BRANCH NEWS ARCHIVE - 2022

The Kings Arms at 69 High Street, Teddington, is now under new management and has changed its name to The Castlebar. The pub is now part of the Castlebar group based in Ealing. No food at present until staff are recruited for the Kitchen. Cask beers available were Fuller's London Pride and Doom Bar.

John Young Memorial Award
Steve Brown, founder and Managing Director of Twickenham Fine Ales receiving the shield and certificate in recognition of his important contribution to real ale and pubs in the Greater London area. The presentation was made by Geoff Strawbridge, CAMRA Regional Director, seen toasting Steve with a pint of award winning 'Naked Ladies' at the Brewery in December. Photo by John Austin.

The Hand and Flower in Ham has reopened 5th November 2022. When visited there was Twickenham Naked Ladies in service. Kitchen also open.

The Hussar Bar and Restaurant, 495-497 Staines Road, Hounslow has now been shut down and will be turned into flats with a pub or restaurant below. Planning permission was approved in July 2022 for a four to five storey building consisting of eight flats and a pub or restaurant on the ground floor 'with associated amenity space'. Demolition work is currently underway - Nov 2022.

The owners of The Crown pub on Chiswick High Road have instructed an estate agent to sell the property. ‘Substantial’ offers are being sought for the landmark venue which has had a substantial refurbishment in recent years after being bought by Harcourt Inns in 2017 for £3.75M... Read more on the ChiswickW4.com website.

The move of the Richmond & Hounslow Branch website to a secure server has now been completed.
The new website address (URL) is now https://rh.camra.org.uk/

Any bookmarks and links to the old address will automatically redirect to this new server. However, it is recommended you update any bookmarks you use to pages on this website.

The Duke (formerly Racing Page, Cobwebs) located in 2-3 Duke Street, Richmond, lookd to be closed long term. All signage has been removed and the blinds are drawn.

The Lord Clyde, at 77 Inwood Road, Hounslow, has been refurbished and renamed The George. It is described as a "Traditional Georgian Pub-Restaurant & Garden-Shisha".

Work has started on The Bloated Mallard in Hampton Hill that closed earlier in 2022. Some activity is happening inside and scaffolding has been erected outside.

On the 3rd October in the Jolly Coopers, Hampton, the Branch Chairman, Bob Gordon presented to Nick Witham a certificate for winning The Pub Of The Year for 2022.

The Teddington Arms, Teddington, is closed for refurbishment. Greene King has announced it will be taking over the premises which is expected to re-open by the end of October. The pub has since reopened.

The Richmond Vault Beer Cellar & Restaurant was closed on the 17th August 2022 because of a devastating flood caused by heavy rain. Pub is not expecting to reopen until sometime in 2023.

The Teddington Arms at 38-40 High Street, Teddington, has suddenly closed its doors. A notice has been issued stating "We are sad to inform you that we will be closing our doors on Saturday the 1st of October. From everyone at the Teddington Arms, thank you for all of your support".

However, in a message to subscribers to the pub's newsletter, its owners say: "Should you wish to keep up to date with our upcoming plans, including exciting news from the new look site that will be taking our place, please remain subscribed".

The CAMRA 2023 Good beer Guide is to be published on the 27th October. A small number of copies will be available to buy at the Twickenhame Beer & Cider Festival.

The Hand and Flower in Ham, Richmond, is currently being refurbished/restored with the expection of the pub reopening sometime in November 2022.

The October/November issue of the London Drinker Magazine is available online: londondrinker.camra.org.uk/LD/2022/LDvol44_5.pdff

The CAMRA R&H branch arranged a presentation to Twickenham Fine Ales (TFA) in front of a Grade II listed statue complex on a rockery and water cascade in the gardens of York House, Twickenham and known locally as the 'Naked Ladies'.

The award celebrates their beer called 'Naked Ladies' (4.4% ABV) that was declared CAMRA's Champion Beer of London 2022. out of 27 London beers that were judged at the Ealing Beer Festival in July.

From left to right: Steve Brown (TFA MD), Ben Hart (Ealing BF Organiser), Geoff Strawbridge (CAMRA Regional Director), Steve Hart (Ealing BF Organiser), Ben Norman (TFA Director). Picture taken by Christine Cryne

Local Beer Festivals taking place:

• Mute Swan British Beer Festival from Friday 23rd September until Sunday 2nd October.
• Abercorn Arms Beer Festival - Friday 16th to Sunday 18th September.
• Lion Beer Fest 2022 - 25th-30th of August.

The Station House pub at 2 Grove Park Road, W4 3SG, is expected to reopen at 5pm 28th July. Serving drinks only until mid-August and hope to start offering food on 15th August once the kitchen refurbishment is finished. Cask beer will initially be Fuller's London Pride and Chiwick Bitter.

See their Facebook page - Old Station House (Chiswick)

Nick Dolan (Founder of Real Drinks) has announced the following on Facebook:

"It is with great sadness that we are announcing the closure of our Twickenham store (371 Richmond Road, TW1 2EF) and online sales. Our last day of opening will be on Saturday 23 July 2022, and we will be trading between 12-6 with no on-site drinking during this period. It has been really tough to put this in to words and making decisions like this are never easy."

Facebook link

Two beers from Twickenham Fine Ales were winners in the Champion Beer of London competition.

This competition was organised by Christine Cryne (Beer Tutor, Writer & Master Trainer), that took place at this year’s Ealing Beer Festival in July. Judging spans real ales across the categories for Milds, Session Bitters, Premium Bitters, IPAs, Session Pale/Blond/Golden Ales and Premium Pale/Blond/Golden Ales.

• Winner of the Golden Ales Category (Session & Premium) was Twickenham Fine Ales Naked Ladies 4.4% ABV.
• Winner of the Old Ales, Browns and Reds Category was Twickenham Fine Ales Red Sky 4.1% ABV

This placed Twickenham Fine Ales to be awarded GOLD in the Overall Winners Category.

You can be assured that 'Naked Ladies' will be included in the beers available at the Twickenham Beer Festival - October 27th to 29th at the Turks Head, St Margarets.

The Old Station House in 2 Grove Park Road, Chiswick (originaly opened as the Grove Park Hotel in 1867) may be set to reopen after it closed in early 2020. A planning application to convert part of the ground floor space into residential use was rejected by Hounslow Council in May this year. It's been reported that the hoardings have been removed from the exterior and new management are recruting staff. The positions being advertised suggest that the pub will be orientated around its food offering.

The Turk's Head in St. Margarets has been shortlisted and are national finalists in The Great British Pub Awards for Best City/Urban Pub.

Sussex Arms in Twickenham was voted the best cider and Perry pub in the Richmond and Hounslow CAMRA Branch area. A cider pub of the year (PotY) is judged not only on the quality of cider and Perry, but the following categories, service and welcome, choice and knowledge of cider and Perry and community focus. A certificate was presented to Paul the pub's manager on the 28th June.

The Hand & Flower in Ham, Richmond is on the path to reopen, but still needs to fund £100k in repairs and refurbishment. The decision by Richmond Council to allow the pub to reopen was granted by the Council's licensing sub-committee in June 2022. The pub closed after its licence was revoked in November 2021 after a review by the Met Police. The pub company's freeholder (EI Group/Stonegate) took back possession in April 2022. If all go to plan the pub may reopen around September or later this year.

The Builders Arms on Field Lane, Teddington has closed down and faces an uncertain future.

The Watermans Arms pub in Barnes that opened in May 2019 unexpectedly closed on the weekend 10/11th June this year, after only 2 days notice. The fittings and furnishings have been boxed-up for removal. There are reports that a rent increase by the Freeholder may be the cause of the pub's demise, and the premises have been sold. NB. these reports have yet to be confirmed.

A framed 'Lockdown Hero' graphic artwork was presented to the Jolly Coopers (Hampton) pub by Bob Gordon on 24th May in recognition of Jane and Nick Witham's activities to help the local community during the Covid-19 lock-down period. The picture shows Suheil and Gemma receiving the award in Jane and Nick's absence.

The Plough at 42 Christchurch Road, East Sheen. SW14 7AF will be reopening on Monday 23rd May. Their new website is www.plougheastsheen.co.uk/

Richmond Planning Department have received two planning applications that affect two pubs in the Branch area.

1. The Ham Brewery Tap, 4-6 Ham Street, Ham, Richmond. TW10 7HT
Planning application number: 22/1411/FUL - Neighbour notification started: 11/05/2022. Decision due: 05/07/2022

Proposal: Change of use from Public House with ancillary Staff Flat to Class E Veterinary Surgery with anciallry Staff Flat plus external refurbishment, associated car and cycle parking, waste and recycling storage, and hard and soft landscaping.

2. The Crown, 174 Richmond Road, Twickenham TW1 2NH
Planning application number: 22/1412/LBC (Listed Building Consent)

The Crown is a Georgian 3-storey brick building with basement, situated in St. Margarets, Twickenham.

Proposal: Alterations to trade areas of public house including decorations, re-upholstery, lighting changes, alteration to height of threshold, new radiator casings.

There has been a change in management at The Swan, Hampton Wick. The pub is currently closed and undergoing a refurbishment by Shepherd Neame. A notice posted on the door indicates that it will reopen on Monday 16th May 2022. The pub will no longer be offering Thai food.

Bob Gordon (Branch Chairman) presented a special Branch 'Lockdown Heroes' Award to Hannah Lawson in the pub on April 19th 2022. During the lockdown the Angel & Crown provided 70 meals 7 days a week for the homeless and vulnerable people, food, clothing and sleeping bags were supplied by local businesses and residents. The Angel & Crown team have created a pub that serves the whole community and intends to continue doing so! The pubs very own catchphrase is 'a pub with community'.

The Angel & Crown was in the top 10 in the whole country which shows a great deal of dedication! Camra introduced their own lockdown award for pubs supporting the local community during the lockdown, and the Angel & Crown was runner up in the London area.

The Angel & Crown did not do this to win awards, they did it to support the community!

The Abercorn Arms in Teddington are having their first ever Beer and cider Festival on Friday 29th April until Sunday 1st May. Big Smoke BBQ/hog roast and Live music on Friday and Saturday night.

The Plough at 42 Christchurch Road, East Sheen was closed in November 2021 and the lease of the pub returned back to Fullers, who have decided to operate the pub in the future as a managed house. A statement from Fuller’s said: “We are starting work at The Plough on 21 March 2022. We anticipate the works will take around two months and we will open very shortly afterwards, hopefully around the middle of May 2022.

Futher reading on NUB News: Work finally starts on The Plough Pub – plan to re-open in May

The Fox and Duck, 194 Petersham Road, Richmond, TW10 7AD.
A Planning application 22/0377/FUL has been received by LBRUT. The Proposal: Part Demolition of ground floor side elevation and erection of single storey side and rear extension, kitchen ventilation duct work and associated external works.

Rose Of York, Petersham Road, Richmond Hill, TW10 6UY
A Planning application 22/0195/FUL has been received by LBRUT for the refurbishment and extension of the Rose of York Public House to provide an additional fifteen guest bedrooms as well as associated landscaping and car parking. The changes will reduce the existing restaurant/pub floorspace.

The Three Horseshoes in Feltham is no longer boarded-up and has reopened on the 28th Jan. The reason for the closure was because a disgruntled, and barred customer, had returned and smashed nearly all the front windows.

What was known as the Tree House at 73 White Hart Lane, Barnes reopened as The Crossing in September 2021 following a £450k refurbishment by restaurant, bar and hospitality operator, Christian Arden and Heineken owned, Star Pubs & Bars. The pub serves either Timothy Taylor Landlord or Black Sheep Best Bitter.
website: www.thecrossing-barnes.co.uk