Phew!! Was that it?????

Well it's all gone quiet now.

Pip has put his pinny away and Marc has cooked his last turkey of the season - and Carmen has picked the bones of the last bird in the house! It's been a great Christmas, with some terrific evenings. On Christmas Eve we had a large party booked in and, indeed, we saw a steady stream of visitors right through to New Years Eve.

Our New Years Eve night saw us welcome 2008 with a large group of friends - both old and new. We had music from John on his guitar plus some god old fashioned bopping music - and we finally wished our last guest 'Goodnight' in the early hours. Pip then went and showed us how the old can still do it by popping over to Deal to take part in a the Bra Run on New Year's Eve. Unfortunately, Carmen wasn't on the best of form having picked up the lurgy - but with a New Year and a new packet of Lemsip, she should be right as rain soon.

So, what can we look forward to in the coming weeks?

Well next week its a bit of a crazy week for Mine Host, with Carmen starring in a local production of Wind in the Willows. And on Saturday it's Wassail time, with lots of men with beards, some storytelling and lots of folky music. If you're coming along, make sure you get here early, it will get very busy!

We've Bluegrass every Thursday night. Then, on Tuesday 15th we've the third in our Winter Quiz series - with a superb vegetable up for grabs for the winning team! Be there around 8.30 for the start.

Plus, of course, Marc will be serving up his fabulous food right the way through the winter months - so do pay us a visit soon!

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.