04/09/2026
🎉 7 YEARS OF THE ROYAL OAK 🎉
Seven years ago, I opened the doors of The Royal Oak for the very first time… and what a seven years it has been! ❤️
I moved here from London, took on a huge refurbishment, started a business and built a completely new life. Looking back, I could never have imagined just how much this little pub would change my life.
There has been plenty of blood, sweat and tears along the way — although thankfully, far more tears from laughter! 😂🫶
We’ve faced challenges I never expected, including a little thing called Covid. Despite all, I have built a business and brand from scratch, learned countless lessons, made mistakes, picked myself back up and kept going.
But The Royal Oak has become so much more than a business to me.
It’s my home. 🏠
It’s where I’ve had the privilege of serving an amazing community and watching families grow. We’ve celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, weddings, achievements and countless special occasions.
We’ve raised glasses to those we love, welcomed new faces and watched customers become regulars, regulars become friends and friends become family. if you have some incredible memories or pictures please post them for us all to reminisce ❤️
On a personal level, these walls have watched my own family grow too. I watched my son go through secondary school while I built this business, and now I couldn’t be prouder as he spreads his wings and heads off for his 2nd year of university, so Proud 🥰
And then there’s my incredible team Oak xx you all know there lovely faces and incredible hospitality ❤️
Some have been with me for years, some have come and gone, and others are just beginning their Royal Oak story.
Every single one has played a part and I thank you all xx
To those who have stuck by me through ridiculously busy shifts, stressful days, laughs, madness and everything in between — thank you.
Quite simply, I couldn’t do it without you. ❤️
To my wonderful family and friends and Stu ❤️ thank you for everything you do for me and The Oak, often without being asked and frequently behind the scenes.
Your support means more than I could ever put into words. I love and cherish you all and our little famalam we have been building xx
Most of all, thank you to our community.
Thank you for walking through our doors, eating with us, having a pint with us and celebrating with us.
Thank you for supporting a small, independent village pub and allowing me to call this wonderful place home.
Seven years on, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve created , but I’m also thinking about the future.
Village pubs like ours are important. They’re places where people meet, talk, laugh, ask for help, offer help, share contacts, support local businesses and simply check in on one another.
So, to celebrate our 7th birthday, I’d like to do something that feels very Royal Oak…
❤️ LET’S RECONNECT! ❤️
I’d love to bring our village, local businesses, groups and people together at Scotby Connects.
No presentations.
No hard selling.
No pressure.
Just people coming together over a pint and a chat.
Share advice • Make connections • Ask for help • Offer help • Support local • Discover what’s happening in our village
Sometimes, a conversation, introduction, useful contact, raffle prize, volunteer or simple helping hand can make a bigger difference than we realise.
If we want our pubs, businesses, groups and community to still be thriving seven years from now, we all have a part to play.
Our village is at its best when we look out for each other. 🫶
So here’s to 7 years of The Royal Oak — the challenges, laughter, friendships, memories and everything still to come.
I am incredibly proud, unbelievably grateful and very lucky to be your landlady.
Happy Birthday, Royal Oak! 🥂🏠❤️
Here’s to the next chapter…
With all my love and a HUGE thank you,
Louise xx 🫶
