Royal Oak, Guildford

The flaking paint on the old pub sign is a good indication this is not a chain pub and so it proved. A proper old school place, with nicely mismatched furnishings and white anaglypta over turd brown walls. I would guess the building is Edwardian, probably 3 bar once but all in one now and with original Crittal windows. Note the old Hodgsons sign at the front also. On handpump were Black Sheep Best and Adnams Broadside, a little warm but otherwise ok. A proper pub which needs supporting.

I called in for a quick half on a sunday evening,a single room traditionally laid out in need of a spruce up as it appeared a little dogeared.I only saw three handpumps so some have either been removed or I've missed a trick somewhere and as such only saw two beers available which were Wychwood Hobgoblin and Ringwood Fortyniner, the latter wasn't in great shape. A basic locals pub that maybe I didn't see the best of.

A large ‘age of the leisure car’ roadside pub which is now a free house offering up to six ales including a permanent mild and a real cider. As TM says, it’s a bit smaller inside than the size of the exterior suggests though there’s a big garden with a kids windmill to the rear. Gents toilets are outside.