The Royal Oak, Swansea

Freshly painted local on the main estuary road with a front beer garden offering a fair view over the way. Smaller than it looks (was there another room no longer in use?), we entered to a tight main bar stuffed with young boyos and over-loud music. We squeezed ourselves onto the one remaining micro table where I was quick to lament the fact that the one cask ale, from Glamorgan Brewery, was rancid (NBSS 1.5). After noting the equine paraphernalia, I decided that I’d seen enough, dumped the grot and we headed off for some peace and a chance for me to rid the phenol taste from my mouth. We were, at least, bidden a friendly farewell from the lass behind the bar, despite clearly not being local.

This is a detached pub and Indian take-away and restaurant, with a front patio area. The pub is a simple cottage type, as in three upper windows, with two lower ones flanking the entrance. It also has a low-level side extension, which is the Royal Spice Indian. It is in cream render with grey paintwork. The interior has a couple of rooms, served by a central serving bar. The lounge, I think, is an eat-in for the Indian and seemed to be in the same green and white as the bar. The bar has a side area in which there is a pool table. The TV had daytime programmes and there was no music. The walls had a few mirrors and pictures. The service was very friendly, as were the few locals that were in. Beer; no real ale, just a basic keg range. I had a shandy. A locals pub, friendly, but lacking anything that I actually drink.