For commitment phobes, seeing steps leading up to the door of a pub are the ultimate dilemma. Do you glibly dismiss venturing further, never knowing whether it would have been the start of a long and happy relationship or go against your better judgment, put one foot in front of the other and take a chance? Granted, there’s no opportunity to just glance in the windows as you walk past, like the look of it and nip in for a pint. However, if you do make a decision to take a leap of faith and venture further, The Royal Sovereign is well worth the effort that you’ll have made. For, whilst you’ll always find a faithful bunch of regulars, they’re just as welcoming to new faces too.

The Venue
With its white painted facade and a couple of fairly generic window boxes, at first glance The Royal Sovereign appears to be pretty run of the mill. Look upwards however, and the Union Jack flag fluttering in the breeze is just the first indication that the pub’s aspirations far exceed that of a standard local boozer. And, as soon as you walk up the steps and push open the door it becomes even more apparent that this is the case. Soft red velvet banquettes curve into the nooks by the leaded windows and the tables are lit with a gentle glow from the brightly coloured Moroccan lamps hanging overhead. From the open fireplace that’s always lit on chillier days to the eclectic array of rugs, fairy lights twinkling away behind the bar and hotch potch of pictures arranged haphazardly on the walls, every effort has been made to create a homely appeal without skimping on style.

Down a few steps, a separate room doubles up as a function room that’s ideal for relaxed parties within staggering distance of your front door but on other occasions its warm red walls, eye catching, oversized black and white pictures and the fact that there are plenty of tables, makes it popular with groups opting for food. At the back, the suntrap beer garden which was formerly a fairly functional outdoor area has been given a much needed facelift with a giant mural of the good ship, The Royal Sovereign on one wall and some potted plants to break up the otherwise fairly bland space.

The People
The homely appeal is just as suited to enjoying a slow, relaxed pint and a plate of tasty food as it is to long evening sessions with a big group of friends. If you don't already live close to Preston Street, it's time to make friends with someone who does. The Royal Sovereign is a local affair so it's all friendly nods, catch up chats at the bar and setting the world to rights with your neighbours. In fact, pretty much the perfect evening down your local boozer. At weekends, DJs jump on the decks and occasionally local musos break off from enjoying a few drinks to grab a mic and entertain their fellow drinkers too. Staff are chipper and friendly and during the day at weekends, the food is a big draw as groups refuel after a morning’s shopping, taking the opportunity to catch up at their leisure.

The Food
Whilst it wouldn’t claim to be a gastro boozer, The Royal Sovereign is nevertheless a pub that takes pride in the provenance of the ingredients that it uses. Wherever possible, ingredients are sourced locally and if they don’t hail from Sussex, they’ll opt for British instead. The concise Saturday food menu takes classic pub dishes and for the most part serves them up with an impressive attention to both detail and quality.

Alongside the all-important fry up that’s served until late, the menu includes bangers and mash and homemade burgers with chips. The choice of traditional dishes is impressive (they also serve homemade pizzas priced at £5.95 throughout the week) although it is dauntingly carb heavy if you’re not absolutely ravenous or are after a light bite. It’s surprising that there isn’t a single soup, salad or Ploughmans on the menu although this is a minor quibble as the staff are so accommodating that they’ll happily substitute chips for extra salad on any of the dishes. On Sundays, four different roasts (£8.95 or £10.95 for two courses which include fresh strawberries and whipped cream for dessert) are on offer including one veggie option and they don’t stop serving until they all run out which tends to be early evening.

On the Saturday food menu, the fish and chips are mightily impressive. They’re so good, in fact, that they’re reason enough to head to the Royal Sovereign even if you don’t fancy a few pints of ale. The plate struggles to contain the large portion of fresh, locally caught fish that changes according to what looks best on the day but you can guarantee that you won’t ever find out that it’s cod as they pride themselves on using sustainable fish. The different types of fish used (haddock makes a frequent appearance) adds interest and the light, perfectly crisp batter that’s created using Harvey’s Ale freshly pulled from the pump that morning ensures that the fish inside is steamed so well that plump flakes of fish fall away when you cut into the batter.

The steak is marginally less successful as good steak relies on a really great cut and precise cooking. Steaks can arrive a little on the rare side and whilst this is better than them being served overdone, make sure that you bear this is mind when opting for how you’d like your steak to be cooked. The generous sizing of the steak (it covers two thirds of the plate) means that it’s easy to overlook the niggling ribbons of fat that it contains and it’s really well seasoned with plenty of pepper which brings out the flavour of the meat and encourages you to linger over every bite. The chips that are served with both dishes are some of the best that you’ll find in the city. Served in their skins, the rough hewn wedges are arranged in a large pile on the side of the plate and combine the all-important crunchiness on the outside with plenty of fluffy potato in the middle. The grilled tomato on the garnish accompanying the steak is a simple but nice touch too.

The Drink
The prerequisite of a proper pub is a well pulled pint and The Royal Sovereign’s exacting standards are most in evidence when it comes to the real ales on draught. Harvey’s Best is always accompanied by two guest ales such as Fuller’s London Pride and locally brewed Dark Star (all £3.10 a pint). Leffe costs £2.20 per half pint, Becks is £3.30 a pint and Stella, Staropramen and Guinness are £3.40. If you’re in the mood for partying, a vast array of flavoured vodka shots (£1.50) are a good way to warm up whilst the Tempranillo house white and red wine is cheerfully priced at £12.95 (or £7.95 before 8pm, Monday to Friday). That said, the most expensive bottles of wine are only one pound more than the house when it’s not happy hour, at £13.95 for a bottle of Pinot Grigio or Rioja.

The Last Word
From vast plates piled high with locally sourced ingredients and well pulled pints of ale to DJs and live music, The Royal Sovereign prides itself on serving up the basics just-so. If it's not your local, chances are you’ll wish that it was.

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