The original pub on this site - the Royal Oak was demolished in 1938 to allow for road widening and the present imposing structure built. The owners were Chesters Brewery and their crest can be seen above the old front door (see image). It is unclear exactly when the Royal Oak closed, but following this the front bar was reopened under the Tap n Spile banner. For the last few years it traded as Kinetic and finally closed in 2013. Rumours circulated that the bar would reopen as the Royal Oak, but these came to nothing and the building has now been demolished as part of a regeneration program.

Historical Information