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Chat about:
Cardiff [Breakaway] Crawl, 22.05.2025: with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Royal Oak, Betchworth
Brockham
Postal town: Betchworth
RH3 7JS
Pub Type
Punch TavernsReviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Royal Oak
The Royal Oak overlooks the large village green in Brockham. With the start of VE Day commemorations, there was a piano sat outside the pub in the road. At least, that is what I assume it was there for. It was looking a little forlorn and was getting soaked when the heavens opened.
The pub seems to be food-oriented with menus on each table, including a children's one. However, it still retains a genuine pub feel. There are bare boards in the front section with a carpeted area to the rear. A TV at one end was off and there was a fruit machine next to the bar. Pop music was playing in the background and there were enough people in to create an atmosphere. The pub hosts a quiz night on a Wednesday and you could find the wifi password above the bar. Dogs are welcome, with bowls provided.
Old black and white pictures of the village can be seen on the walls. A brick fireplace at one end contained a log burner and we also noticed a deep well opposite the bar. In addition to a couple of picnic tables at the front, there is also a garden to the rear.
With 3 handpulls, the only cask ale available was Landlord. Neck Oil could be found on keg and the cider was Inch's.
Has the potential to be a nice pub if they could stock some more ales, or at least something a bit more local. But unfortunately, they cannot seem to provide that at present.
On 9th May 2025
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3078 recommendations about 3076 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Royal Oak
The pub is situated in an enviable location overlooking the village green and church and where the famous Brockham Guy Fawkes night bonfire was taking shape, a monster it looked too. Inside the front area is L-shaped with the bar to the right hand side, beyond the room extends back quite a way to an area which had been taken over by a large family gathering this afternoon. Beyond is a fine garden with excellent views of the Surrey Hills.
The pub is mostly carpeted, boarded around the bar area and seating is of the traditional type. Food is important and clearly popular but this is not a gastro pub, despite offering "pan fried kangaroo, cajun spiced sweet potatoes, green beans and a sesame ginger chilli sauce", most of the menu is traditional and fairly priced, there is a kids menu too.
An exposed brick built fireplace holds a log burner which clearly gets used, there are stacks of logs, probably fiercely guarded against the bonfire builders, lots of stuff on the walls, a nice vintage aerial photo of the pub, the old pub sign and sports team photos being of note, the local cricket team I suspect. Additionally there are shelves of whisky boxes and stone jars, a display of pewter tankards and also barrel taps.
There are four handpumps, two from Surrey Hills, Ranmore and Shere Drop, Doom Bar and something clipped simply as "Quest".
This is a fine and clearly very popular pub, an excellent pint of Ranmore and a good start to my walk along the River Mole to Betchworth and back the other way.
On 17th October 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1710 recommendations about 1683 pubs]