We visit a Shropshire countryside pub and steakhouse that offers great grills and refreshing drinks

The challenge to keep pubs alive and thriving is a tough one, with more and more old school boozers shutting their doors across the country and landlords and managers moving onto new and perhaps more sustainable ventures. 

However, there are pubs which have the potential to be popular, vibrant and welcoming places for people to visit, both from the local community around it and from people passing by it.

One pub which has become a place to be for diners and drinkers alike is the Royal Oak in Alveley, set halfway between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth on the busy A442.

It has been part of the village since the 1800s and has operated under its current ownership since March when pub manager and chef James Greenhalgh and his team took over the running of the pub.

Mr Greenhalgh said he had been taken by the look of the building when he was first contacted about taking it on and spoke of the potential it had, as well as the work needed to get it ready for the public.

He said: "It was a carvery for many years, and a very popular carvery at that, and the owner approached me about whether I would mind coming in and seeing if I could do a rebrand and a relaunch for the pub.

"I've been in the trade for 30-odd years and I thought it had massive amounts of potential, with lots of passing trade, a massive garden and lots of grounds outside, with a lovely conservatory.

"It probably took us a month to do the refurbishment inside, making a few changes to the menu and a couple of brand changes, including the front of the pub, the signage outside and updating the Facebook page."

Mr Greenhalgh said the first day of opening, which had been Mother's Day, had been a huge success, with 150 meals sold and the place sold out.

He said that people had particularly liked the look of the restaurant area, with hardwood floors, warm brown table and chairs of varying red tones, as well as a working fireplace and a lot of plants around the pub.

While primarily dry-led, the Royal Oak is still a pub and Mr Greenhalgh said that he still kept a good range of drinks as a freehold, working with Coors brewery and other local breweries.

He said: "The brewery we use at the moment is Coors, but as a free, I'm not tied to anything and I can literally have anything I need and work with any suppliers that I want to.

"I've also been a brewer for five years, so I'm trying to push the outside kind of thing, so at the moment, we've got HPA and Butty Bach on, which is like a pale ale and a more amber, plus we also have Carling and Staropramen, but also looking to change brands.

"There's so many beers out there and so many microbreweries out there offering lovely beers, and while people are sometimes stuck in their ways and we have to sell what we sell, there's always a chance to change."

As for the food offering, Mr Greenhalgh said the Royal Oak had changed the menu to offer a lunchtime special, as well as keep popular favourites like gammon, lasagne and specials for older people and Winter warmers, but had expanded its steak selection.

He said: "The evening menu is busier and full of lots of good food, and it's got more steak and eating challenges, such as 32oz, 64oz and 72oz, as well as 38oz Tomahawks and your regular 16oz sirloins and all that business.

"The Royal Oak is my first business as I've always worked for managers and companies, so this is my baby and I've paid all my money into it as I looked at it and just thought it had so much potential and character to it, so I love it."