The Wheatsheaf, Oakham

The Wheatsheaf has a central bar with counters that served the left and right-hand sides of the pub. I entered the left-hand side to find all the tables taken during a recent Tuesday evening visit. This place seems to be the place to go for the middle aged plus gentlemen of the town. Around the back of the bar is a flagstone seating area where some more customers had congregated. I managed to grab a table in the almost empty smaller right-hand bar. The bar counter supports premium keg alongside Carling and I counted eight hand pumps, five in the left and three in the right, with three in the left being in operation. This is an Everards pub so their Tiger, Old Original and Sunchaser were available. I wasn’t that taken with the Sunchaser, but I think this was taste rather than how it had been kept. No televisions or music, but there was a good chatty atmosphere. I’d revisit if passing.

Lovely looking Everards pub, right by the imposing All Saints Church. The twin-bar interior with a side lounge down a single step on one side doesn't disappoint either, giving the impression of a village hostelry rather than something you might expect in a (admittedly) small town. Apart from that, there was a good selection of six real ales from the brewery's range, split between a total of eight handpumps divided between the opposing counters, and my Golden Hop (£4.50) was excellent.

Official site of The Wheatsheaf - www.wheatsheafoakham.com

Official site of The Wheatsheaf - www.wheatsheafoakham.com