The Royal Oak, Harlesden, NW10

Official site of The Royal Oak - www.craftunionpubs.com

Official site of The Royal Oak - www.craftunionpubs.com

under new management

Now opened by Urban Pubs & Bars as a gastropub.

There were two handpumps round on the right hand side of the central island bar - one had a St Austell Proper Job clip reversed, and the other was apparently unused. Just bad timing on my part I suppose, as the barman confirmed that it had been on. There was no sign of any food on Wednesday afternoon. This is clearly an old Victorian "gin palace", but sadly now stripped out. But one survivor is the tiled corridor on the left, featuring a superb tiled mural of Charles II hiding in the oak tree from which the pub's name is derived. Inside it's bare-boarded, with a central island bar which would once have served the various discrete (and sometimes discreet) rooms accessed by the several doors from the street. Furnishings are standard, mainly metal framed, tables and normal chairs, a couple of settles and small round stools. Decor is sparse, but there are a few potted plants dotted around the place. The TV was on showing the racing, and a dartboard was on the wall at the back. This looks like a basic locals' boozer with no airs or graces, that only retains vestiges of its former grandeur. I guess I was just unlucky on the real ale front, but it's probably worth dropping in if only to admire the Victorian tiling.

Rather grand building, with plenty of interesting features on both facades. The interior has mostly basic furniture and decor, but there is some splendid tiling in the side corridor. Indeed, it must have been quite something in its heyday, given the imposing nature of the island bar. Darts. No draught ale, but bottled Bombardier available (£3.30). Overall, it's former glory has definitely faded, but there's enough here for somebody to really make something of the place in the future.