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Twickenham may be the town of a hundred curry houses, but it also has decent pubs. And you can now add The Royal Oak to the list of top locals since, after countless attempts at rebranding, the pub seems to have finally hit the target. An eclectic collection of light fittings, tables, chairs and sofas surround an island bar; the far wall is now lined with bookshelves. Out the front, sumptuous cushions sit atop stacked wooden pallets ready for sunny-day drinkers and regular smokers.
Back inside, junk-shop chic sets off two bright copper tanks above the bar, filled with Truman’s Raw Tank Beer (as is the case at other pubs in the Hippo Inns family). The tank means the beer stays fresh and unfiltered from brewery to bar. Truman’s also seemed to be providing about half the selection of suds, but local breweries were still represented – Twickenham Fine Ales, The Kernel and Meantime all had tasty offerings when I visited.
In one corner, an open kitchen was turning out meals and snacks, and if our hot crackling with gravy was anything to go by, the menu would be worth further perusal. Chuck in a soundtrack that flitted from Happy Mondays, to The Smiths and Weller in one sitting, sport on TV and an open fire at the other end of the room, and I was in my element.
Prices are refreshingly competitive, but it’s just far enough away from the town centre to deter people who drift in and out of the area on match days. And so, for now, it’s just locals making The Royal Oak a rather cosy and palatable place for an evening drink.