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The Perfect Pub, is there such a thing? 2009-07-25 In 1946 George Orwell wrote in the London Evening Standard about his favourite pub, The Moon Under Water. He listed the attributes which made it his perfect pub, amongst them; open fires, friendly barmaids, good food, a pleasant garden and the availability of cigarettes, aspirins, stamps and his favourite tipple, draught stout. However what appealled to him most was the ‘atmosphere’, that indefinable quality that cannot be contrived or manufactured. Centuries earlier another Englishman, Dr. Samuel Johnson eulogises about the tavern, his famous if somewhat over-used quotation ends ‘…..No sir, there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn.’ It is one of the great pleasures of pub going, that every so often one finds a pub that is as near perfection as possible. Perfection is of course subjective, which is why it’s so important that pubs are as individual as their customers. I like all the pubs on this site, but inevitably, like some more than others. Finding a pub that ‘ticks all your boxes’ is worth shouting about.  One such hostelry that scores highly on my perfection-scale is the Royal Standard of England, near Beaconsfield, Bucks. The name alone is an instant winner. In 2009, trade magazine The Publican named it both ‘Freehouse of the Year’ and ‘Pub of the Year,’ it was a finalist for ‘Food Pub of the Year’ too, which gives some idea of the standard of the place.
Hard to find, down a long lane, the Royal Standard suddenly appears; a rambling Tudor building of black oak, red brick and flint. It claims to be the oldest freehouse in England and it certainly looks the part. Like most buildings of antiquity it has grown piecemeal over the centuries. The oldest part is Saxon and thought to have been an alehouse, it now forms a small but central part of the pub. It then spreads out, a bar here, a room there, each one with its own character, a sort of architectural jigsaw of building styles through the ages, with windows and fireplaces to match. Random artefacts fill each room, not a contrived collection, but a muddle of unrelated objects; the furniture follows the same eclectic lines, odd but fitting in perfectly. The overall atmosphere is warm and cosy which makes you want to just sit and relax, this is after all the purpose and the beauty of an old inn or tavern.  In 1651, King Charles II hid in the pub's loft following the defeat of his army at the Battle of Worcester, in gratitude the pub’s landlord was presented with the royal standard, hence the name. The current landlord is Matthew O’Keefe, who appears to have just walked off the set of a period drama, 17th century of course. But behind the broad smile and swashbuckling looks is a publican who knows his stuff and runs the place with precision. He sees his role as keeping a tradition alive “I’m just looking after the place for the next generation,” he says, his attitude is as refreshing as the beer.His staff are friendly and efficient, the beers perfect, the wines good and the food is excellent traditional fayre. The entire pub is well cared for and O’Keefe is completely hands-on, taking great care when sourcing his food and drinks; it’s the details that make the difference. Getting it right is hard, keeping it right is harder, but O’Keefe is passionate about his pub and without passion there can’t be perfection. At the end of Orwell’s essay he reveals that the Moon Under Water exists only in his imagination and he has yet to find this perfect pub. Perhaps he just wasn’t looking hard enough? Other perfect pub recommendations: Pot Kiln, Frilsham, Berkshire. Crown, Westleton, Suffolk |
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