The Royal Oak, Bath

As described below in terms of layout.  There was a fairly feeble open fire in the larger room, where three of the fireplaces from the original layout still exist; only the one was lit and it didn’t really add much warmth.  It was full of students, meaning it took longer than was comfortable to get served.  The barmaid was the spitting image of Meg Griffin, even down to the hat, meaning I wondered if it was a Family Guy theme night – it wasn’t.  The jukebox was playing student music so was quite irritating.  Ales on the 8 handpumps were Barbus Barbus and Jester from Butts, Downton Chimera, Plain Ales’s Inndependence, and 3 of their own Ralph’s Ruin beers: Dark Side of the Ralph, Sirius and Ivory Tower.  There were around 9 real ciders on offer plus 2 keg and 2 non-alcoholic beers.  Worth coming here for the beer, which is rather good and justifies their GBG entry, but be aware they don’t seem to open lunchtimes. 

A prominent, stone built pub on the main road towards Bristol, but a little way from the centre, this is popular with the Camra types due to it’s wide range of beers, although on this occasion it didn’t have quite as many as I was expecting. Nonetheless, the ones that they did have were quite unusual. It’s a fairly basic pub, with a large central room, and a smaller room down a couple of steps to one side. The main room has black wooden boards on the floor, a mustard colour paint scheme, a small fireplace, piano, juke box and a book shelf in one corner. The ceiling was covered in beer mats, presumably ones that have been previously served in the pub. Music seems to feature prominently here and there was some sound equipment off to one side as well as numerous posters detailing upcoming bands. The smaller room also has a piano, and is perhaps a little cosier. The flooring here is part natural stone and part wooden boards and it also has a fireplace. Outside is a smallish, and slightly shabby, courtyard garden with an unusual mural covering the wall behind the smoking shelter. There is also a barbeque, although whether I’d actually want to eat anything that had been cooked on it is another matter. There were three Beers from Butts on tap with their Barbus Barbus, Organic Jester and Blackguard Porter. These were joined by Smart Brewery’s Wild Thing and Red Cuillin from the Isle of Skye. Ciders were Kingston Press, Bee Sting Pear and Lilley’s Fire Dancer.

I’ve expected great things of this place, what with all the local CAMRA branch awards and general hype. I’ve been twice. The first time we came across it mid-Saturday afternoon. A bit of a barn and quite scruffy inside, including sticky tables and uncollected glasses. There were a long line of handpumps including three heavy beers. My Sarah Hughes was in good form and I also noted a real cider and perry. It was very quiet however. The last time we got there bang-on what should have been opening, only for it to remain very closed despite us giving them quarter of an hour and seeing someone peering out from an upstairs window. Presumably to ignore us. There’s been enough negatives to make me wonder if I’ll bother traipsing out there again next time I’m in Bath.