The Old Royal

Walk into The Old Royal and you'll clock the kind of pub that doesn't need to try too hard. Church Street's been a drinking corridor for centuries, and this place sits right in that lineage—wooden beams, proper bar setup, the sort of place where your mates already know the bartender's name. You're getting solid ales, decent pub food that doesn't pretend to be something it isn't, and regular live music that actually draws a crowd without being trying. It's the sort of venue where you can nurse a pint for an hour without anyone making you feel rushed, or sink several with mates on a Friday night. The reviews speak for themselves—over a thousand punters rating it 4.4 out of 5 tells you something genuine is happening here.