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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Will Larter
Submitted on Sunday, 31st March 2024
With picture contributions to 11562 other pubs
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Detail Pages
Olde Royal Oak, Burton On Trent Town, Burton on Trent
Burton on Trent
DE14 1HA
Served areas
Reviews of Olde Royal Oak (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Will Larter left this review about Olde Royal Oak
The collapse of Fownes Brewery last summer led to the closure of this pub, but it has reopened under different management. On my recent visit I noted Greene King Olde Trip on the bar (maybe with a nod to the "Olde" in this pub's name), and a keg GK IPA, so it looks like it may now be part of that brewery's portfolio. As with quite a few of their pubs these days there are a number of beers from other breweries on the bar, including Oakham, Salopian and a rarity from Craven. (I also noted the Thornbridge version of Pale Rider, with the pump clip mistakenly badging it as Kelham Island Brewery.) I went for a swift half of Bass which was in decent condition (NBSS 3.5). It's hard to judge a pub on a Saturday evening, but I found it a bit rougher than what I remembered from my visit in 2022, so I'll try again next time I'm in Burton at a more civilised time.
On 31st March 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3733 recommendations about 3470 pubs]
Pub SignMan left this review about Olde Royal Oak
Down one end of Burton’s market Square, this is a smart little pub run by the Fownes Brewery. The pub has a single room layout, with carpeting throughout and the servery along the left-hand wall. The bar has a high wood panelled counter in front of a rather plain tongue and groove bar back. A couple of banquettes in the front window bays, the right one of which also boasted a lit fireplace, unlike the unused one to the left, felt like optimal spots to grab a seat, thanks to the natural light coming through the obscured panes of the front windows. The room opens out a little opposite the bar, where a high table or two afford the only seating options in a space otherwise given over to vertical drinking, but more tables and chairs appear to the right, whilst at the back of the room, a raised space acts almost like a dining area thanks to its formal table layouts, although I’m not actually sure they do food here. A decent 90’s indie soundtrack played in the background throughout my stay and a couple of other customers came and went over the course of my stay, but the place generally felt pretty quiet.
Fownes beer dominated the handpulls, with options on this visit comprising Korvaks verdict, The Elephant Riders, Mermaids Tale, Royal Oak Bitter, Seven Crowns and Troll Hunter. I tried the Korvaks verdict, which was in great shape, served by a friendly barmaid and a nice drop ahead of my long schlep out to the town’s not-so-central, Central Premier Inn.
I probably didn’t see this pub in its best light, due to the lack of any real post-lunch trade, but it seemed like a smart, well looked after pub with friendly service and a nice showcase for the brewery. Not quite in the top tier of Burton’s pubs for me, but not all that far off either.
On 7th June 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Olde Royal Oak
Traditional town-centre pub, with quite a narrow frontage and not a great deal of depth so not a huge amount of space inside. As the Fownes Brewing Co tap, we found six of eight handpumps in use during our mid-October visit, and my Elephant Riders pale ale (£1.95, half) was in excellent shape.
On 1st December 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
View more reviews of Olde Royal Oak (15)
No known official website for this pub.
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Olde Royal Oak - whatpub.com
Willington, 5.22 miles, 1 hr 40 min walk (show)
Tutbury & Hatton, 6.04 miles, 1 hr 56 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Car Park : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Darts : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Dog Friendly : Yes - Not in carpeted areas - last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Function Room : Yes last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Hot Food : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Jukebox : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Karaoke : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Live Music : Yes - Weekends - last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Micropub : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Pinball : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Pool Table : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Quiz Night : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
- Real Cider : No last updated 23 March 2024 by ROB Camra
