Looking north up Alers Road, with Mount Road and the Royal Oak public house to the right.

The 'Polly Clean Stairs', by which devoted regulars may exclusively know it, is derived from a house-proud lady who washed the front steps every day. She has been conclusively identified as Mary Ann Elms, the second wife of the landlord Robert Elms whom she married in 1838. She continued to run the pub after his death in 1865 until 1894.

The Royal Oak is a brick and weather boarded building and has one of the most colourful nicknames of any pub in the borough.