please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Nice traditional pub on the Green. Handy for station (less than ten minutes' walk). Surprised that, though a Greene King pub, it had three decent non-GK cask ales on.
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"The Cricketers" - I am quite amazed that no-one has reviewed this fine pub in the last 24 months...! Does no-one use this pub..?! I must admit, I don't, anymore. I was put off by inexperienced barstaff who didn't know the difference between a Chardonay and a Sauvignon Blanc (...they're white wines, for all the lager drinkers out there...!) and I also got fed up waiting at the bar trying to get their attention; and for other reasons which I won't go into, on this forum! Basically, you get better service, and better food, and better everything...at the pub next door!! So that's where I go, and it seems that's where everyone else goes aswell, now! I may be being harsh here, you may love the Cricketers, and its tiny dimensions. I could never get a seat when I wanted, let alone a table if there's more than one of you. They didn't favour decent white wine. And the last time I had a look in here, they weren't serving "Meantime Brewery" beers (from Greenwich) which is a very popular brand at the moment. However, in the summer, when the sun is shining & cricketers are cricketing on the Green immediately outside...I can see the pub would appeal to many! And why not, on a nice sunny day. But until then, I shall continue to use the best pub in Richmond, next door...! The Princes Head. Howzat..!
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decent fairly upmarket pub. amazingly posh location facing onto the green, but not pretentious itself.
clean and bright interior, freindly service, decent beers. nice.
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I would have to say I agree with pretty much everything said about this pub.......until now. Following a refurbishment and with a new manager in place, it's worth giving it another chance. I did, was pleasantly surprised, and will most definitely be returning.....
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The Cricketers occupies a similar space in the imagination to concerned Richmondites as Iran might do to President Obama. It's a genuine threat to security and degrading to humanity but YOU JUST CAN'T GET RID OF IT.
The problem is that it almost certainly makes an enormous amount of money, having what must be one of the best locations anywhere within Greater London, facing Richmond Green.
The Cricketers' biggest crime is not the laughable food that gets microwaved round the back and served for �5 a pop to people intent on securing themselves a stomach ulcer.
Nor is it the two fingered salute to beer drinking that constitutes its selection of ales. No, the biggest crime of the Cricketers is disappointment.
It disappoints on every imaginable level.
It looks beautiful from the outside but is stunningly, life denyingly generic inside: stale wooden panelling, mismatched colours, a quiz machine. For one, desperate, period it even had a Costa Coffee corner. Thankfully the staff appeared to have difficulty working the machine, so that got binned.
The staff themselves know they are doing something wrong. They know they work in an establishment with the moral framework of Harold Shipman on a Saga holiday. That's why they're so rude. Their conscience is depriving them of the energy needed to be polite. They've seen too much, suffered too long.
And then there is the TV. The cricketers can't even get TV right. TV only has a limited function in a decent pub. On the margins, Sky Sports pay per view can, just about, be justified.
But, of course, the Cricketers doesn't need Sky Sports because people will walk in even if Beelzebub himself were pulling pints of children's blood. So instead of sports, one has the odd experience of watching rolling news channels, silently.
Now this is all very well in the anteroom of an investment bank but in a pub? On Richmond Green? Really? The intention is to use television as a replacement for wallpaper. They couldn't think of a design scheme so they got Rupert Murdoch to choose the colours. That red white and blue works a treat!
So really, what you're looking at when you look at the Cricketers is exploitation. It doesn't NEED to be any good. The managers could electrocute customers ever quarter of an hour and still meet their volume targets.
The Cricketers is a sap sucking weed in the fragile, decaying ecology of the Richmond pub scene. All the pretty flowers are blooming elsewhere, the Cricketers is turning Richmond into an ugly desert.
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Situated overlooking the charm of Richmond Green one could be make the hideous mistake of going into this pub. The interior decor is drab and depressing. Should you decide to sit in the elevated section at the back, you will be overpowered with the smell of urine that eminates from the nearby toilets. The selection of quality of the beer is dire to say the least, not a single decent premium ale on tap - their only saving grace being that they serve both regular and extra cold guiness. This means that there is one acceptable on tap beer, however the regular guiness as drinkable as it should be just isn't. The last time I visited this pub I walked in from the pouring rain with my two year old daughter to be informed that buggies were not acceptable and that I would need to collapse it outside! Why? Surely, I could collapse it inside without causing any grief to the other two occupants of pub. I asked to run a tab and was informed that I could not do so, but could pay by card and get cashback. Again why? To call the staff obtusive and lacking in any form of decent customer service would be rude to obtusive and unhelpful people. Perhaps it is a lack of staff training, but I believe to be that unhelpful takes a degree of planning (how can I best p**s this customer off enough to not want to drink here?) I will admit that I have not tried their food although having had to gag on the hot frangrant smell of urine for my entire duration there I could not think of looking at their menu without pondering if everything was offered as "aromaticely spiced". Do yourself a big favour, cross over the road to the pub next door that serves a superb pint of ESB, good food, has great bar staff and although they do not allow children inside you could far worse than having a spare rug with to keep the little one warm as you sit at the outside tables and enjoy a proper pint as it should be from a proper licencer!
ncj76 - 19 Dec 2011 22:52 |
Can be a bit hit and miss. Have been made to feel welcome in the past but last time we went the manager was really rude to us so we won't be going back.
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I met a group of friends here on Saturday afternoon (venue their choice). It's the first time I've been in for many years and what a depressing place it's become. It used to be the stage door pub for Richmond Theatre and had signed photos of luvvies on the wall. Now it could be anywhere. It's had all the character ripped out and replaced by a dreary blandness (the same can be said for the beer - now indifferent Greene King). And the music! Why do landlords/managers think loud wailing is an enhancement? I often couldn't hear my friends speak (which was the only reason for staying). I left early and recommended they go to the Shaftesbury next time. Another niggle is the beer pricing. Although a pint of GK IPA was �3.05 (quite cheap for the area) a half was �1.60 (�3.20 a pint). It can't be rounding up of the odd 5p (or a pint would be �3.10) and penalises moderate drinkers. It just seems greedy to me. The only positive was the staff who were friendly and apologetic when service was slow (goodness knows how they coped with the rugby crowds later on).
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When we visited someone was smoking a cigar outside the pub and the smoke was wafting inside. I closed the door and was told in no uncertain terms to open it. So unless you enjoy your food and wine smoked - give this place a miss as there are alot of other good pubs with friendly staff in the area.
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Great location, decent pub despite the not inconsiderable disadvantage of being tied to GK beers...
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On the 28 Feb I got a reply from head office.
The manager was spoken to regarding his attitude / manner and unprofessional interaction ! I got his apologies and assurance that this was a one off situation .........
As a token of "good will" we were given a refund on our meals and drinks.....thanks Green King !
Sadly this situation could have been avoided if, much much better customer service was given !
Kind regards.
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Great location on Richmond Green, totally wasted. A good landlord and a decent brewery could make a lot of money given the location, but the pub is laid out like a staff canteen and has the same atmosphere. Food is poor, service is slow, and atmosphere is non existant (why do pubs insist on putting Sky News on the tv ? This place is depressing enough without having to watch riots murders and recession news).
Legend has it that Keith Richards used to drink here and tried to buy the licence a few years back. Would probably have made it a very different proposition.
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Did indeed call Head office this morning ! spoke to the complaints dept and within 2 hours the area manager called me back !
Nice fella ! listened to our concerns ! we have urged him to take a look @ CCTV to validate our complaint !
Perhaps the manager was having a bad day ! not our fault ! have never complained before but felt we had no option ! the pub manager needs much more customer service training ! his interaction with the public is poor ! ! not a good way to interactwith customers.......
will update the forum when resolved.
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Tuesday 8 Feb 2011 @ 3pm.
Entered pub and bar man was far to busy on his phone for @ least 4 mins to serve me... it was a social call ! poor poor poor poor poor poor poor poor customer service from the manager ! he was more keen on chatting up the young guy @ the end of the bar... not a good look..!!!!
Ordered drinks & food. had our two dogs with us.. asked the bar man, who I now know to be the manager for some water for the dogs.... he was very very difficult , being problematic and we felt a big inconvenient to him... he basicaly told us that no water bowl was available for water ,,,,, not even from the kitchens !
We had to buy bottle water ....... this pub has gone down hill plus, its very clear the manager was just trying to impress the young fella in the bar......didnt think this was a gay venue ! not nice to witness.. he needs further training in customer service ,BIG TIME
I will definitely be calling head office tomorrow
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Took the future in laws to this pub for Sunday lunch as my fiance and I had been once before and found the food amazing. This time though was VERY different. Waited an hour from ordering food to it coming to the table, 1 of the dishes had to be sent back because it was cold, the beef was fatty, gristly and chewy and the teas and coffees were served with only half a cupful of hot water so we had to ask for more hot water for them. Not a great impression on the in laws!
We complained and were told that the original chef had walked out a few weeks ago and they now had a stand in. Awful food so won't be going back again.
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The Pub is in a great place, loverly in summer, but the manager needs re training in customer services.She would rather chat the barmaids up than serve. I waited 10 mins to be served. The food was cold on arrival to the table, would not recomemmed at all.
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Cask: Abbot Ale, Greene King IPA and Greene King LBW (seasonal).
Bottle: Old Speckled Hen in bottles.
Keg: Aspall's cider.
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A pub in a great location with great potential. Let down by lazy management with no customer service or care. This is the second chance I have given the place and I won't be going back. There are much better options in the area.
The food is aweful. The Loos are disgusting unless you take your wellies to wade through the P!$$. On a busy saturday night, the MANAGER refused to serve me because she would rather have kept her arms crossed and keep chatting with another member of staff. I only give this place a 2 out of 10. One for the one good staff member who served me with ger usual smile. And one for the location.
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Great location, average pub. Much better options only a stones throw away.
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OK when you can go outside but an odd pub at this time of year. Small but not many places to sit. Could make a much better use of space - two fruit/quiz machines take up the room you could fill with two tables with about four chairs round. Usual-by-now sofa in the middle, very obtrusive, and uncomfortable high, thin tables/chairs (why do pubs have an obsession with these???). No bar stools by the actual bar at all, so the middle of the pub looks like it's a vertical-drinking style bar. Still, it's run by the leisure company that is Greene King so don't expect any improvement. The Fuller's pub opposite is much better all-round.
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A good fallback option, the biggest selling point being its' location on Richmond Green. There are better all-round pubs in the area, though.
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While there is not much particularly wrong with the Cricketers it somewhat fails to impress against some of its better neighbours. The on-the-green location in superb but fails to make up for the limited choice of beer, the often slow service and the lack of anywhere to sit.
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Nice little boozer although more like a take away in that once you get your beer you usually piss off outside - that said its winter now so you'll probably see it more rammed, people clambering for space etc...
Nice beers.. always been proper langered everytime ive gone in to be fair!
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Nice little place over-looking the green, Beer quality was good and staff were frirndly, Not best in the winter as very compact but great in summer as can stand outside and drink on the green. Deserves a 7/10 not tried the food though so not a major accurate rating in all honesty!!!
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Summed this place up before with overall good pub but beer could be better and staff whilst friendly could be a bit better. Nothing changed in last year
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Some sort of a hen-night here last Saturday evening, or masquerade party! Looked colourful enough. Plenty of folk outside on the pavement, enjoying the beer, the banter, and the evening air. Bumped into someone i hadn't seen for 20 years! Amazing..!! Abbots went down well, or was it the London (god, me memories going now, or is it me hair..? I forget! JB will probably know.) Nice to see full pints aswell, up to the rim of the glass, well done barman (you don't get that in the 'Slug & Firkin'...!)
Come to a 'Calvin Klein' evening here at the Cricketers, and you too might meet up with an old friend. Or you could check out the local baptist church, whatever your vice, the beer here is nice. Or, as an old Russian proverb says:-
"The church is near, but the road is icy. The bar is far, but i will walk carefully!"
I'll drink to that! TJ
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Apparently...according to the girl behind the bar on Monday, 660ml is a 'pint'..!! So, if I were you, I'd get down to the Cricketers as fast as you can, get hold of one of 'em German stein glasses and take it along to this pub, and get it filled up with your fav beer, quick...before she changes her mind!! TJ
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This pub is great - really friendly, beer always ok (not fab, but not bad) and the food is good value and well presented. Give it a shot. The upstairs room is lovely on a sunny day with the window open overlooking the green...
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Ahh, The Cricketers, Richmond Green...! Splendid! There is really not much to this little gem. Ok, they have a large screen at the back for the cricket (oh, and rugby of course..!) and a small tv at the front. The front of the pub 'opens up' on those sunny days, to ease access to & from the bar, for those who like to drink al fresco (its cheaper than Pinot Grigio..!)! A quiet little pub, the bar can't be more than 15ft long (thats about 8 people, elbow to elbow)!
A long thin pub. I dig the groovy yellow+blue tiles in the loo! I wonder who chose them. Retro, baby!! TJ
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Speckled Hen was lovely last night. Toilets looked ok to me, but didn't look as if they'd been made over either.... Maybe someone's given them a good scrub. The food looked nice, but we didn't have any.
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The cricketers is receiving a mini makeover within the next few months to include the toilets, they are just awaiting sign off on quotes.
anonymous - 25 Oct 2007 00:38 |
The Gents bathroom is pretty swampy too. You'd think that A) they'd be able to have them redone and made usable and B) keep them in better order.
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The female toilets are minging....totally unacceptable for a pub on Richmond Green that charges the prices it does.
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Cossack has summed this place up for me. Beer could be bit better, staff exactly as said but friendly - overall good pub
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Great place in the summer after a game. The crowd spills onto the Common and fun is to be had by all. The beer is potable, bar small, staff better suited to MacDonalds, but who cares, its a great pub.
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The cricketers is my favorite pub in richmond, the service is great, the pints are cold and cheap and the barmaids are sexy! Especially the American girl, she is the real reason why I go there (well second, I do enjoy my pints).
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Really nice pub on Richmond village green. Good views over the green from upstairs, and seats outside too.
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was there on sat for the rugby and had a great time the attmosphere was better then anywere alse. this is one of my first choices in richmond a greatly under related pub in richmond service is spot on and friendly and some of the bar staff arent bad what more can you want.
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This is a great pub with good beer and friendly staff the food has improved greatly this pub is the place to be in the summer.
anonymous - 3 Feb 2007 00:27 |
Visited just before christmas- service was poor, drinks were poor and the atmosphere was dull. On my visit to the bar i noticed lots of food on the bar floor, this was waiting to go to the kitchen to be cooked! Some of it was completely uncovered and was being splashed by glasses and dirty plates getting loaded into the dishwasher next to it. The food lay there for +30mins...nice. SO on your next visit avoid the pies!(OR DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND AVOID THE PUB!!)
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I aim for this place first when I come to Richmond. Understated yet spot on. Right on the green so good in the summer.
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Ah, The Cricketers.. a nice little watering hole, and not just for cricketers, rugger & footy types frequent here, aswell as sporting ladies too! Many may not realise they have an upstairs 'salon' for those patrons who prefer 'smoke-free' drinkies..! (However, they forgot to tell the smoke not to use the stairs..!) Never mind, the idea was good! Nice boozer, specially when the sun visits. TJ
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There seems to be new management now. We were unceremoniously ejected at 10.40 on sunday evening just ten minutes after last orders was rung, and we were the last people to be picked upon. If you fancy a quiet drink on a sunday eveneing i suggest you walk round to The Ship.
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Nice pub right on top of the Green, very small inside, but who wants to sit inside anyway. Prices not too bad either.
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I like this place and for it's location it's prices are very good. It is quite small inside but good to relax and the service is always OK if no the most motivated. Not sure why I prefer this to the Princes Head next door - It is great for getting an all dayer on Saturday by the Green - However in saying that why I don't just go to Tesco's and get cans for a quarter of the price like my boyfriend tells me is beyond me.
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My lad seems to enjoy 'The Cricketers' well enough. There must be a nice young barmaid that he likes in there or something! Or maybe its The Green that draws young and old for miles around..!! Great place. TJ
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A good pub to know. Fantastic location, over-looking the magnificent Richmond Green, that is its best feature (but only when the weather is good!) I see why 'Matt of Ham' says its disappointing inside, its too small really (a long thin pub & bar) with no real atmosphere. Filled with office staff during the day, with a handful of loyal hardened drinkers. After 5pm it can be quite busy (due to its small size) with patrons having to spill onto the pavement outside, and of course over onto The Green itself. It competes with the 'Princes Head' a couple of doors away, which I prefer, but certainly a 'must' to include in any pub-crawl around The Green, or Richmond town centre. (TeeJay)
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Two pints of Stella in here is about a quid cheaper than the exact same round in the Sun a few hundred yards down the road (and tastes a bit better). But my reason for posting is cos they have something else which goes massively in their favour... Everyone hates those flimsy plastic pint cups yet obvioulsy we can't take glass onto the green. So in here they have rigid plastic pint glasses (I know this is an oxymoron but you know what I mean), the picnic set type of rigid. What a pleasure! A real seasonal triumph, hats off!
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Great location, particularly in summer, but inside is only OK, as is the beer. Bit of a dissapointment overall.
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Decent atmosphere in the pub which looks out over the Green...On cider so cant rate the beer
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Great place for a early evening drink . Good atmosphere and excellent staff . Taken over from the Princes Head as the best place for a beer on the Green.
anonymous - 9 Aug 2005 10:12 |
Nice pub, always busy yet have often managed to arrive with fortuitous timing and bagged one of the few tables outside. Since these seats are like gold dust in summer, it tends to make you stay longer that you planned, losing yourself and your day people-watching over the green. I discovered the leather sofas on Saturday too, very nice. Excellent service considering the hoards of people needing drinks, never have to wait very long. They were giving away free iced water in the heatwave a couple of years ago too. Obviously a prime location in the summer but works well in winter too. A good all-season establishment!
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A good summer pub - Venture on to the Green and watch loads of couples get frisky.. Get a room for gods sakes!
The pub is good though.
TheGP - 10 Jul 2005 20:22 |
This pub had recently been a pretty sorry affair but i now notice that the new management are trying very hard. There seems to be a cheerful atmosphere again so more power to your elbow.
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As anyone might see from other "local" posts, I returned to Richmond yesterday for a "mini-crawl": amazed to see that it rates such a low average score. Still warm and welcoming, good beer, friendly staff and locals plus the Green to look at and enjoy. Recommended.
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Small and sweet, nice pint, nice atmosphere and pleasant staff.
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Similar to Princes Head, nice atmosphere, younger crowd than the Princes but does what it does well and everyone says really is great in the summer.
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nice pub, good atmosphere & a great view across richmond green. be prepared to wait a while to be served at the weekend. usually well worth it though
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Excellent pub, nice beer with good seating for a little cotch in the day. Not a bad barmaid either...!
PhilW - 4 Nov 2004 13:47 |
Lovely little traditonal pub by the green. At its best during the summer.
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A nice little pub, good in summer to actually watch the Cricket and quite comfy in winter too.
TheGP - 10 Aug 2004 14:03 |
I like drinking outside and this pub is one of the best in Richmond for this - the riverside in Richmond (whilst they are fun to people watch) can be a little too hectic on a good day. This is great for having a good pint and sitting on the Green in the sun. In the winter can be good fun too.
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Popped here whilst trying to find a pub to show England's historic cricket victory on Sunday. TV was not on so we asked to put it on they said fine, but then said they had to put football on even though no one in pub wanted to watch it. We left totally baffled. Suggest that the pub changes its name to something more appropriate.
anonymous - 17 Mar 2004 14:16 |
Visited this pub a couple of times in the last week. Really nice atmosphere...ideal for a few cheeky socials midweek. Suspect it will be even better once the Summer arrives. Beer is pretty good and not badly priced.
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Have fond memories of watching the footy in there and staying throughout the evening drinking rather too much then wobbling around on the lawn outside with my boyfriend watching others do the same thing before grabbing a rank samosa and getting the train home to East London. Good pub - can have a manky pint in there but on the whole a nice atmosphere. Ok for watching sport but a little small and plenty of room for heads to get in the way - not a good view most of the time.
Lucy - 20 Feb 2004 13:34 |
Nice in winter with a roaring fire and great in summer as it is right on the green. Unfortunately wine sold by the glass here is absolutely foul, especially the red.
Jay - 14 Feb 2004 14:30 |
"The short rude bloke running it" sounds like Gordon - if that is of any help.
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What have they done to this place. AND who is the short rude bloke running it
Si - 28 Jan 2004 10:31 |
great pub in the true meaning of the word. Had many a drunken adventure start from there. Can meet some interesting locals like the bloke who sang 'in the jungle' to us (even the high pitched wimba-waa a-wimba waa).
sean - 6 Dec 2003 18:51 |
A weird looking girl works there who is kind of cute in an odd sort of way. I saw her with a fella though so I've knocked that one on the head. Could do with lowering the lights a bit. Not bad though.
Good for: general drunkeness
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Good bar, good food.
Richard - 17 Nov 2003 12:48 |
Notable for its outdoor tables and view of the green. Also notable for the passer by who interrupted my afternoon's drinking by demanding my autograph, convinced that I was a German ex-Wimbledon champion. My London accent didn't dissuade her. For ten minutes.
Ruby - 14 Jul 2003 13:37 |
Rather bad service on a Sunday lunch. They told us food would be served till 3pm, yet when we went up at 2.03pm they said the food had stopped at 2pm. There was 6 of us, all prepared to sit in there for a couple of hours, with drinks and food, yet we had to go elsewhere. Very bad service really.
Not only that we say a waitress stick her finger in a plate of noodles to check the temperature when a customer complained, and then failed to see she'd done anything wrong. After seeing that I'm glad we didn't eat there.
All in all I doubt we'll be back - we just weren't made to feel welcome.
Pete Cox - 7 Jul 2003 13:00 |
Refurb now finished making the pub much more airy and open. Greene King ales now joined by Budvar on tap.
Al - 20 May 2003 09:58 |
now having refurb
alexander - 11 May 2003 19:57 |
Slightly dated interior, but a decent pint and nice location on the green make it worth a visit in the summer when you can sit outside.
Angus - 7 Apr 2003 11:29 |
Right on Richmond Green, great if you want to get away from the loud pubs that generally inhabit the riverside.
Mike - 27 Mar 2003 11:42 |
Cool pub with live jazz, comedy nights and the like. Wicked for summer nites on the Green
Brooms - 29 Oct 2002 16:59 |
