The Oxford Bar of police officers drink there. In "Dirty Work: Ian Rankin and John Rebus Book-By-Book", Ray Dexter and Nadine Carr note that the Oxford Bar would be an improbable local for Rebus due to its geographical location. Other visitors to the bar have included actor Sean Connery and author Colin Dexter. Quintin Jardine's 2009 Bob Skinner novel, "Fatal Last Words", also mentions the Oxford Bar considerably, again due to the connection with the local police force drinking there. There are a few other nods to Rankin too. The Oxford Bar The Oxford Bar is a public house situated on Young Street,
John Rebus a extensive record collection and drives a Saab 900. Rebus is a smoker and heavy drinker and often orders a pint of beer and a whisky. The traits that keep him strong are also the traits that drive those closest to him away. It is the pervasive image of Rebus as the noble loner that wins the sympathy of readers. Rebus does have a string of romantic liaisons, but apart from his marriage to Rhona none last very long. He has been linked with DI Gill Templer. He has a strong platonic relationship with his understudy and "protégée", Detective Inspector