IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Union Street, OLDHAM, OL1 1EN

The pub dates from the early 20th century and in 1928 it had a major refit, of which much remains today. The work included the installation of a glazed servery with considerable wall tiling. It has a multi-roomed layout including a pool room. The Campaign for Real Ale regards it as one of the country's real heritage pubs. In early 2017 it was purchased by Inglenook Inns & Taverns Ltd. Image Image

Many public houses & inns in England are named the Royal Oak, to celebrate the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. The significance of the oak being that, before the restoration, the future King Charles II spent most of one day, hiding in an oak tree from Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarian troops. His birthday of May 29th was still celebrated by many people up to the end of the 19th century. Therefore many pubs continued to be given the name of Royal Oak, even when they were opened a hundred or two hundred years later. Today, for better or worse, the day has lost its significance, probably because the 29th May ceased to be a public holiday some time in the 1850's. This particular pub has only been here since the early 1900's but possibly it replaced an older pub of the same name. Image Image

Located on the corner of Union Street and Prince Street, the interior of this pub is much more interesting than the conventional exterior. See:- Image Image

Looking west from the new Mumps tram stop.

Pickwicks is a wine bar. Sky Sports is available and it has a meeting/function room.

The Oldham Evening Chronicle newspaper was first published under its original title of Oldham Chronicle in May 1854. The publishers for many years were Hirst Kidd & Rennie Ltd and the paper and sister publications were based in these premises. On the 31st August 2017 the firm went into administration and publication ceased on that date. The 49 staff became redundant. Subsequently the title was purchased by a local radio station and in February 2018 it was relaunched as the Oldham Chronicle as an online publication. It is based elsewhere in Oldham and not at this address.

Test running on the lower section, approaching Oldham Mumps.

The building in the background was until lately a branch of NatWest, built originally for the Manchester and County Bank, later County Bank until its incorporation into the District Bank. It dates from 1902-3 and is Listed Grade II.