The Oak

Walk into The Oak and you'll clock it immediately—this is the kind of pub that doesn't need to try hard because it's already got everything people want. It's on Richmond Road, far enough from the town centre buzz to feel like an actual local's spot rather than a tourist trap. The crowd's a proper mix: after-work drinkers nursing pints, families grabbing lunch, mates who've been coming here for years. The beer selection's clearly taken seriously, and the food's the kind of thing you actually want to eat, not Instagram. It's got that lived-in feeling that comes from being somewhere real people genuinely choose to spend their time, rather than somewhere trying desperately hard to be authentic.