Paul, Mike, Martin and a wandering friend...

... Contrary to what my ex-girlfriends think, the Royal Oak is a liberal palace of warmth and pleasure. It's like arriving in a pirates local, in Bristol, rubbing shoulders with Black Dog, Long John Silver, and some of the finest pickers on the planet. Last night the banjos were like heavy-laden trains, with no brakes, steaming down a hill, towards a virgin land of social liberation, music, art and friendship. There are vampires all round, living the night, hiding the day. Nobody asks your day-job in the Oak, just what you'd like to drink, and what song you'd like to join them on....

The fragility bred by the shortened life expectancy of many of the regulars only adds to the beauty and memory of each visit.