The Royal Oak, Bath

This EI pub has gone somewhat downhill since the previous reviews. It’s now rather shabby and run down, and it feels grubby. It’s still laid out as before, and a pool table has been added to the middle area. Three pumps on the bar, two dry and the third had ‘just’ run out of Doombar. No craft offerings, only John Smith’s and 2 Thatcher’s ciders. Having ordered our ‘Beer and Burger’ special, we persisted in the spirit of optimism. The reason the food was so cheap became apparent – the poorest quality ingredients, and a tasteless offering which made me feel queasy for the rest of the afternoon. Other food offerings were standard pub grub,but also cheap and, presumably, nasty. The barman seemed absent minded, having difficulty in operating the till and having to be reminded to give us our change. This was not an enjoyable experience and won’t be repeated.