The Royal Oak, Worting, Basingstoke

Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Royal Oak

Situated out to the western side of Basingstoke, this is a basic locals' pub that appears to be under Nepalese ownership. It looked like quite a small space at first. The small front bar has a TV and a very worn carpet. Cutlery and condiments were available on a shelf. Whether that was for food served by the pub or whether it was for take-aways that you could bring in, I'm not sure.

To the rear, there is a much larger area with at least one pool table. Most of the keg pumps are also around the far side, which we missed when ordering. The three handpulls can be found in the front bar, but they don't look as if they have been used for a long time. As such, the selection was Amstel, Fosters, Cruzcampo, Guinness, Heineken, Moretti, Strongbow & Strongbow Dark Fruits.

The owners were very friendly and even offered us a croissant from a large box behind the bar. A few of the local Nepalese community came in during our visit, but we didn't see them purchase a drink. Meanwhile, another customer had a soft drink from McDonald's. There was also a child playing pool. So, presumably kids are allowed in.

As a place to have a game of pool or to watch some sports on a TV, this may serve a purpose for those living locally. But despite the friendly nature of the proprietors, I can't see this pub lasting in its current guise.

On 23^rd October 2024 - rating: 3
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