The Royal Oak, Holmbury St Mary

I have lived in Holmbury for over twelve years now and during this time have visited this establishment on a number of occasions. Since moving to the village the pub has been run by two landlords. In it's early days The Royal Oak was an absolute pleasure to frequent, one was always greeted by an exceedingly jovial landlord who treated every customer as a guest. The food was always pleasant, as was the drink. I am sad to report though, that in recent years the food and beverage has gone significantly downhill, and not only this; the service has taken a severe nose dive. If one is looking for an extremely average glass of wine, followed by a meal an eighteen year old student could concoct; you'll find this here. At present the only positive aspect is location. Holmbury is a lovely spot to wile away a summers afternoon, but if you're looking for good homemade food at a reasonable price I would suggest The Kings Head only a few moments up the road. Unfortunately this doesn't have the village green location, but I can guarantee a very warm welcome and an extremely pleasant seasonal and fresh menu.

22 Jul 2009 21:27