The Lord Nelson, Oakham

The Lord Nelson has a flagstone corridor up the right from the entrance off which access can be gained to bare board front and rear seating areas to the left and stairs at the rear that I didn’t ascend during this visit. I was the only customer early on a recent Tuesday evening, I think the barman would have preferred me not to have walked in because he was polite without being very welcoming. Six hand pumps run along the bar, five of which were in operation drawing Castor Ales Hopping Toad, Nene Valley Brewery’s Big Bang Theory and Grainstore’s Red Kite alongside Blue Monkey Brewery’s Cinder Toffee and Infinity IPA. I went for a pint of Red Kite, which was good, but was served in a very wide rimmed pint glass. I don’t like these trendy new glasses because they promote short measures, which my pint was. Premium keg was also available alongside Beavertown’s Neck Oil, which I’m now seeing less and less. I didn’t spot any televisions, but there was some tinny dance music coming from a radio station such as Kiss FM, which didn’t really sit well with the olde worldie feel of this pub. I felt this pub was very disjointed and I struggled to get comfortable.

Interesting old pub, somewhat hidden away in a corner of the Market Square, and thus a bit larger inside than one might expect. That said, it's a bit of a maze of small seating and dining areas on two storeys, but all parts still pleasingly traditional despite some light refreshment. Five real ales on handpump, with a pair from Oakham, the now-more-local Red Kite from Grainstore (£4.65), Willow Dance from Stoney Ford and Lister's Springtime from Sussex.

Slightly muddled pub, with a jumble of various rooms over two levels and a slightly old-fashioned feel. Quite pleasant though and serving several ales from Oakham including some of their Craftworks offerings alongside Directors and London Pride. Part of the small Knead Pubs group.

Multi roomed and on split levels, seems to serve good ale as well as cater for foodies. Great place

Odd looking from the outside as this has a small frontage that is kind of tucked away into a corner, as if encroached on at a later date by other buildings. Inside are two rooms with an arch divider. Some naval ephemera dotted about and I was quite taken with the painting above the fireplace. There’s also a load of old tin signs advertising long-gone wares. The bar is at the far end past the arch and held five ales; Framework Citra (good nick) and Fox Paw, London Pride, Oakham JHB and My Generation Beer Co Session Pale – all a bit samey given the scope available. My Framework was in decent nick. Advertised ‘jug night’ on Wednesdays whereupon a four pint jug of the pong retails for £12. Pretty good overall, but I couldn’t get quite as animated by it as some others have. Still, if I lived in Oakham I suspect it’d be my go-to for beer choice and it’d be my first port of call as a visitor. 7.5