Royal Oak, Wantage

Thriving corner pub near the civic hall, with two bars and a landlord who loves beer (and whiskies; the stock will satisfy any connoisseur). Above the bar in the lounge are over two hundred real ale pumpclips representing a selection of beers served over the years, hiding an intricate wrought iron structure of intertwined oak leaves and acorns. Framed photographs of various ships bearing the Royal Oak name adorn the walls, as do many CAMRA and other awards, including White Horse and Central Southern Region CAMRA Pub of the Year for 1998, 2008 and 2009, Branch Pub of the Year again in both 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015 and 2017 and National CAMRA Pub of the Year, Cider Pub Of The Year runners up in 2010 and Cider Pub of the Year in 2011 and 2012. The smaller public bar, more popular with the younger crowd, contains more Royal Oak memorabilia and other naval references, also table football. Both bars have dart boards. All beers are available via gravity. A variety of draught ciders and perrys are available. The Royal Oak has appeared in almost all of the Good Beer Guides since the present landlord took over in the 1980s including 2023 edition.