The Royal Oak, Guildford

This is a nice little Fullers pub that is well located for the castle and backs onto the Holy Trinity Church. Entering from the castle side, you pass through a cosy little, split-level front garden area with some nice, secluded seating options. From here, you enter into a compact single room with the servery down the left-hand wall and the remains of a former partitioning wall through the centre just about visible, suggesting a previous two bar layout. The room has a mixture of carpet, bare floorboards, and some attractive patterned tiles, mainly around the bar area, whilst the walls are mainly painted in neutral shades, but also have some fancy modern wallpaper here and there plus a little exposed brickwork, mainly around the right-hand side fireplace. High tables and stools stand opposite the bar, with comfy banquettes and standard chairs to the rear and some decent sofas and armchairs around the fireplace. The bar has a traditional dark wood counter and contrasting modern white tiled bar back, whilst the walls are decorated with lots of small portraits and paintings, with a mounted stag’s head above the fire. The cosy feel is topped off by the obligatory dark beams that cross the ceiling and give the place a bit of a country pub feel. A door to the rear leads out to a passageway behind the pub, where a few more seats can be found with views across the adjacent cemetery. On the bar, five from the wider Fullers portfolio could be found on handpull – London Pride, HSB, Oliver’s Island plus Dark Star Pacific Dawn IPA and APA. I opted for the Pacific Dawn IPA, served to me by a very chipper barman and in very good condition. Having walked here from Farnham on a very hot day, I was in no state to sit in the pub, so I took my beer out the back and perched on a bench next to the church yard, from where I could watch a surprising amount of people coming and going. Despite not getting to spend that much time inside this fine little pub, I still saw enough to convince me that it’s one of the better boozers in the town centre. A decent selection of well-kept Fullers ales, comfy furnishings and cheery staff made this a successful visit and I’d say it’s as good a bet as anywhere in town. Date of visit - 24th June 2023

As others have mentioned, this is tucked away in a quiet corner in a world removed from the nearby High St . The historic, dark, slightly over-the-top interior has beams, fake library wallpaper and various furniture including armchairs. The only slight jarring notes are the racks of snacks hanging on the front of the bar and the naff music. Beers are from the Fuller's range plus a guest (Butcombe Rare Breeds on this visit). Rather pleasant on the whole.

Nice old pub, hidden behind the church, a bit locally, but decent

The Royal Oak is a decent looking pub that i thing has two entrances,i went into the entrance off Sydenham Road where you have to go down steps to get into the pub. Once inside there was a square shaped room with the bar on the left side,the room is bare boarded,the seating is Bench seating and normal tables and chairs,plus a few tall tables and chairs. The pub is a Fullers tied house and there were five real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Fullers Southern Star which went down well,the other Fullers beers were London Pride,ESB,Gales Seafarers and Gales HSB. Food was being served but you could sit anywhere. Quiet background music was playing. I was quite happy having a drink in this pub. Pub visited 13/5/2017

Nice old pub as described by Malden Man below, white walls and dark stained oak beams inside, sadly no beer festival on my visit but still five beers available,four from Fullers as you would expect,these were Chiswick,Pride,ESB and HSB with a guest of Butcombe Rare Breed which was OK if nothing special. Worth calling in for a pint here.

Situated up a hill behind Trinity Church off the main High Street, this is an attractive Fullers, ex-Gales, house with floral displays and a few seats overlooking the old graveyard. Inside there is a single room with a couple of alcove corners, bar to one side, carpeted and with mixed if mostly regular seating at largish rectangular tables. Hops draped around the bar back, shelves with copper and brass artefacts, a selection of 40s and 50s Bakelite radios, beer bottles along the fireplace hearth. One corner has a musical theme with guitars, drumsticks, gold discs by Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. A front corner has a dartboard. A few board games are available as well as a shove ha'penny board and a chequers/chess set. A shelf houses back issues of the GBG. I popped in here for a quick one after a shopping trip, expecting a routine Fullers pub however totally unexpected I walked into a beer festival with around eight on stillage and five or six on handpumps. Sadly for me I was on call for work so couldn't really take full advantage but I enjoyed halves of Notebook Puffin and Wood Street Loquat. Music played quietly, a TV had American MLS "soccer" on muted. I enjoyed my visit here a great deal despite the restrictions on my stay, the beer festival obviously enhanced this but the pub quality shines through anyway. I'll no doubt pop back again on a more routine day to verify this.