The Royal Oak, Walsall

A detached 1930s styled undressed brick pub with projecting wings and projecting roof. I think it was formerly called the Middle Oak before being demolished and rebuilt. It has a beer garden and kids' play area, with a little buggy that runs down a track, which the little Soupette enjoyed enormously. There is a bar room, entered via the left wing of the pub. This is in yellow and white ceiling and walls. It also had a dart board - i only saw this room briefly. The lounge and dining area is entered via the right wing. The lounge is part partitioned. It is in a peppermint green and mustard mix, with a nice moulded cornice and red and orange band around the ceiling. It also has a lovely tiled firelpace in the same green and mustard. The whole place still retains a deep 1930s feel. There is gramaphone and display case, copies of 'Morris Owner' on the walls, along with some Erte art deco posters. They do food, which was decent (homemade chips) and reasonable value. There was a TV, which wasn't on and the music was mixed and a decent level. The service was very friendly, the clientele mixed, though a little quiet when i visited. Beers: usual, no MILD, with 5 handpulls; Abbots, Tetley Bitter, Ubu Purity, Otter Bright, St Austell Tribute and a decent Timothy Taylor Landlord. I liked this place. In my view the best real ale and pub in Brownhills. It is avery much a product of its time. A must.

Official site of the Royal Oak, contains beer details - www.theroyaloakpub.co.uk

Official site of the Royal Oak, contains beer details - www.theroyaloakpub.co.uk

Known locally as The Middle Oak, this place is entered in CAMRA's Black Country Good Beer Guide for selling Banks's Original, Deucher's IPA, Greene King Abbot Ale, Taylor Landlord, Tetley Bitter and other guest beers