On Friday 11 January we said our farewells to Frank Taylor and John Porteous, the long term tenants of the Royal Oak at the Borough. Apart from their excellent beer, John’s top class food and hospitality, CAMRA London Region owes them a considerable debt of gratitude for all the meetings that they have hosted during their twenty year tenure, not least the London Liaison Committee and the London Pubs Group. Most of all however we thank them for their forbearance in putting up with vast quantities of a certain magazine being delivered to the pub every other month.
Their departure was celebrated in style. Among the guests was Miles Jenner, the joint managing director of the pub’s owners, Harvey’s of Lewes, and the event was well attended by regulars and members of both CAMRA and the GLC Real Ale Society, who have made the pub their spiritual home. All were in good voice for a sing-song. A collection had been taken and the presentation of a generous gallery voucher, with Jane Jephcote, the chair of the London Pubs Group doing the honours, was well received.
I was pleased to hear from Owen Barstow who was PA and researcher to Michael Jackson until Michael’s death in 2007. He says that Michael was always an enthusiastic visitor to the pub when his schedule allowed and he often used to take visitors from the international brewing, distilling and literary worlds there. Michael felt that John and Frank showcased all that was best about British beer and pub culture. Owen’s final visit was for a ‘last lunch’ with two other fans of the pub, Roger Protz and Michael Hardman, pictured here with Frank.
Frank and John go into their well deserved retirement with our very best wishes. The pub closed for a few days to allow for the change of management but we understand that Harvey’s have nothing radical planned for it.
Tony Hedger