The Royal Oak in Wotton-under-Edge has marked its first birthday with a celebration built around the family-friendly community identity that its owners say is at the heart of the pub.
The pub celebrated last week with a Halloween party for children and a “kids party for grownups”. The adult event included cake, jelly, ice cream and bubbly. It recreated the children’s Halloween party held when the Royal Oak opened its doors the previous year.
A year shaped by community
Owner Fred Hulls said the business had faced a particularly difficult first year, including personal loss and grief, but said the pub was continuing to hold its own.
“We’re thrilled at what we’ve achieved over the past year. The odds have been truly stacked against us, and we’ve had huge personal loss and grief this year which have added to a challenging time. Despite all of this, the pub is holding its own, and we couldn’t be more proud.”
In September, the Royal Oak introduced a communal menu featuring sharing plates. Hulls said the menu was intended to reflect the pub’s focus on community and represented the direction the business wanted to take after its first months of operation.
“In September, we launched our communal menu, with sharing plates to really tell the story about what we’re about: community. After building and learning after we opened, we feel like this truly launches us in the direction we want to go.”
Activities for children
The pub says families have told it they value having a safe community venue where children have things to do. Its activities include free children’s craft days, an outdoor play area and colouring books and games inside the pub.
Hulls said the business still had work to do to improve its offering, describing the hospitality sector as a difficult environment, but said he was pleased to see the pub’s original vision developing.
“It’s a brutal landscape out there, and there’s a lot we will continue to do to improve our offering, but we’re delighted to see our vision coming to life.”
People planning to visit are advised to check the Royal Oak’s Facebook page for the latest information about upcoming activities. The pub’s availability can also be viewed online, according to the report.
The anniversary report was published by Stroud Times on November 13, 2026, and its page carries an update date of November 11, 2026.
