A well supported session masquerading under the name of Fishguard folk-club. Turn up from about 8pm and you will be made most welcome. Anything goes, songs and tunes, Irish, Scottish and Welsh ( and French too more recently ). The folk club organise the annual Fishguard folk festival- end of May bank holiday. Great pub and great landlord too.
Today, I was in Fishguard (which I know quite well), only to discover that the pub is "temporarily" closed and boarded up, although the notice board outside still refers to the Tuesday session.
And I brought my fiddle with me to West Wales this week on holiday in the hope of a session at the famous old Royal Oak in Fishguard's town square.
I've just seen the following comment on www.pembrokeshire-folk-music.co.uk/festival.htm:
"As you may or may not know, the Royal Oak is closed at present and as we have not had any indication or even an answer to our phone calls about its re-opening any time soon, other plans have had to be made. It is hoped the 2012 programme will be published in the next few days."
I believe "2012 programme" refers to the 13th Fishguard Folk Festival, to be held 1-4 June 2012.
Today (29 March) as I was passing the Royal Oak I saw a recently posted notice on its door directing the Tuesday session to the Globe, about 200 yds down the road towards the Lower Town. An enquiry of the landlord of the Globe elicited up-to-date information that, as from the first Tuesday in April, the session would in fact be at the Ship and Anchor, next to the Co-op store in the High Street, about 200 yds from the Royal Oak in the opposite direction. This was confirmed by staff at the Ship and Anchor.
I hope all this works out well for the session (which I shall unfortunately miss because I'll be back in Bristol), but it is disturbing that there is such a deafening silence and manifest lack of interest in potential customers from whatever company now owns the Royal Oak.
My guess is that the Ship and Anchor will be an important focal point for the forthcoming Fishguard Folk Festival.
Here is an update based on my visit to Fishguard on Tuesday 22nd May 2012:
The Royal Oak had been reopened and was being run by a manager appointed by the brewery. However, the session was currently still being held at the Ship and Anchor.
Whether the session organiser and regulars will continue there, or decide to go back to the Royal Oak is unclear. The Ship and Anchor is certainly a nice session pub - on the evening that I was there, a well-kept Marston's Pedigree on handpump, and very appreciative punters.
On 22nd May it was mostly Irish music, along with a few Welsh and English tunes. Also quite a few good songs: mostly traditional and some unaccompainied incuding a shanty.
All in all, a very varied and thoroughly enjoyable evening.
A well supported session masquerading under the name of Fishguard folk-club. Turn up from about 8pm and you will be made most welcome. Anything goes, songs and tunes, Irish, Scottish and Welsh ( and French too more recently ). The folk club organise the annual Fishguard folk festival- end of May bank holiday. Great pub and great landlord too.
# Posted on December 14th 2002 by fiddlevet
I don't suppose there will be anyone at this pub tomorrow night? (Monday?}
# Posted on July 30th 2006 by Torgwen
Update
I visited the pub this week and was pleased to see the session was well attended with about 10 players.
The pub normally serves food but not this week.
The music was mainly Irish and to a high quality
John
# Posted on January 11th 2008 by john gould
Royal Oak, Fishguard
Today, I was in Fishguard (which I know quite well), only to discover that the pub is "temporarily" closed and boarded up, although the notice board outside still refers to the Tuesday session.
And I brought my fiddle with me to West Wales this week on holiday in the hope of a session at the famous old Royal Oak in Fishguard's town square.
# Posted on March 26th 2012 by Trevor Jennings
Royal Oak, Fishguard
I've just seen the following comment on www.pembrokeshire-folk-music.co.uk/festival.htm:
"As you may or may not know, the Royal Oak is closed at present and as we have not had any indication or even an answer to our phone calls about its re-opening any time soon, other plans have had to be made. It is hoped the 2012 programme will be published in the next few days."
I believe "2012 programme" refers to the 13th Fishguard Folk Festival, to be held 1-4 June 2012.
Today (29 March) as I was passing the Royal Oak I saw a recently posted notice on its door directing the Tuesday session to the Globe, about 200 yds down the road towards the Lower Town. An enquiry of the landlord of the Globe elicited up-to-date information that, as from the first Tuesday in April, the session would in fact be at the Ship and Anchor, next to the Co-op store in the High Street, about 200 yds from the Royal Oak in the opposite direction. This was confirmed by staff at the Ship and Anchor.
I hope all this works out well for the session (which I shall unfortunately miss because I'll be back in Bristol), but it is disturbing that there is such a deafening silence and manifest lack of interest in potential customers from whatever company now owns the Royal Oak.
My guess is that the Ship and Anchor will be an important focal point for the forthcoming Fishguard Folk Festival.
# Posted on March 29th 2012 by Trevor Jennings
Thanks for that information
I often stay in Fishguard on my frequent trips between Ireland and London. Hope to see you soon...
# Posted on April 2nd 2012 by hoopoe
Currently at the Ship and Anchor
Here is an update based on my visit to Fishguard on Tuesday 22nd May 2012:
The Royal Oak had been reopened and was being run by a manager appointed by the brewery. However, the session was currently still being held at the Ship and Anchor.
Whether the session organiser and regulars will continue there, or decide to go back to the Royal Oak is unclear. The Ship and Anchor is certainly a nice session pub - on the evening that I was there, a well-kept Marston's Pedigree on handpump, and very appreciative punters.
On 22nd May it was mostly Irish music, along with a few Welsh and English tunes. Also quite a few good songs: mostly traditional and some unaccompainied incuding a shanty.
All in all, a very varied and thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Keep up the good work, Fishguardites!
# Posted on May 25th 2012 by Mix O'Lydian