The Royal Oak, Lewes

Facebook page of The Royal Oak - www.facebook.com

Official site of The Royal Oak - royaloaklewes.co.uk

Facebook page of The Royal Oak - www.facebook.com

Official site of The Royal Oak - royaloaklewes.co.uk

A kind of loungey dining vibe to this pub, not the sort of place I warm to.However there were just three of the usual beers for this pub according to previous reviews, Tribute, Harveys Sussex and the house bitter, the guest beer Hop Art American Blonde was wearing a coming soon necklace, I went with the Harveys not a regular tipple for me, and found it in good condition. The pub itself leaves me a little cold.

The Royal Oak is the second pub you get to when you trudge up the hill from the station. It's a Greene King pub, but other than the Royal Oak house beer from them, the other beers were from other breweries. The ubiquitous Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter & St Austell Tribute are regular ales. I opted for the guest beer, which was Bedlam Amagansett and was nothing to write home about. The pub had not long opened when we arrived for our Saturday lunchtime visit to Lewes. The interior is one single room, which is fairly plain.

Looks like a routine Greene King town centre pub, and in many ways this impression is correct with the expected refurbished, semi-traditional furniture and decor. What did surprise me though, was the selection from four of the five handpumps: yes, a re-badged 'house's beer, and the ubiquitous Harvey's as a guest (bowing to the inevitable here), but also Tribute and an excellent Bedlam Porter (£4.40).