The Royal Oak, Stafford

This is a good little village Banks’s (Marston’s) pub which has been nicely refurbished in recent years. As you pass through the front door from the main road you enter a long narrow dining area which has two small fire places, one at either end of the room, a small bar counter and the walls are decorated with prints of classical paintings. At the back to the left there is a very small public bar which only has two tables, four stools, a small bar counter, a flat screen TV and surprisingly for such a small space a dart board! There is a short menu of good home cooked food plus specials boards, children are welcome but the car park is very small. Regular ales are Banks’s Mild and Bitter and a single changing guest from the Marston’s portfolio such as Brakspear, Jennings, Ringwood or Wychwood beers. A quiet little pub with good beer and food that is well worth a visit, especially if you fancy a drive out in the sticks. I don’t normally comment on the quality of the service in my reviews as I find that pub landlords/managers and staff can change too often for any such information to be of any value, but I feel I should mention that all the people here were very friendly and sociable, I shall return.