please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Monday night football at Kingstonian so we choose the Willoughby as our meeting pub for the 2nd season in a row and just like on the last visit the pub, service and ales did not disappoint.
We sat in the back bar which is more of a sports bar with bar stools, tables, tv’s, dart boards, pool table and plenty of sports memorabilia on the walls.
From the 5 ales on I had several pints of Hoppy Blonde @ 4.3% from the Hop Art Brewery, a new brewery and beer for me.
Stayed for a couple of hours before leaving for the match. Good pub, good service and great beer oh and the dogs were a lot more friendly this time.
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Attended on Saturday 14t to watch Saracens beat Racing 92! Great result, excellent beer range and well kept. Wimbledon AFC crowd in the pub too; good banter and no trouble. Beer garden looked good. Had a chat with the landlord too on the way out; decent chap. If in the Kingston area I would certainly use this pub again.
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Rough round the edges back street corner local serving decent ales. Very much an old school local working class boozer.
anonymous - 6 Mar 2016 10:45 |
Like I said in April, if you don't suppport the festivals they will stop. No more festivals planned, St.George's day planned to have themed beers through pumps only.
Still best pub in Kingston!
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With the rain lashing down in droves me and a pal walked from Kingston station to the Willoughby Arms on bank holiday Monday for a few beers, it was also a tick for me from the 2015 GBG.
A decent sized corner plot pub that has 2 very distinctive areas for drinking. The front bar (as you enter from Willoughby Road) is a traditional bar with carpet, bench seats and small wooden tables. The bar is a u shape with the other side of the bar being more of a sport’s bar. The area has stripped floorboards, high tables and stools, a quantity of framed and signed football shirts, lots of movie memorabilia, a couple of dartboards and a pool table.
On the bar are 7 hand pumps that on my visit had 7 different ales on them. I had several pints of Weltons William Webb Ellis @ 3.5% with each pint being extremely drinkable.
The rest of our football group arrived and we ended staying for several hours before the match.
The landlord is a friendly chap (the large Alsatian not so friendly to some punters!), the ale is good, the atmosphere was friendly and toilets were clean. All in all the Willoughby is a very good back street boozer.
Well worth a visit in my opinion.
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Tucked away on a back street but not far from the train station. A good find. Nice garden and very friendly dog that likes to play. The barman was friendly too - specifically coming out to the garden to let us know when a beer came back on.
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Another fantastic beer festival. Really deserves to be much better supported.
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This pub has really gone downhill in the last 18 months. Customers leaving because of the indifference of the landlord.
'beer flies' every where, bloody dogs everywhere.
Pub stinks of dogs especially since the arrival of their new german shepard, an unruly and large beast that knocks people over, fights in public with the flea ridden 'shadey'.
I visited recently with a friend and we were really unimpressed with the way the landlord did NOT deal with the dogs issue, a health isuue if you aske me. Not on my list for a revisit
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Visited yesterday evening -early Friday evening. A good atmosphere with interesting bar-side conversations complemented the well kept beers. I'm sure I'll be including it in future crawl in the area.
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Always has good ales on and festivals are very good. Live music from time to time and well run. Yes I would agree that it is the best of Kingston's pubs though you will need to walk the back streets to get to it.
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Consistently good ale. Always an upbeat and warm welcome from the landlord, staff and the friendly pub dog. Unfortunately only able to visit a few times a year but always have a great time. Best pub in Kingston.
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Brilliant festival, great bands, not to mention the Morris Men on St. Georges Day. Great atmosphere and good ale and friendly and gorgeous bar staff.
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Best St George's day festival yet! Well done Rick.
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Very friendly back street boozer. Was in before the AFC Wimbledon v Morecambe match. Very quickly got chatting to some AFC fans - who ordered us a cab to the match. Decent selection of real ales on - best was Oakleaf Quercus Folium. Would recommend this place to fans looking for a pre match pint and a bite to eat - some nice free bar snacks.
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Large-scale imposing buidling set in a back-street close to the town centre.
Central island bar area has four or five very decent ales on - the pub is the HQ for the local branch of SPBW - one bar area set aside with three screens for football, another area with a pool table and a third for "quiet" drinking, althought the sound from the screens will intrude through the open doorways connecting all three. Very friendly welcome from helpful bar staff. Glad the research through the GBG proved our selection of a random pub was so successful.
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More good news on this superb boozer.
Beer festival planned for the whole of October!!
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Was in for the first AFC Wimbledon game on Saturday.
Crouch Vale Brewers Gold superb, had to have a few more after the game.
This pub should be a lot more busy than this.
10/10
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Large pub set in a leafy Kingston backstreet. There are plenty of outdoor drinking areas to complement the indoor seating. There is a pool table with film posters lining the walls. The landlord was friendly. I was slightly disappointed that there were only 4 beers - Twickenham Honey Dark, Wells Bombardier, Leeds Samba and Rudgate Valhalla. But this was probably the best of 3 Kingston pubs I tried on Friday evening.
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First time in here New Years Eve eve, but was impressed by the decor (stuffed animal heads), ambience (locals with their greyhounds & other assorted dogs), beer range, and general scruffy, relaxed atmosphere of the whole place. My kind of pub, where I can feel unthreatened and just soak up the atmosphere, as well as a few pints.
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Great sports pub. Had some good nights here and return to the pub from time to time when I am in the area.
The first house I lived in as a kid was bang opposite the Willoughby and I was a regular from the age of 4 with the only mishap when I was that age being when my dad offered me a sip from his pint I decided to bite the glass and cut my lip. Will defo be going there again.
8/10
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Spoke too quickly in previous post. Aside from the usual Twickenham beer found Hepworths Iron Horse alongside the always welcome Sambrookes Junction on last visit. That'll do me. And the last beer festival was brilliant as usual.
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Well done Rick on a great beer festival.
Beer excellent!!!!
Roll on the next one.
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The beer range has cemented over the past year into a selection from Twickenham, Surrey Hills, Sambrookes, sometimes with Hop Back Odyssey supplemented by London Pride, Bombardier and GK IPA. So its guest ales policy has become rather less interesting - but it still gets points for its festivals, the quality of the beer and the friendly dog.
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Was in here last night (29/09/10) Twickenham Grandstand and naked ladies plus Shere drop and Greene King IPA.
Beer fantastic quality as usual, why is this pub not used more?
Beer festival arranged for Halloween, put it in your diary.
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Great real ale pub offering much to the football fan (Sky Sports everything incl. 3D , across multiple screens and rooms, plus it is walking distance from Kingsmeadow for AFC Wimbledon or Kingstonian games). The fantastic Surrey Hills Shere Drop now seems permanently on as well at least one beer from the excellent Twickenham brewery plus 3 others. Real cider/perry and a good selection of cooking lagers. The amiable buffoon of a landlord manages to provide a consistently high beer quality which for me is rivalled only by the likes of the Land of Liberty, Peace & Plenty at Heronsgate and the Old Fountain at Old Street.
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Tremendous beer festival now in motion - 22-24 April. But far too quiet: local CAMRA members (and other alleged beer lovers) hang your heads in shame. This is another excellent effort by the excellent landlord, Rick. Use it or lose it, I fear.
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Ok pub which is very community focussed and has as much football memrobilia as Wembley Stadium. Does some decent beers and had a winter warmer which I can't remember the name of (ahem!) which was in great nick. Wadworth 6X was pretty good too.
Do have occassional beer festivals, as can be seen by some empty barrels in the garden, and it is best to get the K5 or 371 bus from Kingston as it is a VERY long way from the town.
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In all fairness 5 ales back on, the usual plus Black Sheep, Twickers Winter Cheer and 6X all in top form. 'Shady' the dog performing regular sit ins with customers who love her, the cat is a miserable b'stard and hasn't been seen since the cold weather. Free quizzes on Sunday night getting more popular with rotating quizmasters - love 'em or leave'em. Understand St. Valentines beer festival on its way - 20 or winter ales will be available, can't wait.
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Found a rum-cask real cideron sale.A pleasant interlude with.a pint of the same in a comfy pub without blaring muzac.Didn't see the dog discussed but was approached by a cat.
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There were �only� three ales on during my midweek visit � London Pride; GKIPA; and Twickenham Autumn Blaze. I went for the Autumn Blaze (of course) and it was pretty good, and at �3.20 a pint the norm I suppose. This pub had the sort of lived in look that could be mistaken for slovenliness, but I prefer to regard it is a traditional pub character of the sort achieved effortlessly by pubs like the Wenlock Arms. There really is nothing fancy about this place. One disconcerting thing was the array of stuffed animal heads on the walls, one of which (a sow I think) had been accorded the appellation �Charlotte� by some wag, and another (a moose or large elk) had more worryingly been given the name �Rex�.
There was what might be described as a sports bar on the right, with the only seating being the chairs all arranged facing the front window, I suppose to watch a music or sporting event. It is obviously dog friendly, as a mongrel looking (my apologies if he really has a pedigree!) specimen obviously found me an object of interest as he liked to put his paws on my knees. But he was well behaved.
I really liked this pub and will no doubt pay a return visit, but I have to say that for a pub that has won so many awards, three ales, including two of the usual suspects, is not brilliant.
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This is a great locals pub and well worth a visit. The real ale is a little expensive, but well looked after and tasty and the locals were very friendly. There is also a great pub dog! I will certainly be back
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Large traditional Victorian style street-corner pub hidden away in the maze of residential streets between the Kingston end of Richmond Park and Kingston Town Centre.
There's 2 interconnecting bars, one is dedicated to sport with a large pull down screen and a snooker table. This room is decorated with a fine collection of framed autographed football shirts and pennants. By the pool table are a series of framed film related photographs of stars such as Steve McQueen ( riding that motorbike naturally ) and Michael Caine amongst others.
The sallon bar is comfortably furnished with various stuffed animal heads looking down on you and a fine collection of bottled beers on the bar gantry. A separate area in this bar at the back has numerous framed newspaper articles about the pub's exploits and its enterprising landlord, Rick, and his wife, Lysa. Wood pannelling and frosted windows help create a traditional, cosy atmosphere.
The pub has been a GBG regular and hold beer festivals on St George's Day and at Halloween ( see previous posting ). The pub is a favourite with the local CAMRA branch and has won awards over the years. It's currently Kingston and Leatherhead CAMRA Pub of the Year for 2009.
On my recent Sunday lunchtime visit, 2 beers were on in the Saloon Bar - Sambrooks Wandle Ale and Surrey Hills Shere Drop. The 2 pumps in the adjoining sports room were serving London Pride and Bombardier. Two further handpumps were spotted on a window ledge - unfortunately these were being used for lampshades and not for dispensing beer !
The Sambrooks Wandle Ale - � 3.00p - was only moderate, but the Surrey Hills Shere Drop - � 3.20p - was an excellent pint in good condition. Slightly surprisingly, most, if not all, of the Sunday lunchtime regulars appeared to be lager drinkers and I don't recall seeing one pint of real ale sold between approx 12.05 pm - when I ordered by Sambrooks - and half an hour or so later, when I moved on to the Surrey Hills Shere Drop.
This pub is a fine example of a backstreet community focused pub and its continuing success shows what can be achieved by enthusiasm and effort.
This is not the easiest pub in the world to find - I still take my well-thumbed A-Z whenever I go - but you should definitely make the effort to go here.
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Outstanding traditional pub, dedicated landlord and staff. A visit a must for good ales and the pub banter. Good to see that Rick has now got his new website up and running thanks to the new management team 'Troy Tempest'. If you can't get to the Willoughby then visit thewilloughbyarms,com.
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A great pub if you enjoy a good selection well kept real ale. A great selection of beers at reasonable prices and a nice atmosphere. If you have not been there it is well worth a visit if you are a beer drinker.
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Matthew your quiz was...how can I say....average....but interesting. When you become a master quizzeter and can take the beer and do the questions without falling off the bar stool you can say you've cracked it (only joking) - still the beer range remains ace and the free quiz with free prizes makes it still the best pub around.
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The Pub Quizes on Sunday night (from around 9:30pm) are always great fun and should be especially good this week as I have volunteered to do the questions! If you are coming brush up on your general knowledge and if that's not your strong point then just enjoy the atmosphere and the great beer.
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Finally here after years of trying to get to this fine old-fashioned boozer full of fine old-fashioned boozers. It's as good a community local as you'll get and shows what can be done with some imagination and of course a lot of hard work. If only the same could be said about so many other pubs in the area. A whole range of beers on for their current beer festival, I'm not going to list them as they'll doubtless be different next week but suffice it say all top notch stuff. A destination pub of course if beer is your thing but in any case the best bolt hole in town should you need to seek refuge from the nearby retail hell that is Kingston.
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Would like to say what an absolute joy it was to visit this pub on St Georges day. The vast choice of ales was superb and well kept. It's no wonder this place won the CAMRA pub of the year. Will look forward to visiting again soon. "ALL HAIL TO THE ALE"
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Great beer and regular beer festivals make this Kingston's best pub by far. It would be even better if not for the dirty geordie shirt on the wall!
If you have not yet given this place a visit then you are missing out.
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The Willoughby continues to delight with every visit. The recent Dark Beer Festival introduced me to fine beers like Hammerpot Bottle Wreck Porter, Downton Chocolate Orange Delight and Ascot Anastasia's Exile Stout. Sadly these did not help me in the Pub Quiz on Sunday night where I was also let down by a lamentable lack of knowledge of pop music. Perhaps next week will be different.
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Well lucy75, you haven't got to wait until St George's Day, our next Festival is during February.
From Wednesday 11th of Feb through till Saturday 14th (St. Valentines Day) we are presenting a mini fest for "The Lovers of dark winter beers" featuring a dozen or so of (obviously) "dark winter beers"!!!!! simultaneous on original gravity stillage. For those prefering a more lighter golden beer shall be catered for over the bar.
CU there!!!
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Looking forward to visiting during the St Georges Day beer festival. Heard a few good reports about the pub and its vast selection of well kept ales from a fellow workmate. Roll on April 23rd!!!!
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The Willoughby continues to offer some really excellent and unusual beers of late. It may not delight all - but, if you are interested in good and interesting beer, it is great.
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Been using this pub on most Saturday's for about three years. Not once have I had a bad pint, which makes this the most consistant pub for quality beer.
Saturday's crowd are welcoming as is the charasmatic Landlord.
This pub comes highly reccomended.
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At first it looked closed from the outside....but inside we found a lovely old fashioned corner pub. A small group of regulars clustered around the bar with welcoming smiles. 2 pints of Twickenham Grandstand - right up to the top �5.80 - just perfect and thankfully not too cold. They had 5 ales on in total. Nice to see the brass coat hooks and footrail at the bar. Wish this could be my local
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Friendly helpful and knowledgeable landlord. Lovely ale too.
Watched Spurs beat NEC in here yesterday and nothing was too much trouble for the bar staff. Superb pub and would have a 10/10 but for the proliferation of arse shirts. I could even forgive the landlord for supporting them as this pub is so good......no hang on, i can't.
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Lovely pub, friendly locals, lovely beer - fairly sedate. Haven't eaten there though so can't comment on food.
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Rainlight...the last word of your review 4th June was surely tongue in cheek ?? Or a typo......
Not being picky mate....made me chuckle thats all.
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My favourite pub at the moment due mainly to the consistently interesting range of good beers available. I also like the friendly atmosphere, the chance to chat with some of the regulars, the friendly staff and the welcoming host.
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I think I'll have to pop in here later before they have Very Little Gravitas Indeed. Shere Drop was certainly fine the other day, Willoughby the cat was asleep, all was well.
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I have to say that I prefer the Landlord (whom I have always found to be fine) to the vicious ginger cat.
More importantly, this pub can be relied upon to deliver some good beer surprises, often when others in the area fail to: only three beers on on my last visit but, with one Vale's Gravitas, I was more than happy.
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They say that every cloud has a silver lining. I got stuck in railway paralysis today when the train in front of mine broke down, so I got out at Norbiton and walked to Kingston. I'd heard this pub was pretty good, but I had no idea where it was other than in Kingston. A quick call to directories put me in touch with a very helpful barman who gave me directions. I was made to feel very welcome by afore-mentioned barman, regulars at the bar and, I presume, the Guvnor. Two pints of excellent ale later and I didn't feel quite so fed up with the world.Definitely one for my "I wish it was my local" category.
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This place is like a throwback to the 70's...enjoyed a few of the ales at the beer festival, and also enjoyed the tellys, the tirapins and the wideboy in the suit....
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on my way!!! hope they have the *delicious* chocolate ale they had last time!!!
foney - 25 Apr 2008 21:07 |
Never mind comments from bitter ex-staff (big_johnB), come to the St George's beer festival NOW ON (23rd to 27th April). Fuller's 1845, Wayland's and Twickenham Fine Ales are among the stars. Enjoy.
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i have found the Land lord to be a rude ignorant drunk who should stay away from the strongbows and the 3 litres of white wine he drinks a night.
Personally wouldnt drink in the willoughby ever again as it aint exactly 'happening' in there.
nice ginger cat tho - shame about its owner.
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Good community local run by an enterprising landlord who clearly knows how to make a pub like this thrive whereas other similarly located pubs can struggle. Two seperate bars, one given over to sports and games (darts and pool table plus machines), with the front bar being more for drinkers. The sports bar has a museumlike collection of signed shirts, pictures etc and footballs and club pennants hanging from the ceiling.
Good selection of ale, Bombardier and Pride supplemented recently by Surrey Hills Shere Drop, Twickenham Scrum Down and Caledonian Six Nations. Nice to see the beer pulled through before my pint was served too.
Signs advertise a good deal for rugby fans during 6 nations games, 4 pint jugs of Twickenham Scrum down or Marstons Sweet Chariot for �8/9.
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For the second week on the trot I've been able to enjoy the rugby with a couple of pints of Old Rosie - and it's been in excellent condition.
Nice one Rick.
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Real ciders back on the bar! Old Rosie (7.3%)!
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Thanks to having friends who live locally this is becoming my second local, despite not really being that local! Saturday nights are always good; good beer and good company equals good pub. The beers remain particularly good with a wide selection of real ales that makes choosing your first pint rather hard.
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No real cider on the last two times I tried.
Hopefully third time lucky next time I'm in Kingston.
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in response to the previous 2 comments, i must ammend my rating for this fine pubic house to a nine out of ten; now i know the local licsensing laws, and the point of view of the landlord. the choice of beers and ales was sublime, as was the talented performers including ted, harry and the hendersons and many more. i am sure in later years i shall frequently visit this fine pub; although a complementary pint of australias finest would be much enjoyed and appreciated. this whole kerfuffle is clearly just a misunderstanding, i was eager to make my birthday a joyous occasion for all involved.
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I must say this sudden response from Herculeso to dear chubtank's review is most impressive. I did infact witness the events as they unfolded, enjoying a lovely pint of the 'demon drink' myself, Bombadier if I do remember. The music was truly enjoyable, however the pint 'stealing' was somewhat amusing, heightening my enjoyment of the evening tenfold. The drink was infact taken from chubtank himself, as well as from the rather too young lady, however he was not permitted to continue drinking, despite the appparrent recognition of his 18 years of age. I, along with my companions, one of which is dear chubtank, shall not be frequenting this public house, unless a replacement for his legal pint of the good stuff can be promised. Until then, the up and coming band Harry and the Hendersons and the chaps shant be returning. Alas
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In response to "chubtank"s comments above. Firstly, he WAS served alcohol for HIS consumption, once it became apparent from the celebrations that he was celebrating his 18th, (albeit that he could produce no identification!!). As licensee I gave him the benefit-of-the-doubt.
The "stollen" pint in question was in fact purchased under false pretences, and it was then supplied (out of view of the bar!!! deceitfully?) to a young lady who had already conceded, to my staff that she was younger than the birthday boy, at a tender 17 years old!! No doubt in his youthful innocence he was unaware that he had indeed broken the law and had caused my staff to break the law without their knowledge. I plead guilty to "stealing" the pint whilst I personally collected glasses from the separate room where the music was being performed.
Please note chubtank, that Kingston-upon-Thames's licensing office directs ALL license holders that if a customer attempting to purchase alcohol appears to be under 21, we MUST ask for proof of ID to assert that the customer is over 18! Hopefully this clarifies the situation.
May I suggest that anybody fortunate enough to appear to be under 18yrs old, in this day & age should carry ID if you expect to be served the "Demon Drink".
On a positive note, I'm delighted chubtank enjoyed our twice monthly (2nd & last Friday of the month) Open Mic Night and hope in the years to come, when he is a little older and a little wiser, he shall give this pub another go. If he still looks under 21 HE WILL BE ASKED FOR IDENTIFICATION!!
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Here tonight for the Kingston and North Leatherhead CAMRA AGM. Lovely proper pub compared to the Canbury which I had just left. 5 real ales being Marstons Sweet Chariot, Twickenham Strong & Dark and Scrum down, Brakspear and Pride. Landlord offered us Shere Drop from the cellar too.
Recommended.
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whilst recently attending the pub on my 18th birtday i was served an ice cold XXXX. to my disgust it was poured away, even after being poured, and paid for. not i had the relevant id. i am sure the landlord is a lovely gent, however to me he was less than understanding on this joyous occasion. the open mic night which i was attending was interesting with talented musicions, however the beer stealing moment tarnished the night, and i shallnt be returning. for a better pub go to the victoria inn in richmond, which is far friendlier. this is not the way of encouraging a younger clientel.
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Can't argue with most of the recent reviews - plus there's a back bar where there aren't screens and a chance for conversation. Well worth seeking out, and hpefully not having too many further appointments...
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Terrific pub. Lovely Victorian street corner local, well laid out with separate areas for those who wish to watch big screen sport and those who want a quiet corner. Five handpumps and ale quality was excellent. Guv'nor was friendly and welcoming, it turned out he's originally from Kennington, close to where I grew up in Camberwell and East Dulwich.
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Small, crowded, full of football ... Rick has been running it for years and knows his stuff, there is an ever-changing range of cask beers, and it is a proper community pub.
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On fine form at the moment. I particularly enjoyed the Adnams Old here the other day. An other less usual beer was 1648 Winter Warrant which was excellent.
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Started going to this pub last year as I heard it was a good venue for watching football matches on a big screen, which it proved to be, so have been visiting it regularly since. With welcoming staff and a variety of ales, it has a good atmosphere even when there is no football on, so has become one of my favourite local pubs.
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Simply a great pub. The choice of beers varies and is always interesting (I had Riggwelter's Black Sheep and Adnams' Old Ale last night), it feels like a local pub should (I usually end up talking to somebody in the bar), and it's a great place to watch football matches.
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Great pub run by the indomitable Meeester Reeek (love you long time). Good choice of well kept real ales, great sports coverage, friendly regulars and plenty of community events.
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Seeing as though I am the 100th comment for the Willoughby I will give this beauty a 10. I was gonna give it a 9 anyway cause it is a true traditional pub with a happy atmosphere.
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Very good pub. Quality ales regularly rotated; choice of 4 yesterday but can only remember Surrey Hills Shere Drop, which was delicious. Rear bar is very sports orientated with framed shirts & paraphernalia, two 'drop down' big screens for the football (was packed last England match). Pool room walls are covered with superbly iconic movie photographs and this area leads out to a good-sized grassy beer garden with a large protective lean-to already erected presumably for the post-01July-smokers. Wish we'd had time last night to stay to listen to a blues/folk duo who were setting up to start at 21:30.
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I want to love the Willoughby - but there is something that stops me from going the whole hog. It never seems immediately welcoming to an infrequent vistor. The beer range can be really interesting but also limited on occasions. And beer quality can be a little variable - though more often than not it is excellent. If all that sounds unduly negative, I should add that it occasionally veers towards complete brilliance and is certainly well worth a look if you are in the area!
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Last Sunday night's quiz was brilliant, great fun and free to enter! Shame we didn't win the �50 but no matter good time had by all. Thanks.
anonymous - 1 Jun 2007 20:06 |
This pub really has come up in the world! I had not been there for some time since moving away from the area and, er, getting banned but went back there last night to watch Derby v Soton with some mates and was very pleased with the place. It's bigger than it was, it has a light and spacious feel to it (but not in a stark way like the Canbury Arms) and a good atmosphere. The aforementioned barmaid was there and was jolly and helpful. I'm going back there on Friday to watch MK Dons!
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This Sunday afternoon we finally managed to find this truly traditional local for the first time - and it fully lived up to expectations and a report from a fellow real ale enthusiast. Accordingly there was a good choice of real ales well kept (Archers 3.8% was very quaffable) with attention to serving in cold glasses (sadly often neglected in other pubs who forget to train their bar staff to feel the bottom of the glass, and not just the side, when serving). Excellent welcoming landlord and staff - but our only real disappointment was that we were expecting to experience the slow serving, "very miserable barmaid with tattoos and peircings (sic.)everywhere" - but although she did have some tattoos and piercings (although we could not see "everywhere"!) she was anything but miserable & slow on our visit! - must have been something we said! Also, there were fantastic film & rugby pics on display. Will definitely return now that we know how to find it (NB: this is not a reference to the aforementioned barmaid's adornment!). And also for the record, I am not the landlord! But I agree that this pub is well worth a visit if you're in the area.
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Great pub then, and from what I hear still is. All the best to Rick and the family - Wish you all the success in the future.
Shame I haven't been able to come drink in the Willoughby for a long time. Maybe soon...
ctpuk - 11 May 2007 13:47 |
Great pub, great landlord
anonymous - 23 Apr 2007 12:39 |
Went to this pub before AFC Wimbledon v Worthing game yesterday and was very impressed. 2 large screens. 1 showing football and other showing rugby.
Lots of signed footie shirts on the walls which was interesting and the beer was 10/10 2 guest ales(Archers and Twickenham) only down fall this pub had was a very miserable barmaid with tattoos and peircings everywhere who took ages to serve us each time we went to the bar!
Worth a visit if your in the area!!
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A proper decent pub in the middle of ever increasingly trendy North Kingston. It was even featured on Al Murray's Happy Hour
There's always a friendly welcome from the barstaff who seem to appreciate seeing new faces in there and it's a nice place to visit if only to get a rest from all the stripped wooden floors and fancy wallpaper that seems to be the interior of choice for North Kingston pubs this season!
I would place it in the Park Tavern and Willoughby Arms camp except it's a bit more rock'n'roll, so if you like it there, you'd like it here.
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A real gem in a mire of Kingston chain pubs. Good beer, atmosphere and plenty going on. Pity itis not closer to where I live but always worth a look when in Kingston.
Barra - 21 Feb 2007 12:33 |
I agree with the majority of comments here This is one of the best pubs around. Its actually a proper pub, serving actual beer. Not some souless dump serving rank lager. If thats what your after try Kingston. There are plenty down there that will oblige.
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'Has no redeeming features'??
What about:
- a wide range of interesting beers
- proper cider
- music on a Saturday night
- a landlord who actually gives a damn about running a pub
- being a proper pub in a town that doesn't have enough of them
- a beer garden
- events on during the summer
And from 1 July it won't even be smoky any more.
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Why is it that all the bad pubs get such enthusiastic review (see also Ham Brewery Tap)? This pub has no redemeeming features. Go to the Wych instead.
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Everybody who values real pubs should actually drop into this fabulous pub as often as they can to support it - while they stil can.
This sort of back street boozer is under threat from the growth of faceless retail chains that target 18-30-year-old and just flog them pints of tasteless lager.
The fact that The Willoughby does so well is a tribute to the landlord and his staff. But this type of back street boozer is increasingly under threat at a time when more people do their drinking at home and big pub owning companies are less interested in middle-aged drinkers and real ale. Support this gem while you still can and don't let Britain become a miserable landscape of JDWs and the like!
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Several well-kept ales in one of the best pubs in South West London. Back up to an 8/10 (and nowhere has ever got a 10!)
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i will say i like this pub, is it for the fine company? or the lack of screaming kids and dip stick mums who cant ever see their children doing wrong? is it the choice of fine ales? is it the big screens here where its not all about footy ? is it the way your made to feel welcome when you come here by not only the fine staff with good chit chat (i do wonder about the fisherman though ...bless him may be one day he will be able to do the geordie accent, )but also the customers.
No its the fact i live 50 yards away and can manage to make it home with out to much injury when i.ve drank a bit to much, not often though as im a respectable to do type bloke.
Only kidding ......... all i said about this cosy little drinking venue is spot on with more, i have read some of the comments on here and i have never felt uncomfortable in not only sitting with who ever but also my girlfriend comes in, its not racist in anyway shape or form and if there was know for a fact the landlord will be booting them out without any doubt!
i enjoy the place a great deal, very friendly very popoular and good prices, has some great events on over the year and has even been known to put kids parties on in the upstairs room, shudder shudder.
the family who do run this are good at it and take pride in what they do and how its done, well done to them for providing such a great meeting place for all who care to visit here, keep it up Rick & Lisa.
Northern Jon
anonymous - 3 Dec 2006 11:26 |
What an amazing amount of non beery froth! The Willoughby is one of the most open and non threatening pubs I have come across. ( Admittedly, I have less experience than some of the posters.) One of the best features of TWA is that you can join into almost any conversation in the main areas and with the wide range of people the conversation is often witty and lively. For example last week I witnessed a heated debate about the nature of the Holy Trinity! The conversational level is more conventionally football or current affairs related and benefits from the verbal equivalent of 'beer goggles'. But the pub draws a wide range of creative types as well as the �cowboys� and benefits greatly from a cosmopolitan mix rarely found in the pubs of Kingston.
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Something ain't quite right here. Who is this Biker and Wandsworth. I have been visiting the Will's Beer Fest all week and the only bad language I heard was the Morris Dancers singing 'frigging in the riggin' and sXXt that particular beer has finished. If you are regular identify yourself, cos you must have been pixxed and did not know where you were. As the guv'nor has said he employs non-caucasian bar staff and serves Beiging Black beer. I took my wife there at the weekend and not a dicky bird of bad language was heard. Indeed I have heard the guv, on the odd occasion when it happens, tell miscrients to "tone it down" when ladies are present - sequest non verbum est!
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Hey switch83 lighten up, cold in the Willoughby on 24th August!/ that Thursday it was hot, hot, hot;
the friends of Solidarnosc were cooking up some spicy Polish sausage on the barbie and the Gelatos & Sorbets were were going down a storm. I was the transvestite in the No 14 Gooners shirt, thong and fishnet stockings; if you want to feel the atmosphere in a local try one of the Gastro pubs, the icicles will fall of your cocked little finger as you sip your Chardonnay.
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Cold!!!! during a heatwave???? surely not! You should have been in the garden soaking up the rays & enjoying the experience!! But if you'd rather rigamortis!!!
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Where can I start? From the outside it looks a pretty nice pub. Dont judge a book by its cover. The beers too expenisve, its so cold in there too, the place is so dark Id honestly feel at home in a cemetary. The bar staff are slow and the swearing is beyond belief.
One to avoid at all cost unless you want to loose the will to live!
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They had morris dancers during Mild May, which was good, sitting outside drinking our way through a choice of milds. This pub is a real classic - and in the area it's unusual in that it hasn't been sacrificed on the altar of trendiness. Should be National Inventory listed if it isn't, for in the pub desert that is Kingston (no disrespect meant to the Wych Elm or the Park Tavern and a couple of others), the Willoughby Arms is as good as it gets. Yes, it can be smoky and the front bar is a joke - really sitting around the bar itself under sufferance as people lurch by from the sports screen area to the other bar - but this is far outweighed by how basically good it is.
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Always hits the spot. Though the St Georges Beer Festival this time : no morris dancers or barbeque on the saturday of my visit : Guv`nor what ye doing ? roll on halloween.
anonymous - 24 Apr 2006 15:53 |
Utterly horrible exterior. That foreboding red brick style of construction so favoured by the psychiatric establishemnts of Epsom and Banstead!! Is that Nurse Ratchett at the door of the snug? How 'mein host' must envy Manny down the road at the Wych Elm, so pleasing on the eye with its hanging baskets and verdant fascias.
Nevertheless, cross the threshold, and this is a good community boozer. Nothing pretentious, unashamedly blokey, certainly not the kind of place you'd take a bird to impress (unlike, say, the Canbury)......but it does what is says on the tin. Beer and footy. And amidst a wash of gentrification to the local pub fabric, let's support local pubs that are sticking with something a bit more traditional.
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Recently moved to the town and tried this pub, no need to go any further! Have visited many times since. Great for sport, beers excellent and constantly changing. Lively host, interesting conversation, and free WiFi for those with a PDA or Laptop. Felt welcomed from first minute. Have not experienced any offensive language, even during live footy.
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Having done the majority of my drinking apprenticeship in the pubs of Kingston, I was surprised that pub has remained anonymous to me but its occasional visit to our humble Top 40 and some large adverts in the London Drinker guide put me on a mission to partake in their services. From the outside, the pub is a bit disappointing with the windows and doors plastered with notices advertising the forthcoming football matches giving it a bit of a cheapo look. The interior looks much smaller than it does from outside due to the fact that there are several dividing walls. The 2 lounge areas are comfortable enough but animal campaigners should be warned - it looks like the result of a hunting expedition with several �trophys� on display. Above the well stocked bar are many of the certificates that have been awarded for the numerous guest beers, best garden, best drinking pub and so on. The larger sports bar is particularly worthy of attention, almost bordering on a museum. The walls are covered in signed football shirts (and we talking about the biggest names in the sport - Henry, Zidane, Zola, Rooney, Hurst, Davids and Kluivert are among those represented). There is also plenty of rugby and boxing memorabilia on show. There are plenty of seats with barrel tables and well positioned TVs and big screen. The adjoining pool room pays homage to showbiz and you can play pool in the company of Munroe, Bogart and Dean Martin amongst others. There is a real community feel about the place and they have regular live music, beer festivals, pool teams, darts teams and theme nights. Whilst not perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing of joints, they do offer pretty much all you can expect from a pub and praise must be given for their approach and the efforts that have transformed this place from what could otherwise be a rather dull and bland pub.
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The recent Crane Sundancer was scrummy.
Re anon's "ONLY an ordinary boozer", I wish there were many more of the same.
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"Prude, I hear you say, wrong again, swear words do slip out from time-to time but I remember one or two real foul mouthed individuals in this pub."
As a regular drinker here, I have to say that is a wholly unjustified comment. You can come across foul mouthed individuals anywhere in the country - even in most churches! The Willoughby is not, however, inhabited by the habitually foulmouthed.
Are you sure it wasn't just that you were behaving badly and deserved a mouthful?
Sloth - 14 Dec 2005 17:17 |
It you are a real ale drinker this is the pub to drink. Not got a lot else going for it except good service. The beer is fantastic which is very important so what the heck!!
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Only downer is that it's a Gooner Pub
anonymous - 1 Nov 2005 23:59 |
Well worth the visit, great beer fest, only moan was the amount of time it took to get served at the bar, at least the barman was apologised for the delay
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Again, flawless - went to the Halloween Beer Fest on Saturday. No other reason to visit Kingston really. Great Beer, great people, good music and sport on the telly. Will attempt to get to one of the Ale Wednesdays - but this pub is a gem.
anonymous - 31 Oct 2005 17:05 |
It's nearly time for the Halloween Beer Festival - starts Thursday 27th, ends Monday 31st October.
Be there and enjoy!
anonymous - 12 Oct 2005 16:18 |
The Willoughby has got to be the absoloute Don and Claridge plays a blinder everytime we go. And i tell yer what crack on with the heinekan.
We love Stevie C! (Boss Hog)
Signing off, the Claridge fan club
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Absolutely lovely, great staff, and good beer. Away from it all and a welcome break from all the horrible grotty pubs (and people) in the Norbiton/ Kingston area.
anonymous - 21 Jun 2005 16:58 |
A brilliant back street pub that has everything going for it. This really is an example of how good pubs can be with the right landlord and staff. It puts many of Kingston's other pubs (particularly the managed outlets alongside the river) to shame in terms of the quality of the experience.
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Excellently run pub. Rick does a fantastic job, and has even managed to get this lager-man drinking real beer.
Food is basic pub grub, but is cheap and good quality. BBQ on summer weekends are great. Pool table's nice and the sport's nearly always on. Despite there being a football-over-rugby bias.
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Attended St Georges Fest April 23rd 2005. Lovely selection of Beers, barbeque with mouth watering burgers and bangers, v pretty (though slightly out of place)girl serving the Ale. Morris Dancing and an evocation of a great England that seems to have slipped away elsewhere. Will be going next year and please get that Gibble Pukka Mild again it was gorgeous.
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The St George's Beer Fest was brilliant!!!
Chelsea Pensioners, great beer, morris dancers, St George's quiz, cider, more great beer, t-shirts and even a Radio 5 interview.
The next one's at Halloween - can't wait.
anonymous - 27 Apr 2005 11:50 |
Yup!!! Indeedee!!
St George's Festival commences Wednesday 20th April through 'til Sunday 24th.
40+ traditional ENGLISH Ales, Beers & Farmhouse Ciders.
Live music- Friday 8-11.30pm with The Big John & Dr Bob Band, Sat 9 'til Midnite with Boss Hog's Blues Band & Sunday 6-9pm The Boubon Street Revival. Morris dancers (4.30pm on Saturday 23rd-St.George's Day!!)& finale from 9.30pm on Sunday "The Guv's St. George's/England Quiz!!!
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I should Imagine that the weekend of the 23rd of April will be the next beer fest, As It's St Georges Day. Certainly it would be most unusual for Rick to let that slip by without some sort of event.
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When's the next beer fest at the Willoughby?
I hope it's next month but please confirm.
anonymous - 24 Mar 2005 15:34 |
Excellent, pub, lively, friendly, a wide range of a guest ales and a fiendish quiz on Sunday nights
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Cidre Merveilleux De M�tier Disponible Ici. Chat Sup�rieur
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Great pub with good conditioned beer and cider.
Good festivals too.
Try the Canbury too.
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Arrived to find everyone packed in one room while two guitarists played in an empty second room. Cally Duechers IPA (and Youngs) available but seemed as though it had just come from the frozen North and had not thawed out enough
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Tried some festival ales last night - continues until Sunday 31st Oct - excellent. Highly recommended.
DC - 29 Oct 2004 18:39 |
Beer festival NOW ON!
Take your pick from a splendid choice of ales AND ciders.
Ends on Sunday 31st so 'get 'em while they're hot, they're lovely'.
DeviousDave - 29 Oct 2004 09:03 |
My first visit there there was summed up by a relaxed atmoshere some very nice Braines and Rick the landlord being very helpful with some local directions. It provides plenty of football, I'm usually visting after watching a game at Kingsmeadow, but its in no way a ghastly football and lager lounge.
The range of beers isn't hugely extensive but they are usually better than decent. They were also serving some real cider on one of my later visits.
The design of the boozer is great fun with lots of little rooms and areas. Best pub in Kingston that I can think of.
erik - 23 Oct 2004 12:51 |
Superb pub... I live over in Ealing and come over here for a beer with my mates as it is so good. Usually at least 5 Real Ales on at a time (all very well kept) and Rick (the Guvnor) is Hero and Lysa (the Guvnor's Boss/Wife) is an absolute Gem.
Couldn't ask for better!
Puggs - 9 Jul 2004 16:30 |
Excellent pub, fine range of beer and, nowadays, very good barbecues.
Personally, on the whole, after all is said & done, I like it. But for the career-minded amongst you, if you give Rick any Polish beer, you're out!
DC - 7 Jul 2004 14:53 |
A friendly back street boozer with a really good atmosphere. A big screen for sport and the occasional two-man music performance add to the fun of the place which is hidden away in the backstreets of Kingston - well away from the hideous chain pubs that have taken over the town.
gearbox - 22 Jun 2004 11:43 |
The striking difference between the Willoughby Arms and similar pubs in the area is its respectful and friendly atmosphere. Late on a Saturday night I saw no drunks, no bloated chanting football fans, no sinister old men, no hags with lice issues, and newcomers are not greeted with a territorial silence as they come through the door. This is a local pub with a difference.
I've lived fairly close-by for many years, and as a member of the BITE review team I thought I had seen most of what pubs in my home town have to offer, but you really wouldn't know the Willoughby existed unless you were lost in the back streets, or had heard about it by word of mouth. I won't be bothering with central Kingston so often now I have found this gem. If only I had discovered it ten years ago.
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Beer festival is on - over 60 beers including somthing called skull splitter. Absolutely the bo**ocks. Jolly good fun all way round. Saw an R& B band there last Sat. Absolutely brill they were - Bourbon Street Revival - marvellous. And the guvnor was a good guy too. Great Pub Great evening. Is he doing somthing for St Georges Day?
Marcus Retsof - 22 Apr 2004 16:13 |
Willoughby Arms Beer festival now on! - finishes next Sunday (25th).
DeviousDave - 19 Apr 2004 16:39 |
Just been voted Kingston & Leatherhead "CamRa" London Pub of the Year!!!...Gotta be good!!!
Oliver Reed - 26 Feb 2004 20:47 |
Wednesday, the day of the big match: it was their first meeting - all was looking well in a most enjoyable encounter. But the pressure grew steadily... and something had to give... the final score:
Willoughby Arms 1-0 Jo
(0-0 after 90 minutes but extra time proved too much!)
Will there be a return fixture???
DeviousDave - 19 Feb 2004 11:14 |
Great pub. Lovely Archer's & Deuchars etc at the mo & not-so-lovely-but-cheap Stella. Never seen a blue drum in there, though (?).
DeviousDave - 12 Feb 2004 13:17 |
You can't beat the blue drum which is used for sunday draw. Certainly helps with a few extra pints if you get a winner...
L.B. McKeown - 10 Feb 2004 22:10 |
A fine local, good selection of real ales, and at �1.50 a pint on Wed. nights you can't go wrong. Friendly atmosphere, comfortable but no frills. All that you want in a pub, really.
Andy - 5 Feb 2004 11:03 |
Superb pub - varied and very interesting clientele. Great beer and fanastic music - Saw a brilliant R & B band there last beer festival. Absolutely superb and made for a great night out ... Can't wait to se them qain at the next one - is it in April???? Are they playing???
Marcus Retsof - 29 Jan 2004 16:06 |
Now becoming a great music venue in Kingston on a Saturday - Bad Influence, Delta Blues mixed with some bloody good beer - excellent!
steve - 29 Dec 2003 18:58 |
Could not believe the festival selection. Even after the fest. he had Ringwood, Spitfire, Pedigree, Chiswick and Harveys Sussex (gorgeous). Stayed for the Sunday night quiz, big mistake, lost by at least 2 pints. Never mind. Great beer and the people were nice as well. Highly recommended.
quizman - 11 Nov 2003 00:08 |
Visited again for another great Halloween Beer and Cider Fest. and still two days to go. Fabulous ale, good music and what about those lovely SPBW members! If I'm not legless I might make it back for the quiz on Sunday. If I am, then lets get ratted again. Just hope there's some of that real ale (served at just the right temperature) still left. What other pub has Fullers Vintage Ale available???? Cracking place!
steve - 1 Nov 2003 21:07 |
Its the greatest place to drink in the whole country, friendly, competent bar staff; friendly locals and a generous landlord.....can i have my pay rise now Rick?!!!!!
Craig - 27 Oct 2003 09:39 |
Its a cracking good place for a beer.
certainly its a personal fave of mine.
jon-paul - 17 Oct 2003 16:28 |
Answer! The website was initially introduced to promote our recent St.George's Day (the 6th) beer festival.
Now, as it is out of date we are rebuilding it.
Hopefully back up'n'running within the next week or so (definatly before the start of the next "Premiership" football season).
Nice to know that it is being monitored though, keep checking back!
Any inquiries before it is back'n'running, you can contact us at [email protected] for any forthcoming events or details.
Again, nice to know you are watching. THANX!
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Its great and Rick the landlord is very funny and even better he is a gooner!
Jean - 15 May 2003 15:49 |
An excellent pub. The landlord is a very friendly guy and he keeps a very good range of beers very well. Definitely the best pub in Kingston.
Paul Baker - 30 Dec 2002 14:04 |
It also has the most evil pinball table ever!
Techno - 18 Dec 2002 11:41 |
Returned on Sat to find not only great beer but bloody fine live music in the form of 'Big John & Doctor Bob'- if you aint seen them you've missed out big time. Big John must be best guitar player since Clapton - find out for yourself they're booked to return.
Quizman - 3 Dec 2002 18:32 |
The Willoughby Arms is a very friendly atmospheric public house. It host 5 cask ales at all times with 1 of those on special price of 1.50pds and on wednesdays evenings all og the cast ales are 1.50pds from 7-11.
The landlord makes you feel welcome as soon as you enter the pub and is very hospitable.
The Willoughby Arms also holds two annual beer festivals with an average of 40 cask ales and ciders. All major sporting events are shown on big screen in the sports bar.
For any users of this site I would fully recommend a visit especially on weds evenings for the cask ale lovers.
Callan Campbell - 12 Nov 2002 21:51 |
Community Pub with friendly customers. Great staff and award winning Ales. Guest Beers always on giving lots of choice.
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MECCA - The Holy Grail - Centre of the Universe - Bloody marvellous
Quizman - 9 Nov 2002 23:13 |
A belter of a pub - FIVE real ales in a warm friendly backstreet local's pub - what more could you ask? Rick the Gov's worked wonders.
DeviousDave - 30 Oct 2002 15:27 |
P.S. I mean't SOPRANOS!!...sorry.
Pussey - 28 Oct 2002 13:39 |
This weekend (from thursday 31st. October til Sunday evening (3/11/02) annual HALLOWEEN Cask Ale Festival. Featuring 32 beers & three ciders simultaneously! @ �2 per pint. Live blues music, upstairs in the function room. Big John & Dr.Bob on friday from 8.30pm & on saturday "The Memphis & Norbiton Blues Revue". Live footie Saturday & 3 televised premiership games on Sunday. Finishes off Sunday evening, with a "Horror Quiz" from 9pm.>free to enter, with prizes for the winners!
Monday 4th of November is "SORANOS Day". From noon til the end of the 13th. episode of series 3. Gangster fancy-dress encouraged!
Pussey - 28 Oct 2002 13:36 |
Outstanding, well worth a visit. Beer always good, Guinness very well kept, very friendly unless you ask for money.
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Excellent local pub, with large screen for all sports occasions. Live Music, Quiz Nights and Race nights for Charity are the norm! Guest ales with at least 5 different ales on at anyone time. Rick, the landlored is extremely welcoming - well worth popping in if you are in the area.
ross_maclagan - 6 Oct 2002 07:56 |
Superb Local with a great attitude and even better beer. Always something new and wonderful to try or the old facvorites to fall back on. The Pork scratchings and Timothy Taylors have to be recommended . It is the only pub in Kingston to draw regulars from as far afield as Bath.
mark - 12 Sep 2002 17:25 |
top pub with excellent and changing range of beer not to metion a superb Timothy Taylors Landlord. Not a bad rick either
mark - 12 Sep 2002 17:17 |
A superb community pub.
1st listed in the '1998 Good Pub Guide'.
Upstairs function room famously used by Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck back in the 60's.
Double 'Community pub of the year' winners in 1999 & 2000.
Member of the 'Society for the Preservation of Beers from the Wood'.
Why not spend a minute at SPBWkingston.co.uk or drop by for a tasty beverage. There's pool, darts, a beer garden and the toilets don't stink. Oh yeah, no Spurs fans.
Thierry Henry - 2 Sep 2002 14:02 |
