White Bear, Hounslowback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
First went here in 1969 when the Hounslow Arts Lab ran gigs here (saw David Bowie here then!). Was also venue for Grail Folk Club in early 70s, run by Downliners Sect main man Don Craine. Pub has undergone a few changes over the years, but at least it's still here, still serves proper Fullers beer, and survives as a lively, basic boozer when so many have closed down.
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Is the blow job worth £20, might have some of that :-)
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You can get sucked off here for twenty quid
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I remember venturing into this pub many years ago and then quickly coming back out. The cleintele were not very friendly and the place looked a real state. Went back recently and was very pleasantly surprised. Inside it looks a million times better and is a warm friendly place to have a beer. Food was also very good. All in all a very pleasant night out.
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Friendly Staff , chilled environment, Nice food... ended up having a thoroughly excellent time with my friends.
Rakki - 24 May 2012 20:10 |
Much improved now. Decent staff . Mixed crowd - Very clean . Good indian food. Bit expensive but good standard. Beer is very cheep - Cheapest in London - Pint �2.50
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This is a response to Blue Monkey. Loved reading your message! Reckognized a lot of names. I'm from Holland and I lived in Hounslow in 1992, I was 21 at that time. The White Bear was our local. Have very fond memories of that period. Cara Larkin, Pete, Stoney, Jay and Georgia, Imi, scottisch Mark, Nigel, Dray from Maidenstone (x), and many more. Still see us all dancing in the living room of Cara and Pete! Went to some great Pasha parties together as well. Really fond memories. x
Gerda - 30 Dec 2011 02:40 |
The Pub is taken over by Indian People. They cant do better then the previous oweners....The crowd is shit ..all indian old men..drinking themselves off ...and the owners of the pub are allowing people to play card and betting are on and stip dance...that is not a place that decent people can hang out!!! The owners themselves dont know how to run the pub ....People are touching decent girls who walk in the pub with their partners and people are picking up flights there too....IF Y0U ARE LOOKING FOR DECENT PLACE TO HANG OUT..THIS IS NOT FOR YOU...
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I've dug deep into the few brain cells i have left & discovered a few more names from the bears glorious history, Jim Taylor, High St. Ken, Cousin Colin, Scouse, Rodders, Jason (leeds scum), Scottish Mark, Lynne & Ginger Steve, Jason (spurs scum), Jim (robin reliant), Mike (watch that cellar), ......stalled again, maybe some of you old W B regulars can fill me in with a few more names, cheers.
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The White Bear is no more. Thanks for the last 35 years to Roger & Avril Stuart & Mellisa, Ollie, Top Hat Pete, Mac, Charlie, Slippers, Roy with the wet leg, PLP, Smiffy, Micky Walker, Big John & son Brian, Gerry, Pasha, Vic, Roger & Chris, Roger & Tom Barrett, Touchwood, Neilson, Dave Dean & jane, Andy Crossan, little Andy, Jock 1 & Jock 2, Lois, Pete, Mick & Chris Cummins, The Motte brothers, Carter, White Bear FC, Paul Flaherty, Red Richard & pipe, Jim, Sue, Paula & Helen, Cookie, Welsh Chris, Carol & Kelly, Stoney, The Coombs Bros., Deany, All the Aussies & Kiwis, Mick (barman), Kate & Simon, Ginger Rees, Ty & Chelle, Harryoke, Ted George, Simon & Rue, Welsh Paul, Dave Cooper, Shakey John, The Elf, Con, Geordie Don, & the many more that have slipped my addled mind. Wonderful memories.
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Resorted to a Guinness in here recently - it's just OK. I disagree with georgespubguide about Hounslow being the most depressing, disappointing etc place on Earth - have you been to Woolwich? That place would turn wine into anthrax. Hounslow is a dump purely because of the spunk-pots living in it. Not many seem to frequent Isleworth, thankfully, but just enough to ramp up the crime figures for 2009. Thanks Hounslow - please stay in your pen and drink there as well.
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Hounslow is probably the most distressing, upsetting, depressing and disappointing place on earth. It really is such an awful area. That said, this pub did help me come to terms with it recently.
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Grow up wiingz .."Everyone in the pub is like family and you're never without in terms of a drink or conversation."
It's a business. Simply there to make money. Not, I have to say, a good one at that. Although you do score points for NOT having that awful SKY stuff.
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Franky boy here. I work and drink down the White Bear and despite some people's disgust with it, i personally think it's one of the very few decent pubs left in hounslow. Okay, we don't have sky sports 1,2, and 3 but we do have ESPN, and that's not even the point. We don't have all the bells and whistles like wetherspoons or yates' or the such like but what we DO have is a home. Everyone in the pub is like family and you're never without in terms of a drink or conversation. The pub was built on sarcasm, playfulness and tradition. It's got brilliant transport links, food/off licenses just metres away and it's not that dear to be fair. Yeah, it's not as cheap as wetherspoons but you'd probably get more bang for your buck in the bear for 35ml shorts than the 25ml ones they charge you the same price for. PLUS i just had my 21st birthday in there and we had a wicked time so how ANYONE can say that the pubs cack is beyond me. Only reason i'm giving it an 8 is cos i do think some of the drinks i.e.Kronenbourg are a tad bit expensive but thats only because its fullers and plus the stella and becks are off limits for now. until then i won't rate it higher but it's still the best pub in my area and that's a bold statement. Maybe you'll agree with me, maybe you won't. Help the bear get back on its feet and shrug off fullers and this stupid concept of all pubs not being on point. Thanks
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Talking of the 60s, the White Bear was really famous back then. Dave Cousins of the Strawbs used to live across the road in Tennyson Road and made this his HQ. David Bowie and many other stars used to come.
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In regards to the review below. The White Bear does have a dartboard. I know this because I was throwing darts at it last night!!
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Prices seem a bit more expensive than when I was last using the Pub regularly. Whilst I never played I see the darts playing regulars we used to talk to in the 60s ( probably in 1966 and I was under-age and on my most recent visit )have moved on - I guess 'coz the dartboard's gone. Otherwise refreshingly unchanged - albeit a bit noisier.
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WOZ ERE ON A FRIDAY NITE FOR 1ST TIME IN 2 YEARS. KARAOKE WAS CRAP!! WHERE HAS HARRYOKE GONE? BEER TOO DEAR! THE WHITE BEAR NEARLY EXTINCT!
anonymous - 26 Jul 2007 16:41 |
I havn't visited this pub for acouple of years due to relocation. The last time i was here i recall friendly staff (I think Helen & Mick) but i remember a ginger haired lunatic, off his nut saying something about chelsea winning the league (maybe not such a loon) Poor jukebox, full of alice cooper & not much else, there is other music out there, oasis, oasis & oasis. You won't go far wrong having a beer (or nine) in the Bear.
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Friday nights are getting better and better, the acoustics for the karaoke are really good now and some excellent singers are joining the party - take a bow Stacy, Jack & Dani, Vicky, Tots and those two tarts Mr Groves and Porkos - love ya really :)
Unfortunately, the prices have gone up again but it's still quite reasonable for a Fuller's pub (I know another one which charges �1.75 for 1/2 a pint of coke and another where a pint of Rat's piss (Fosters) is �2.75!!!!) Grolsch has been replaced by Kronenberg (Hurrah!!) and the young male bartender is really quite dashing! The girl ain't too bad either ;)
There's talk of hot food being served in the future, but it's still quite far along the pipeline and the front bar should be finished soon. Some of the old regulars haven't been in the last couple of months so it's lost it's wholesome community feel, but you can guarantee that the times there's trouble or fights in this pub are few and far between.
Long Live The Bear! The Best Pub in Town!!!
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This pub has been great over the World Cup and is starting to get a regular crowd back.
The last few Friday's have been excellent, despite me getting seven balled on the pool table and being commando!!!!
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This is a pub I just don't "get" - it's a really nice pub with great regulars and bar staff - but it's not as busy as it used to be in it's heyday.
The landlord has tried his best to try and coax people into going in there again, but it's all been to no avail. One half of the bar though has been shut for WAY too long though, it's becoming a bit tedious now.
I'm still giving this pub top marks, because I always enjoy coming in here. A great range of people and always good fun, some deals on the drinks would be more welcoming though! ;)
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Just to let you all know - there is no longer a jukebox here - but it has been replaced with a machine that vends nuts, chocolate raisins and olives.
Who needs music when you can have snacks?!!!
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I attended a function here over the weekend and thought that it was great pub. First time in here, but certainly won't be my last.
The pub is really large and drinks reasonably priced, although �3.10 for a Stella hardly put a smile on my face, but I understand Fuller's pubs are more expensive than regular free houses, and this pub had much more atmosphere than a JD Wetherspoons, Yates' or any other franchised nonsensical bars. Three bar staff were working, two of which were really good whilst the third swanned around like a tart looking flustered, when I joked for her to "Cheer up and smile" she seemed to become more miserable, pouted and complained to one of her workers about something or the other, but the other two were fine - fast and cheery and remembered my rounds first time of asking (2 Stella, 2 Carling, 2 JD and cokes, 1 vodka tonic and 1 smirnoff ice).
Might not be able to frequent this pub often since I live nowhere near Hounslow but will definately give it top marks. Especially considering I thoroughly dislike the Hounslow area.
Also, I noticed another bar currently being redecorated - not too sure how big this pub would be normally, but it's still huge nevertheless.
anonymous - 27 Mar 2006 13:02 |
The Best Pub in Hounslow.
Friendly, atmospheric with an excellent range of drinks and bar staff with personality (well done, Helen & Jimmy)
Bit on the dear side compared to Wetherspoons & other no-frills pubs, but you get a jukebox and pool table here, and no kids getting in fights every five minutes.
Next time I'm in Hounslow I'll definately pay this pub another visit.
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Have been drinking here for far too many years, so have seen all the changes over the years. Sort of 2nd home to me. Very big on the piss-taking front, so don't come in if you're of a nervous disposition!!! One or two northern bastards lower the tone a bit, but you can't have eveeything.
PS I do recommend the jukebox, no robbie or oasis, so mostly good stuff!!!
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The front bar is temporarily closed for refurbishment but the middle bar (Entrance at Denbigh Road) is still open as usual.
I think this is the only pub in Hounslow with both a dartboard, pool table and jukebox! This to me makes a pub!!
All the regulars in here are friendly and all the troublemakers have been phased out!
Friday night Karaoke could be making a comeback and it's starting to get really busy again, just like it was in the late-nineties. I'm not too sure if this is because of the new Romanian barmaid, the new cloth on the pool table, new urinal cakes in the loo, or because Mick Cummins has put more Alice Cooper songs on the jukebox???
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The barmaid is a little abrupt but she makes up for this by being jaw-droppingly gorgeous.
The Guinness in this pub is fantastic too.
anonymous - 24 Oct 2005 20:07 |
Agreed 100% with Peanut.
Not too sure about the hire if the function room though. Seems to be by landlord's discretion only.
You never know though, cross his palm with silver and all that jazz.
SHIVER ME TIMBERS!
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Staff are friendly as are most of the customers especially the regulars who you'll find in most nights.
Good selection of drinks and fairly priced. Large seating area and great room for functions which you can hire.
Pool table is well in demand and almost always in play.
Highly recommended pub.
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The "TARDIS", it looks tiny from the outside but when you get inside it's friggin' huge!! It's the only honest pub in Hounslow.
There's hardly and trouble, and the regulars are kind and courteous. The pool table's excellent quality and the staff are efficient and helpful.
You get the odd pisshead who sits at the corner of the bar talking out of his arse, but in which pub don't you get that?
The only negative points about The White Bear are the slightly overpriced beers (But, it is a Fullers pub) and don't piss off the landlord, he looks a little bit like Harold Shipman, and he don't like it if you and a dozen mates are taking up space in his pub to drink tap water.
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