Oakingham Belle

Head down Oak Avenue and you'll find yourself in a proper neighbourhood boozer that takes its beer seriously without being a knob about it. The Oakingham Belle is the sort of place where regulars actually know the bar staff's names, families pop in for Sunday lunch, and there's always someone nursing a pint and reading the paper. It's got that unpretentious charm that's increasingly rare—no Instagram angles, no craft cocktails with nine ingredients, just decent ales, solid pub food, and a genuinely welcoming atmosphere. The fact that nearly 2,000 people have rated it highly speaks volumes; it's the kind of place that keeps a community together rather than trying to be something it's not.