First let’s define “in London” as I think it’s a little unfair to write under this category if the pub in question lies beyond the reach of a London Travelcard. Besides which, armed with Travelcards, no-one has to be the “designated driver” for the evening!
Anyway, all of which I am about to write lie within London Travel Zones 1-4, although some may be suburban and therefore off the “tourist path”.
1. THE FOX, Church Street, Twickenham, Middx.
This little gem is more a rediscovery on my part, having been there for years in my youth, and then somehow dropped it in favor of other venues, or maybe I just didn’t like the beer there at one time. It’s situated in pretty little Church Street, which these days is largely pedestrians-only and which slants diagonally from Twickenham’s shops down to the Thames slipway facing the famous Eel Pie Island, home of early Stones gigs and inventor of the Baygen clockwork radio, Trevor Bayliss.
What I like most about The Fox is its ability to feel like a dive-bar despite only being two steps below sidewalk level, and this adds a unique intimacy to its interior which co-operates by being low-ceilinged as well. It also helps that they serve a damned fine drop of the local Twickenham Ales (brewed half a mile away) and have splendid music nights with plenty of Celtic diddly-eye-dye-dye or tribute bands music. Rowing memorabilia abounds but I don’t let it put me off even if it is “bit of a nice oar” (geddit?) but makes a change from horse-brasses and other knick-knackery I suppose.
My colleagues and I have even been wont to “rehearse” in there before going off to the “official” office Christmas party to get it right. It took my Aussie friend Mike to point out its secluded patio garden which I have to admit I never knew it had!
2. The CITY BARGE, Strand-On-The-Green, Chiswick, W4
This pub is on a riverside walk facing the National Archive on the other bank at Kew. The Beatles were thrown out of here (well, it was a scene from Help! actually). As the Thames is tidal here, it has an interesting array of rubber-gasket-ed doors to keep out the worst excesses of a freak tide. Once again, it’s a cozy affair with good bar food, and it’s where I suggested to my girlfriend (now my wife) that if she was really bored with Norwich, she could come and live at my place. I’m not quite sure how that became misinterpreted, but blow me down, I’m married to her. I dunno, you throw some people a life line and they take advantage
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