19th February 2020
On Thursday I popped down to meet Mrs RM in Sevenoaks ahead of a big adventure I’ll tell you about later (rest easy).
The Thameslink train towards Brighton, if it’s not cancelled as usual, stops at London Bridge and spares you much of the chaos of the Kings Cross/ Underground route with folk holding Travelcards upside down at barriers.
Our half-term holiday brings a flood (sorry) of mums and dads and toddlers on their first ever visit to the Smoke, or more probably the Wheel and the Aquarium.
Some lucky children get to see the street art around Borough,
and enjoy time on their phones while their parents drink gin in Borough Market.
Six fast trains to Sevenoaks an hour from the Bridge, so plenty of time for a couple in London’s top boozing street before Mrs RM asked where I was.
Nothing new since my Autumn visit, and I resisted the obvious.
and headed for the obvious.
Hard to write about a pub you know so well, but the Royal Oak went from tenancy to Harvey’s managed house a year ago, with inevitable Twitter fluster (Twutter).
3.30pm on a Wednesday in February; the perfect time to reassess it.
Stuff that, let’s just have a pint of Sussex and grab that nice table by the door.
Three tables occupied in what I think of as the front bar, and a glorious buzz of conversation some way removed from the Queen’s Head.
What seemed to be three generations had gathered around the big table, discussing subjects ranging from Churchill, Malta and the Arsenal (possibly the Royal Arsenal).
I couldn’t fault the atmosphere. The Best was good, if a tad thinner than last time. NBSS 3.
Pint sunk, I contemplated my options;
a) Lord Clyde
b) Walk aimlessly in direction of the arches in hope of finding a murk vendor open
c) Go straight to Sevenoaks
d) Stay for a pint of Old
Always go for d).
Rich, full, tasty, if a little sweet. NBSS 3.5.
Two tables were about to order the excellent food, and as I finished the Old the reservations started to be put out, seemingly on every table.
Still a gem, but if you want to drink go at a civilised time, won’t you ?
retiredmartin 
What a beautiful pub. Great choice staying for another. And thatās a real choice; not two pale ales.
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Yes, and two relatively low ABV beers there as well. Impressive Harvey’s bottle selection, too.
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It is the properest of proper pubs.
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That’s one of my top ten pubs and there’s no beer I like better than Harvey’s.
I’m planning on a couple of days in London soon and shall get there again.
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What other London pubs do you favor?
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When you say London, do you include Manchester like the beer bloggers do š
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I’ve really liked the Kings Arms in Borough, Old Fountain (Old St), the Harp in Covent Garden, the Star in Belgravia, Euston Tap, Pride of Spitalfields in E1, Pembury Tavern in Hackney, North Star in Leytonstone, Pineapple in Kentish Town, Dog & Bell in Deptford, Hope in Carshalton, and of course the Express in Brentford.
More than you’d think then š
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Wenlock Arms, Hoxton/ Old st.
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Yes, definitely. Forgot that one, close to Old Fountain. Had a rocky few years, didn’t it?
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Not necessarily all my favourites but the 26 London pubs I used last year were
… EC1
……. Hand and Shears 1
……. Old Mitre 1
……. Rising Sun Ā½
……. Viaduct Tavern 1
… EC4
……. Black Friar 1
……. Cockpit 1
……. Olde Cheshire Cheese 1
… NW1
…… Doric Arch 2
…… Euston Flyer 1
…… Signal Box 4
…… Somers Town Coffee House 1
… SW1
…… Buckingham Arms 1
……. Lord Moon of the Mall 1
…… Red Lion 1
…… Star Tavern 1
… W1
……. Fitzroy Tavern 2
… W2
…… Mad Bishop and Bear 1
…… Monkey Puzzle 1
…… Victoria 2
… WC1
…… Cittie of York 3
…… Mabels Tavern 4Ā½
…… Museum Tavern 2
…… Princess Louise 2
…WC2
……. Chandos 2
……. Harp 2
……. Salisbury 1
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I meant to add “and the Sam Smiths pubs, of course” to my own response š
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Nice lists. We may have a beer guide…
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Stafford Mudgie,
I had to look up the Signal Box, I’ll have a look, will likely still stick to the Euston Tap though.
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Citra,
I don’t consider the Signal Box to be as good as their equivalent Parcel Yard and Mad Bishop & Bear and am quite sure that after you’ve had “a look” you will “still stick to the Euston Tap”.
You’ve probably realised that the Signal box and a few others were mainly for convenience while most of those 26 pubs have interiors of historic importance.
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In defence of the Signal Box, it’s well done and the half of Hophead I had last March while waiting for the Caldeonian Sleeper was as good as I’ve had.
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Yes, I wasn’t meaning to criticise the Signal Box,
Those with wonky knees can approach it by escalator – and there’s then no stairs to the toilets unlike the spiral staircase needed for the poky khazi in a nearby venue favoured by Citra.
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A fine looking pint of Old there, Martin.
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Seems a lifetime since I was in the Royal Oak. On lodge in St Albans, working West End and City for a few summer months, which was a great opportunity to explore including the just opened Vinopolis which wasnāt quite the piss-up Iād hoped for. The Royal Oak doesnāt seem to have changed, must catch the National Express down one day and revisit all those fabulous new Firkin pubs…
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The Frolic and Firkin in Finchley is friggin fantastic. Respect the Dogbolter.
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I hadn’t realised there were still Firkin pubs about.
I certainly haven’t been in one for many years – but I don’t get about as much as you.
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They’re accessible via time travel, a special service I only offer to Premium subscribers.
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So is there a pub still bearing its old Firkin moniker? Or were they wholesale re-badged? I thought maybe the Fleece & Firkin but thatās just The Fleece now.
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None called the “(something and) Firkin” but I’ve seen ancient livery, notably at The Flag next to Watford Junction.
Still the odd Tap & Spile and a Tut n Shive from that era about
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I didn’t notice such memorabilia when in the Flag a few years years ago.
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Great pub. And hopefully the Lord Clyde won’t change after the lease changed hands recently.
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I think the Royal Oak has got a *bit* smarter since the change in management. I get the feeling Harveys would like to go down the Adnams route – all pastel colours and cookware shops. Those new pumpclips are a hint of things to come.
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We really don’t see beers like Harvey’s Old around here – one of my favourite styles š
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I hadn’t seen much of it in new Sussex and Kent pubs either.
I was surprised to see the Adnams Old on the bar in Birmingham last month.
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Imagine my surprise ( and delight ) at Palmers Tally Ho in Birmingham’s Hen and Chickens fourteen months ago.
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Let joy be unconfined.
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I haven’t seen much Harvey’s Old either, and I live close to the Kent-Sussex border.
Your best bet for Old Ale is to find a Harvey’s tied house. š
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Outside of Lewes and Brighton, are there that many tied houses, Paul. The Garland in Redhill used to have them all on.
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Good Pub
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It’s ten days until I’m next in London and Harvey’s Royal Oak will be on my not-yet-decided itinerary.
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I think I’ve read about the Market Porter before, and how you can find folks in there in the early morning, having finished working the night shift, enjoying a pint or two as most of us would at day’s end. Have you ever been in there to behold such a sight (if not partake in the ritual yourself)?
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I haven’t (it used to be about 6 till 9 in the morning), but I suspect Paul has. Certainty a few other pubs near the wholesale markets in central London were similar. Nowadays you can get a pint in Wetherspoons at 9 or earlier, of course.
Do any local American bars open early?
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I do recall seeing a guy at a sort of 24-hour family restaurant in Ohio having a beer at what was for him the end of his work day, but was for me breakfast time. So I expect it can be found here and there. But I don’t think I’ve seen real bars open in the morning, except in places like Las Vegas.
Then of course there’s always the airport, where the “one shouldn’t drink in the morning” rule seems to be perpetually suspended!
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WhatPub has “11.00 am – 11.00 pm” for the Market Porter but then in the description adds “Retains its traditional market licence early morning opening 6-8.30am” so I might try it next week while staying just half a mile away.
Smithfield Market was the best. Gone now but while I could I enjoyed about fifty breakfasts and twice as many pints there. .
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I was in the Lord Clyde recently and loved it for atmosphere and looks. Probably less so for the beer. Rate the Kings Arms highly for both
Still I rate the whole area around Borough quite highly.
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Yes, there’s few better places in England to just wander and get lost and then lose an afternoon in The Rake.
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Not that you would get lost in The Rake.
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Oh, you haven’t seen Mrs RM looking for the loos in there š
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“Best visited at 6am” – oh, no, I was half an hour late in the Market Porter yesterday morning but I had the Harveys Sussex Best Bitter that I missed in the Royal Oak the previous evening because I had been on the Dark Mild, Old Ale and Porter.
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