Royal Oak, Weymouth

A music festival meant that access was difficult, though I got in eventually without having to pay for the privilege. Interior is done in classic white and blue harbourside colours whilst the lower servery is bowed like a ship’s hull. There’s a small amount of nautical ephemera, not much else otherwise. Six pumps with four Dorset Brewing beers on (ooh!); my Origin came in a plastic cup and I got charged £3.25 for half. Upon contesting this, the barmaid sheepishly explained that it was price gouging because of the music; at least it was decent (NBSS 3). For the apple-grapplers, there were about a dozen boxes of Lilley’s cider.

A no frills no nonsense drinking Inn and the most pubby of all the outlets adjourning the Quay side. Sounds very much unchanged from previous reviews and a well worn character is a good description for both this single roomed pub and the locals that frequent it. The stillage barrels referred to below have gone and now replaced by six ale hand pumps on the bar and five of these were available for our visit. Alongside Sharps Doom Bar and Atlantic there were Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, Wadsworth 6X and Dorset Brewing’s Durdle Door, and as we were on our way to Durdle Door the following day it would have been rude not to try the Dorset bitter. The nine cider boxes are however still in situ behind the bar and a good range of local scrumpy was available. Didn’t see any food outside of bar snacks, but regular music sessions were advertised to take place on the small stage area to the right of the bar. I enjoyed it here but it’s earthy appeal won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

Very traditional interior ,well worn with character and characters everywhere.It has a boozer vibe and was lively,the low ceiling adding to the charm.There were a lot of barrels on stillage to one side,which the barmaid said would be disappearing (I assumed for good) but the one remaining ale from this display (Whitstable Pale) was being offered at a knockdown £2.50 to shift it.I had been warned and it came out flat as a pancake.The handpumped options were Old Golden Hen and Shepherd Neame Brilliant which didn't set the pulse racing.However it may be worth keeping an eye on the ale choice in here going forward,there appeared some commitment to improving the availablity and range. A proper quayside drinking hole,worth a crawl visit.