We ask the questions!!

Our Christmas season is well under way and we've welcomed a number of parties already.

The Oak is offering Christmas Party menus for groups of 4 and upwards right the way through to Christmas - and we have our special party night next wednesday, with a live band and other festive goodies on offer. We do have a couple of tables still free for the evening, so do get in touch if you want to join us.

Last night, we held the second in our Winter Quiz Series. Seven teams battled it out for the honour of lifting the trophy - this month's special trophy was a giant parsnip (yes, really!) kindly donated by November winners Richard and Maggie.

A great night was had by most - and our next evening is scheduled for January 15th.

Before then, we have plenty of live music, with our acoustic Open Mic Night on Tuesday next (18th), the 1066 Rocket Men next wednesday (19th) and a New Year's Eve party with live music from John plus plenty of party dance music.

Don't forget too that our weekly Bluegrass Night takes place every Thursday - so we'll see you soon?

PS Pip has only gone and got all sporty!

Here he is running in the Swanley Christmas Caper. He didn't win the race but he did win a Christmas Pudding for his outfit!

It's our money they're spending......

I'm going to start ranting now.

A report in today's Sunday Telegraph says (you know? I can hardly bring myself to say it)that a Government manual has been printed to offer advice on how to tell if someone is drunk.

It's true!

Our own money has been spent on printing a pile of books to tell us how to spot a drunk. I simply despair - but here's what our money has been spent on. The guide will teach our policemen how to spot drunks:

From looking out for staggering or "dishevelled" pub-goers to listening for "rambling conversation" and offensive language, the Home Office publication covers it all in minute detail. The guide is being issued to thousands of police officers who will work undercover in pubs and clubs this Christmas to catch bar staff who sell alcohol to inebriated customers.

The manual descibes ways to spot a drunk

Other tell-tale signs of drunkenness, according to the guide, include being "careless with money", exhibiting inappropriate sexual behaviour, offensive language, bumping into furniture, spilling drinks and drinking quickly or competitively, "i.e down in one". Drunkenness may also cause a loss of train of thought, difficulty in paying attention, "not understanding what is said", glassy eyes or lack of focus.

Now, I have to admit, I'd struggle to spot a drunk.

NOT!!!

The manual was condemned yesterday as "absolute nonsense" by the pub trade, which called on the Government to focus on the supermarkets that sell cheap alcohol.

A spokesman for the Licensed Victuallers' Association said: "It seems ridiculous that a trained police officer needs help in identifying someone who is drunk. If you apply all these guidelines in the average pub any customer could be classified as drunk."

The guide is being issued to 90 police teams across the country taking part in the pre-Christmas Responsible Sales of Alcohol Campaign, which started last night and will run until Christmas Eve.

Undercover officers will mingle in pubs and issue £80 fixed penalties to staff who ''knowingly" sell alcohol to someone who is drunk. Selling to a drunk customer is an offence under the Licensing Act but confusion over what defines ''drunk" has engulfed the pub trade - until now.

A spokesman for the Home Office confirmed that undercover police officers are being taught how to spot a drunkard. He said: ''As part of the Responsible Sales of Alcohol Campaign, plain clothes police officers have been issued guidelines on monitoring the sale of alcohol to intoxicated individuals. The Home Office does not make a secret of the guidelines it issues to police, which are aimed at protecting the public and staff working in licensed premises."

Well here at the Royal Oak, we believe that we could have saved the Home Office - and us, as taxpayers, a heap of money. So, here, for free, gratis, for nil payment is the Royal Oak's guide on how to spot a drunk. It has been produced following year's of careful study by Pip - so here we go:

You know when you're drunk when:

1. You lose an argument with the ashtray.
2. You have to hold onto the lawn to keep from falling over.
3 The doctor finds traces of blood in your alcohol stream.
4. The back of your head keeps getting hit by the toilet seat.
5. 24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case - coincidence?? - I think not!
6. You can focus better with one eye closed.
7. You fall off the floor...
8. Your kids are called Mild and Bitter.
9. Your idea of cutting back is less crisps
10. The whole pub says "Hi" when you come in...
11. The pub dog looks good.
12. Pip suddenly looks really hot.
13. You have trouble speaking clearly. "Hello" comes out as "Wanna s**g?"
14. Your mouth feels all furry because you've just drunk the ash tray.
15. You can't remember what sort of car you own.
16. You can't remember what a car looks like.
17. You just spent an hour chatting up the cigarette machine.
18. You consider urinating in the wash basin, rather than waiting in the queue.
19. You urinate in the wash basin rather than waiting in the queue.
20. You urinate in the queue.
21. You can't find your left hand.
22. You try to count to 10, in 11's
23. You drive the dog home
24. You get into the back seat by mistake and call the police thinking someone has stolen the steering wheel.
25. Declaring your undying love to your best friend seems like a really good idea.
26. You can't count to 1.
27. Marinne Faithful sounds good.
28. You start showing off your willy tricks.
29. You spend your last £5 (in ten pence pieces) on a taxi back to some girl's flat, only to relise when you get there that she didn't get into the taxi with you, and you now have to walk 5 miles home.
30. The toaster can be considered an acceptable substitute for the ashtray.
31. You whisper louder than most people shout.

Think that's it - unless, of course, you know any more ....

Believing what you read?

A couple of things have struck me about the newspapers recently.

First of all - you shouldn't believe all that you read in them.

And secondly - you should believe what you read in them.

Let me explain why.

First of all the BBC have dug up that old chestnut about the average meal cost in a British pub. And, of course, as soon as it does so, all the newspapers - looking for a bit of easy copy - go and repeat the damn thing. So, we have a story which is months old that suddenly gets front page news again. It all began when the Good Pub Guide (can't be that good, we're not in it!) reported that because of the drop in revenue caused by the smoking ban, pubs were hiking up the cost of their food to replace it. And as a result, the average cost of lunch in your local had now risen to £20.

So, we'll repeat what we've said before. We'd love you to spend £20 on your lunch here at the Oak. But there's no need - we've got a fantastic selection on our menu. All home cooked and prepared - and it'll set you back half that. So, don't believe what you read in the papers - it doesn't need to cost you anywhere need that!

But then we read another thing in the paper which got us thinking.

It all began with a report in The Times about a chap who had found a dinosaur fossil and after examination it turned out to be a completely new species of dinosaur. (Read the story here). The fossil was found not far from us and it really intrigued us.

Because it was found in exactly the same spot where Pip used to eat his lunch. And as the fossil was discovered in the 1890's - we just wondered whether it was actually something from Pip's lunch box from when he was a nipper.

We wonder .....

Coming up soon - our Christmas Party season begins next weekend. As it's the season of goodwill, we're switching the usual Open Mic date from the 1st Friday in the month to Tuesday 18th - and its a special acoustic version. Before then we have the second in our new Quiz season on Tuesday 11th. And, of course don't forget those Bluegrass Boys every Thursday.

Finally - some more of these funny beer commercials! Well, they made us giggle!

Christmas Parties - don't leave it too late!!

We've taken quite a few bookings already for Christmas Parties - our special Party Menu is proving really popular. Parties can be booked throughout the month of December and we're offering a special menu, with plenty of festive choices. We can also cater for special requests - such as special dietary requirements - and if you want any entertainment, we can probably also help.

If you have a small party and don't want to party alone, why not join our special Christmas Party Night on December 19th? We've a special menu, live music and other festive goodies - all for a set price of £22.50 a head.

If you'd like more information, call us on 01797 230494.

We had a superb night of live music last Friday with top Blues specialists Big Blue playing a vibrant couple of sets. This week, we've got the Bluegrass chaps in on Thursday - so why not pay us a visit?

Finally, according to the BBCI see that beer sales have slumped to their lowest level since the 1930's. I think I know the answer.

Pip's on a health kick!!

Have a good week.

Happy Birthday Carmen!!

It's Carmen's birthday this weekend - and this video thing has really caught on. Lots of birthday greetings have been received in the Global HQ of WebEd - and here's just a short selection.

This one's from John, a regular; we always thought he was from a different planet - and this proves it!!

And this one's from Pip:


Happy Birthday Carmen!!

And to celebrate we think they're re-opening the road outside the Oak - which is just in time for Big Blue who are playing live here tonight.

So, come and see Big Blue - and buy Carmen a drink for her birthday!

Top music on its way

A modest start to the Royal Oak Monthly Quiz last night with a small but high quality field of competitors. Astonishingly Pip was part of the winning team, although his contribution was questionable!

We've got a couple of cracking live music dates at the Oak this week, with the Bluegrass Boys in session on Thursday from 8.30; and on Friday, some terrific blues from The Big Blue.

Formed in 1993, the Big Blue is a hard gigging three-piece blues/rock band playing material written by band leader/ vocalist/ guitarist, Stuart Bligh, as well as some other names with whom you may be familiar such as Cream, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and many more. The band have an impressive pedigree and have been featured on Radio 2's Paul Jones show amongst others. You can read more about the band on their website.


Hopefully we'll see you there?

Now, have we started something or what?

Following the beer commercial we posted a couple of days ago .... we've been passed a couple more. These are Australian ... so you've been warned!

Putting your brain matter to the test

A good week for the Oak this week. It's getting chillier and talk is of Christmas Parties and Christmas Lunches - so we're feeling all seasonal.

We had another great session from the Bluegrass Boys on Thursday night - they have built up a strong following and we've had some cracking nights over the last few weeks. If your idea of a relaxing night out is sitting round an open fire listening to some top musicians then why not pop in and see us? Make an even better night of it by having Dinner with us!

The chaps will be back with us next Thursday - but before then we have a Charity Chocolate Quiz on Tuesday night - starting at 8.30. Why not come along and join in? Teams of 4 to 6 are welcome, but you can also just turn up and we'll make teams up on the night.

Thought you might like this beer commercial we found whilst pottering around on the web - made us laugh anyway!

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Think before you eat!

We saw an interesting article on the web yesterday.

A foodie writer was suggesting that there are a number of questions you should ask of a restaurant before sitting down to eat.

Well, that's fine if you must be so intense – so we’ll put the questions to the Royal Oak test!

Here are the questions:

1. Does the restaurant use organic/local/fair trade produce?

The Oak always uses local and fresh produce.

2. Fast food is full of salt, sugar and fats – often twice the recommended daily amount.

We cook good food as quickly as we can – like we say "we don’t do Fast Food!"

3. Is the food cooked fresh or microwaved?

Our food is all cooked fresh and to order.

4. Are you looking for sparkling crystal and starched linen or plastic beakers and Formica tables?

The Oak doesn't do ‘pretentious! But we do believe in standards and quality – you’ll find our tables just about right!

5. Many burgers contain 48% chicken, water, beef fat, beef heart, rusk, starch, onion, salt, spices hydrolysed vegetable protein, etc – but no beef!

Then you’ve never eaten an Oak Burger!!

6. Is the restaurant child-friendly?

We welcome well-behaved children for lunches, snacks or early dinners.Pip eats children that do not behave!

7. Mark-up on wines can be as much as 400%.

All we can say is – not at the Oak!

8. Service charges are discretionary.

Absolutely - we couldn't agree more!

Our live music went down really well last week. First of all the Bluegrass boys had a great turnout for their weekly Thursday session. Then, on Friday, we had a great OPen Mic with Steve Stone, some regulars and some new faces too.

More live music this week with another sesion of Bluegrass on Thursday. And our next live band is on Friday week when we welcome Big Blue to the Oak. And on Tuesday we have the first of our Winter Chocolate Quizzes.

See you soon?

Don't forget that our Christmas Party menu is now available for December bookings.

What happens when there's power cut

The lights went out in the Royal Oak last night - not for good I hasten to add - but just for a few minutes.And what happens when the lights go out in a pub?

Yep, that's right. Those hugging the bar start talking rubbish!

And so it was last night when the conversation turned to music and then on to some of the more bizarre songs that had been written. Which in turn, when the power came back on, led us to research some of the more ridiculous song titles. You may know that Mine Host Carmen is very fond of country music ....

So these, by common consent, are up there with the best country songs ever written!

I Wouldn’t Take Her To a Dog Fight, Cause I’m Afraid She’d Win
She Feels Like A New Man Tonight
I’m The Only Hell Mama Ever Raised
Velcro Arms, Teflon Heart
You Changed Your Name From Brown to Jones,and Mine From Brown to Blue
The Last Word In Lonesome Is “Me”
Who’s Makin’ Time with the Time Keeper’s Daughter, when the Time Keeper’s Keepin’ Time?
You Stuck My Heart In a Old Tin Can and Shot It Off a Log
And There was Grandma, Swingin’ on the Outhouse Door,Without a Shirt On
How Can I Miss You When You Won’t Go Away?
I’d Rather Pass a Kidney Stone than Another Night With You
Why Do You Believe Me When I Tell You That I Love You When You Know I’ve Been A Liar All My Life?
She Got The Gold Mine and I Got The Shaft
Come Out of the Wheatfield Nelly, You’re Going Against the Grain
My Wife Ran Off With My Best Friend And I Sure Do Miss Him
I Changed Her Oil, She Changed My Life
Get Your Biscuits In The Oven And Your Buns In Bed
My John Deere Was Breaking Your Field While Your Dear John Was Breaking My Heart
Take Me To The Corn Field Honey And I’ll Kiss You Between The Ears
The Beer I Had For Breakfast Is Comin’ Back For Lunch
We Used to Just Kiss on the Lips But Now It’s All Over
You Were Only A Splinter As I Slid Down The Bannister

Let's hope the lights stay on tonight!

Talking of country though, don't forget those Bluegrass boys are back at the Oak tomorrow night - admission is free and the music gets under way at 9.

OK - lets see what you think

We're thinking about this £10.50 pie business. How much would you pay for a steak and kidney pie?

Let us know by registering your vote in our Pie Poll - see left for further details.!

What planet do these people live on???

The 2008 Good Pub Food Guide has just been published and, according to these so-called experts, the price of pub food has soared to an average £20 for a two-course lunch and glass of wine.


What?

They also go on to say that unless pubs rein in their prices, they risk losing customers. According to them, the price of a pub main meal, such as steak and kidney pie, costs on average £10.50.
Steak and kidney pie - would you pay more than a tenner?

Well we don't know what planet these people live on - but one thing we can guarantee you - it doesn't need to cost anywhere near that at the Royal Oak. Our current menu boasts a range of home cooked food for well under a tenner - including home made, Cottage Pie, home made Lasagne plus some great fish and meat dishes.


Why not try us out?


Christmas party bookings are now starting to come in - so don't forget to get your places booked asap. And don't forget too that its Bluegrass Night again this Thursday. The music begins around 9 pm.


See you then?

It's official - the best ideas happen in pubs!!

Life for us publicans can sometimes be tough - and we sometimes ask ourselves why we do it. And, of course, the reason we do it is ... you!

That's right - we love people! Even Pip loves people sometimes!

But what really makes a slow night turn special are the conversations that we are privy to from time to time - you customers just don't appreciate how inventive you become after a pint or two of our finest ales!

Now, a book has been published with a collection of some of the weird and wonderful revelations dreamt up by pub goers. For instance, how about a phone that locks to stop you texting your ex when you are drunk?

The book, Fuzzy Logic, is published by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), with the author also throwing the gauntlet down for the public to submit their own “eureka” moments to celebrate the launch of the book.

Some of the ideas in Fuzzy Logic include:

The Asbo phone lock - sick of the cringing embarrassment of waking up to remember that text to your ex at 3am? Not anymore with this alcohol sensitive mobile phone.

The cheese Easter egg - for those who prefer savoury to sweet, try this egg-shaped cheesy treat.

Telescopic heel stilettos - ladies, never fear that agonising walk home from the pub again, with these ingenious and (possibly) stylish collapsible high heels.

The human catflap - never get locked out in the cold again.

Other pub genius ideas include socks with GPS, a homing door key and the virtual shed!

If you've an idea, you can submit it to the author via http://www.pubideas.com/

But do tell us first!

Join us for a great Christmas Party Night

If you’re looking for somewhere special to celebrate this Christmas with colleagues why not join us at the Royal Oak, for our great Christmas Party Night on Wednesday December 19th?

The evening is perfect for small work parties or groups of friends or colleagues – with a minimum party size of just 4.

The Christmas Party Night includes:

Delicious 3 course menu with a choice of starter, main course and desert
Dancing to our live bandChristmas party goodies
Festive Table Quiz with Champagne to the winning party

All this for just £22.50 per person.

The Royal Oak, Rye Foreign has a growing reputation for fine food with all ingredients fresh, locally sourced and cooked to order - no boil in the bag food here!!

So why not book now to avoid disappointment?

Tables for the Christmas Party Night are limited, must be pre-booked and are available strictly on a first-come, first-served basis.

Demand is expected to be high – so you are advised to book now to make sure of your places.

You can phone your bookings through to us on 01797 230494.

Timings for the evening:

From 7.00 pm pre-dinner drinks
8.00 pm dinner served
9.45 pm dancing to our live band
12 midnight bar closes

Dress code: Smart

A limited number of rooms are also available for overnight stays – please ask for details.

Transport to and from your Party can also be arranged, subject to an additional charge and at least 14 days notice being given. If you would like a bigger party or would like an alternative date, then why not call us?

Well and truly Twanged!!

Well they came, they saw and they rocked! The long-awaited return visit of the Twang Dragons, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Friday night saw a huge crowd pack the Royal Oak to the rafters. The band have certainly built up a following over here and this, their second visit to the UK saw them meet up with many old friends they'd made from tour No. 1 - and we weren't disappointed.

The band played their unique mixture of rock 'n roll and country - "Twang Rock", according to lead singer Lisa Hanson - "with a bit of Americana mixed in." Included in the set was a mixture of self-penned songs as well as some cover songs by such artists as Johnny Cash and the Eagles - not to mention a memorable country version of Pinball Wizard which cleverly morphed into Folsom Prison Blues!

The Twangs played a mammoth near 3 hour set - so we reckon we were well and truly twanged!

We can't wait to see them back here again next year!

Next up at the Oak is another evening of Bluegrass this coming Thursday and then, on Friday (2nd November), its the return of the Open Mic Night, with resident compere Steve Stone. Why not join us? If you can sing, play an instrument, recite poetry - then we'd love to see you!

New Christmas Party menu launched

It's all go in Rye Foreign at the moment and we've a great week in prospect!

After a decent weekend - we were busy, despite the weather - we're into Christmas planning mode. Our new Christmas party menu has been launched and mailed out to friends and businesses in the area. If you'd like your own copy - which includes a copy of Oak News, our newsletter, email our friends at Nice Work and they'll be delighted to send you a copy.

And this week is also a special week because we've got the long awaited return of the Twang Dragons on Friday night. We're expecting a huge number of people - but don't worry we can fit you all in, just make sure you arrive early!

The Twangs are over from the States for a short tour and we're really pleased they've chosen the Oak on their itinerary. For a sneak preview of what to expect, check them out here!

We'll see you here!!

Soon be Christmas?

Some great news for the Oak is on the horizon - it'll soon be Christmas!

We've been roadtesting our Christmas menu - and take it from us, it's going to be good! And we're also about to launch our new Lunchtime menu - more news here soon.

Our last Open Mic Night seems to have caused something of a stir - not least because of Mine Host Carmen's showstopping appearance with a cracking rendition of Minnie Ripperton's "Loving You"! The surprise appearance may not be the last time .... you'll have to join us at our next Open Mic night to find out!

Big news locally this week? The beak is back! Yup, Emu is making a comeback! Apparently, the latest incarnation of our most famous local resident puppet Emu is back on TV next month. His previous owner Rod Hull lived locally until his death a few years ago - and now his son is bringing the thing back.

We can't wait!

Our Bluegrass night at the Oak is becoming ever more popular and the boys will be there once again tonight (Thursday). The session begins at 9.00 pm and you're welcome to pop along and see what all the fuss is about! Tomorrow though, the Oak should see another great evening when The Dawgs hit the place. As their website says, why not say "Howdy" to The Dawgs? If your taste is Cajun or Hillbilly, you've really no excuse not to be there!

The music begins at 9 pm.

See you here?

What a stink!!

The introduction of the smoking ban in pubs on July 1st has had a number of effects - some landlords claiming that they have lost business, others bemoaning the fact that the non smokers have still not returned in the numbers they promised to do prior to the legislation.

Here at the Royal Oak, we retain a strictly neutral view of smoking believing that non smokers have the right to enjoy both food and drink in a smoke-free environment - and we cater for those who enjoy tobacco, with a paved patio area with plenty of seating.

However, our eyebrows were raised when we saw a report in the paper over the weekend regarding pub smells. Apparently, some pubs are planning to pump in artificial scents to mask the smell of stale beer, sweat and drains that used to be disguised by cigarettes before the smoking ban.

The smell of ocean breeze and freshly cut grass are being tested by one major brewery in an effort to disguise the locker room aroma in some crowded venues on warm Friday and Saturday nights. One pub boss reports: “Appetising food smells have increased but others are less attractive, such as stale food and beer, damp, sweat and body odour, drains and — how do you put this nicely? — flatulence.”

Well, we can assure you that the Royal Oak has a very pleasant smell indeed - usually the smell of good, home cooked food!

Come along and try it out for yourself!

A great week coming up at the Oak. Following another successful Open Mic Night on Friday, we return to live music this Thursday with Bluegrass and then on Friday we welcome the amazing Stag Band. If you look great folk rock with some of the best musicians of this genre - then get yourself down here early!!

Excitement mounts

We had a great Thursday Bluegrass Night this week. The place was buzzing with loads of people eating as well as listening to the music.


And as we start the downhill trek to Christmas and winter (sorry!!), we're getting excited about the live music coming up.

Top of the list has to be the arrival of the Twang Dragons in October. This band are flying over from their home in Milwaukee for a short British tour - and they're going to be playing here at the Oak. It's going to be a great night - and we want plenty of cowboy hats and western dress on the night please! If you've not heard or seen the Twang Dragons, check out this video of the band. If you can't wait to hear the band, you can buy any of their four albums on i-Tunes.


Before then, though, we have another live Bluegrass night next Thursday, a spectacular Open Mic Night on Friday with Steve Stone and guests - and we're also looking forward to welcoming the Dawgs and the Stag Band in September.


All in all, it's an exciting time at the Oak - come and look us up!

Clean air at the Royal Oak - if you want it!

Reports suggest that cigarette sales have dropped by almost 7% since the smoking ban was introduced in England in July.

We don't moralise at the Royal Oak but we do support the right of our customers to enjoy their food and drink in a smoke-free atmosphere.

However, for those of our customers who do like to smoke, we have plenty of outdoor space with seating from which you can enjoy your tobacco.

Below - spotted last weekend

Ssshh - Bank Holiday workers in full flow - please do not disturb!!

A great Bank Holiday!

We enjoyed a good Bank Holiday Weekend with a great crowd of people visiting us over the three days - it was good to see old friends and some new ones enjoying our hospitality.

Mind you, you shouldn't wait for a holiday weekend to come and sample the Royal Oak!

Our latest Specials Menu is now available - chef Mark's Liver and Bacon and his Chicken with Bacon and Brie went down particularly well at the weekend. Click here to see our latest specials menu.

Live Music Update

Just announced!! The fantastic Twang Dragons will be appearing live at the Royal Oak on Friday October 5th. If you like your music “a little bit country, a little bit fire-breathin' serpintine grooving rocker” then you just can't afford to miss The Twang Dragons!

The band hail from Milwaukee - and for a taste of their music, check out one of their You Tube vids here?

Why not book early, make a night of it and enjoy a pre-gig meal?

Oh - and bring your Cowboy Hat and spurs, we'll be handing out a prize to the best western dress.

Before then we have Bluegrass this Thursday and next - plus next Friday sees another of our popular Open Mic Nights with regular compere Steve Stone.

Coming soon!

There's some great live music on its way to the Royal Oak.

In addition to our weekly Bluegrass session each Thursday night, our ever popular Open Mic Night with Steve Stone takes place on the first Friday of the month - our next one is Friday September 7th.

September also sees two great bands visiting the Oak.

On the 14th, we've some great Folk Rock with the Stag Band and Friday 21st September sees the return of the ever popular Dawgs (left). If you like your Hillbilly and Cajun music spicy, then don't miss this one! For a taste of what to expect, click here.

The Royal Oak is a great place to catch some of the best live music in East Sussex - and don't forget our full range of home cooked food is always available - so you can dine and listen!

The summer's on it's way!!

Forget the miserable summer we've had - it's all going to change this weekend. The weathermen are telling us that the miserable rain and wind is leaving us and that hot sunny climes will be with us just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend.

So, why not come on down to Rye this August Bank Holiday?

Rye is a lovely place to bring the family - with more culture than you can shake a stick at in this wonderful ancient town. Perched on a hill, overlooking the River Rother and Romney Marsh, Rye is the sort of place you thought existed only in your imagination. With enchanting cobbled streets, a medieval church and beautifully preserved historic houses from medieval, Tudor and Georgian times, Rye is almost suspended in time and has a uniquely unhurried atmosphere. Compact enough to discover the key places of interest over a week-end but with plenty of secret treasures to entice you to stay much longer and to return again.

And if it's traditional seaside activities you're looking for, then look no further than Camber Sands - with one of the finest beaches on the south coast.

And when you've built up an appetite, why not come along and visit the Royal Oak for a great Bank Holiday lunch, dinner or snack? Chef Mark is working on a brand new specials menu - and we'll bring you news of that right here very shortly.

If you're visiting Rye, you'll find the Royal Oak on the main A268 road a couple of miles outside the town. If you're coming to the town from London, the A21 or the M25, you'll probably be driving right past our front door - well don't drive past, call in!!

Before the weekend though, don't forget our popular Bluegrass Night with live music on Thursday night.

A much nicer environment?

According to a poll published in the licensed trade publication, The Publican, this week, 61% of smokers think bars and pubs are nicer without smoking, with 90 per cent of non-smokers agreeing.

However, the survey also showed non-smokers have not increased their “going out” behaviour as much as anticipated before the ban was imposed in July.

In a previous survey in May, 47 per cent of non-smokers indicated they would go out more often once the ban came into force - but only 32 per cent now say they actually have done so.

In other findings, 56% of non-smokers believe that bar staff appear happier since the ban - well you must come down to the Royal Oak and check out our bar staff! We're happy now - and we were happy then!

The Oak offers a pleasant smoke-free atmosphere - but for those who must, our extensive outdoor seating area allows you the chance to socialise and smoke in comfort.

Come along and see us this week - we've a great new specials menu - and we've live Bluegrass on Thursday evening.

Welcome to the Royal Oak

It doesn't seem like five minutes since we moved to the Royal Oak - but it's been 12 months!

The Oak is starting to become what we really envisaged when we moved here last year - a traditional country pub - a good place for locals and visitors alike to eat and to drink.

We're also really proud that our live music evenings are proving popular. So, whilst time has flown by we've already built up a loyal customer base - all attracted by good beer, great home cooked food at sensible prices and some really special live music events.

You'll find all you need to know about the Oak right here - including how to find us and how to make a reservation.

Remember - the Oak is a great place to meet friends, family and business colleagues for a snack, for lunch or for a great dinner. If you work in Rye - we're convenient for lunch and snacks - so do call your order through to us by ringing us on 01797 230494.

If you're visiting Rye, Camber or other holiday locations on the coast - we're right on the main road into Rye, so the chances are that you'll pass right past our front door!

The Oak is a great place to stay and a great place to dine for all the family - we believe in offering quality home cooked food at sensible prices. So, if you like great food - you must pay us a visit!

Finally, remember our live music nights - Thursday is Bluegrass Night; we have live bands at least twice a month and then, on the first Friday in each month it's our famous Open Mic night with Steve Stone as your resident compere.

We'll keep you posted right here on all our live music and special events plus our new menus - so do keep visiting us.

We hope to see you soon!

Carmen and Pip
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