ‘The Chronicles of Narnia‘ creator C.S. Lewis.
The group would meet in the back room, famously called the “Rabbit Room”, to share drafts, drink, and debate.
Closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pub has fallen into disrepair. Now, Ellison plans to restore it to its former glory, with some modern upgrades.
Plan for renovation
Ellison has hired renowned architectural firm Foster + Partners to lead the restoration. The plan is to bring the pub’s front rooms back to their 19th-century appearance.
Next door, a new artisan bakery will open, while the back of the property will be transformed into a fine-dining restaurant.
The upper floors are set to become study and meeting spaces, combining Oxford tradition with Ellison’s vision of a tech-forward future.
The revamped Eagle and Child is expected to reopen in spring 2027.
But the pub is just one piece of Ellison’s growing Oxford footprint.
He is also funding the Ellison Institute of Technology, a multi-billion-dollar science and innovation campus at Oxford Science Park.
The institute will focus on artificial intelligence, medical research, robotics, and solving global challenges.
It will also offer full scholarships to at least 100 top international students, starting from October 2025.
Larry Ellison became the world’s second richest person
Ellison’s Oxford push began during a peak in his personal fortune, briefly overtaking Elon Musk as the world’s richest person in 2025, following a record-breaking surge in Oracle’s stock and a single-day gain of over $100 billion.
Though rankings have since fluctuated, Ellison’s ambitions in Oxford continue to grow.
He has an estimated net worth of $393 billion. This dramatic surge followed Oracle’s record-breaking earnings report, which triggered a 41% rally in the company’s stock, adding approximately $101 billion to Ellison’s personal fortune in a single day.
His wealth is largely tied to his 41% ownership stake in Oracle, the primary source of his financial empire.