Royal Oak, Fritham

I read the recent observations on the food & the pub not taking credit or debit cards, & I would like to add my 1/2 penny worth. I have used the pub for some 40 years, & up until it was purchased by 2 local family members some 12 years ago, it had been run by the same family for 3 generations, a private drinking club or farm with a pub attached, rather than a proper pub.

When it was sold, the locals & regulars were concerned about who would be the incoming staff, luckily, two of the village people Neil & Pauline were appointed as landlord & landlady. Their brief from the new owners, (who don't think of themselves as owners but more as the present custodians of this unique Forest gem) was not just to make it a viable commercial enterprise, but also preserve the character of the pub without loosing its appeal to the locals & regulars, that is one reason why there is no food in the evenings & no child play area (The Forest is one big child play area for Gods sake), in the evening we get our pub back. So if they were to repeat what other pubs in the Forest were selling, deep fried cuckoo spit, beer battered rook wings & tempura squirrel tail, they would have to install an unsightly ventilation system, ruining the visual impact of the building. This was not going to happen & so that dictated the menu style.

With regards payment type, I have seen many people arrive without cash, & a way of paying to suit what they have is nearly always reached. Considering that on a busy 3 hour lunch session more that 300 meals have been despatched from the kitchen, I think they must be doing most things right. So my friends if this does not suit you & you want all you can eat with two types of potatoes & payment by card, go to the Haywain at Bartley, located 1 mile south of J1 M 27 Cadnam where a carvery lunch will set you back �3:69.

However if you are 1 of the 36000 food customers a year who like what they do, come back soon.
Spuddles

21 Apr 2011 07:56