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Disappointment of the week with Bucking Fastard
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by john mcgraw
Submitted on Sunday, 5th April 2009
With picture contributions to 21062 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (5 more images)
Requested be closed with reason - Other: Reported closed in October 2023 by WhatPub.
Reviews of Royal Forest (Average Rating: 4 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
BobOs . left this review about Royal Forest
Massive Brewers Fayre plastic-Tudor pub catering for families visiting Epping Forest / Chingford Plain / Connaught Water consequently, more often than not, full of uncontrolled noisy chav kids running amok. Only one pump, which was off at my last visit. Food may be described as mediocre at best. although relatively inexpensive. My last meal here was a steak and my steak knife actually broke in half while trying to cut it!!! You certainly wouldn't come here for more than a pint (if you can get one!). Well below average.
On 26th July 2011
- rating: 3
[User has posted 370 recommendations about 355 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Royal Forest
The Royal Forest Hotel is a large mock Tudor building, with a commanding position overlooking Chingford Plane and very close to Epping Forest. It is now a Brewers Fayre pub restaurant very much aimed at families with a large kids play area and the usual 2for1 meal deals you get with these places. The PubCo literature would have you believe that this is a very old building retaining original features such as old timbers, stained glass windows and the two open fires.
It’s not. There was an original Victorian hotel built on this site in 1890 in the style of a mock Tudor Palace to service the increasing hoards driving their carriages out of London to enjoy the forest. But that burned down in 1912 and was finally replaced in 1933 when the railway network was expanded East out of London, with the present building, again copying the original Tudor design.
It used to be an interesting place in the 70’s and 80’s when it was still a hotel and a maze of distinct rooms and bars which supported music nights from local bands and Jazz quartets alike.
The Hotel gave up a long time ago and the place has gone through a few iterations, but has been in its current Brewers Fayre guise for a few years now. Internally there is a large restaurant area laid out for dining and a smaller bar area with more comfy seating. But unless you go in late evening, expect this area to be frequented by small kids waiting with their families for tables in the dining section.
It does benefit from a large outside garden overlooking Epping Forest, which is a very decent place for an outside pint. The only problem that this has to invariably be the standard Lagers or Keg offerings, as although there is one hand pump which dispenses London Pride, this has been more off than on in my experience.
If you do want to eat here, then I would recommend the roasts, as they tend to have a decent throughput of these and therefore they tend to be OK. Some of the other menu items I have tried would have done a disservice to microwaved TV meals.
Internally , as well as externally it has that mock period décor, and I hope it's not a bit of a let down to learn that it’s all fake.
But do not despair because one of the key points going for the Royal Forest is that next door is the genuine article, in the shape of the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge. This is one of the most important Tudor buildings in the country having been built in 1543 by Henry VIII, and used for the staging of royal deer hunts in the forest. The building is open to the public in September during the Open House Weekend.
But if you go there with a large bunch of Americans like I did, expect then to take copious amounts of photos of the Tudor copy pub and ignore the plainer 450 year old historic building next door, even when you explain to them that what they are photographing has as much historical merit as a drive through MacDonald’s.
On 19th April 2010
- rating: 3
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Royal Forest
Although this is a Brewers Fayre pub and the emphasis is on food it is in an idyllic location in Epping Forest and in summer (yes we do get one now and again!!)there is no better place to be. Has a very pleasant outside seating area overlooking the forest and it is very hard to believe that you are actually still in London.Had London Pride on as its real ale which was in great condition.A very pleasant 10 minute walk from Chingford Railway Station
On 6th April 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
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- Randomness Guide to London - Royal Forest Hotel entry
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Royal Forest - whatpub.com
Highams Park, 2.6 miles, 50 min walk (show)
Ponders End, 2.68 miles, 51 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 19 April 2010 by hondo .
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 19 April 2010 by hondo .
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 19 April 2010 by hondo .
