BRANCH NEWS

Save The Rifleman in Twickenham and bring the pub into community ownership

On the 15th December, in a jam-packed meeting that also spilled outside, the Rescue Committee outlined the situation and their plans and asked if you, or someone you know, has shown an interest in supporting the long term survival of the Rifleman, to please participate in the survey monkey questiontionnaire. A dedecated Facebook page was also been setup. Rifleman Rescue Community | You can follow the link here.

A note* has been posted on the Riflemen pub in Twickenham stating that it will loose its association with Twickenham Fine Ales Brewery, and therefore at risk of closure.

A meeting has been scheduled for Monday 15th December at 7pm in the pub to assess whether there is sufficient interest to keep the pub open under a community lease buy-out.

*The note reads:
RIFLEMAN RESCUE - HELP US CREATE A COMMUNITY MANAGED PUB - FOR TWICKENHAM

• The Rifleman pub on Fourth Cross Road has been a part of the West Twickenham community for over a hundred years.
• Twickenham Fine Ales, who currently hold the lease, Originally stepped in during 2019 in order to keep The Rifleman open. However, the brewery is not in a position to continue managing the pub and The Rifleman is therefore at risk of closure.
• A group of local regulars are looking to secure the future of The Rifleman. We are exploring a community-based approach, not seeking any radical changes, but building on the community base and to provide additional local social benefits.
The first step is to understand the level of local support.
• We therefore Invite you to a first public meeting at the Rifleman on Monday 15" December at 7pm, to hear more and let us know what you think.

Please help us to save the pub!

camra.org.uk/pubs/rifleman-twickenham-121932

The December/January 2026 issue of the London Drinker Magazine is now available online: londondrinker.camra.org.uk/LD/2025/LDvol47_6_HR.pdf

The Lion in Wick Road, Teddington, is set to reopen (after having been closed for three years) early in December after being purchased by a community consortium. It been reported that they are to set-up a stall at the Teddington's annual Christmas Lights-Up event on Thursday 27th November this year (4:30–8pm).

instagram.com/thelionpub.teddington

There are rumers that the Fountain at 1 Sixth Cross Road, Twickenham (a landmark pub) will be closing down soon. Beefeater (Whitbread) have planning permission to extend the premier inn and and the beefesters are only going to be for the Premier Inn customers.

The Victoria Tavern, Isleworth, re-opened in September. It is now a modern styled sports bar.

The Rose & Crown (formerly Cricketers), 79 Kew Green has re-opened under new management after a refurbishment. It serves Fullers Pride and Timothy Taylor Landlord.

Previously unreported here; the Airman, Hanworth Road, Feltham, TW13 5AX closed in July 2025. It is under new management and undergoing refurbishment. Reports (not confirmed) have rumoured that the bar has been ripped out. It is to open as Everest Spice Lounge.

The Society for The Preservation of Beers from the Wood (Woodfest2026) is scheduled for May 14th to 16th 2026 at the Musical museum in Brentford. More details nearer the time on www.spbw.beer.

The October/November issue of the London Drinker Magazine is now available online: londondrinker.camra.org.uk/LD/2025/LDvol47_5_HR.pdf

The George at 32 King Street, Twickenham is now under the management of the Morgan Pub Company and its grand reopening will take place at 5pm, Thursday 25th September. See their website: www.thegeorgetwickenham.co.uk/

Invitation

The Cross Lances in Hounslow, re-opened on 15th September under new management. It has been refurbished and is now owned by a Nepalese restaurant (you can order food while waiting in the pub). It serves London Pride and one other Fullers beer (currently Red Fox at £4). We are planning a branch social there (check Diary page).

The Stonegate pub company, has announced plans to sell twenty-Three free-of-tie sites as part of its portfolio review. The properties are located across the country and are all let on long leases with annual Retail Price Index (RPI) linked rent reviews. Savills Estate & Letting Agents have been instructed to manage the sale of the pubs, on behalf of Stonegate. Of the twenty-Three pubs being sold, only one is in our Branch area, namely The Star, Hampton Hill.

The Lion at 27 Wick Road Teddngton has been sold to a local group of investors who raised enough money to buy the pub from Stonegate. The pub is expected to reopen after a significant refurb before Christmas 2025. As a ‘free house’ the pub will offer a wide range of local beers and ales.

This once popular pub closed its doors on Sunday 11th December 2022 and its long term future looked bleak until in March 2025 it was sold by Fleurettes Estate Agents to an unknown buyer (Ref. LA-424296).

Read more at:
teddingtontown.co.uk/2025/08/30/exclusive-local-community-secures-purchase-of-the-lion-pub-in-teddington/

The Adelaide pub at 57 Park Road Teddington is now operated by Morgan Pub Co staff. It looks to be a similar business arrangement as at the Swan in Hampton Wick, with a parnership between Shepherd Neame and the Morgan Pub Co. Expect some guest beers to be finally available at this pub.

The Cricketers in Kew is expected to reopen 6th Sept under its original name The Rose & Crown. The pub at 79 Kew Green is now owned by Inda Pubs since April 2025. A family owned business with nine neighbourhood pubs across West London. See the pubs new website - www.theroseandcrowntw9.com/

The Six restaurant & bar/Kings Arms Hotel at 2 Lion Gate, Hampton Court Road, appears to have closed. A notice on the window just states a telephone number to contact the caretaker. Their website is also down.

The Cross Lances at 236 Hanworth Road, Hounslow, TW3 3TU, is now under new ownership and will be serving Nepalese food. What beer will be available is not know at the moment. The Grand re-opening is expected to be on the 6th August 2025 at 4pm.

See their Facebook page.

The August/September issue of the London Drinker Magazine is now available online: londondrinker.camra.org.uk/LD/2025/LDvol47_4_HR.pdf

The threatened Hampton pub, The Railway Bell, has been granted protected status (AVC). The following statement has been received from Robert Lee of the ‘SAVE THE DIP’ CAMPAIGN GROUP'.

The Railway Bell, known as The Dip, has been declared an Asset of Community Value by Richmond Council. It's a giant leap for the campaign to reopen the much-loved pub near the centre of Hampton, Middlesex.

The decision means that the 'Save The Dip' campaign group now has priority should it wish to buy the freehold of the pub, which has been closed for over a year.

"We are delighted with the council's ruling, and I’m grateful for the support of our 450 members," said the campaign group leader, Robert Lee. “We will now move quickly to establish the feasibility of a collective purchase of the property through a Community Benefit Society.”

To join the campaign group, email: savethedip@gmail.com | Website: www.savethedip.com/

Nowhere is a new live entertainment venue at 2-3 Duke Street, Richmond, and is to expected to open 26th July 2025 at 11am. The venue was previously called Incognito that closed in 2024.

The Crane Tap, the modern restaurant and bar opposite Twickenham Station has closed.

The Masons Arms in Teddington and Express Tavern in Brentford, have both been included in The Telegraph’s expert guide to the 500 Best Pubs in England, compiled by Will Hawkes.

The Sun at 148 Hanworth Road, Hounslow has had a 'make-over' and renamed The Hanworth. The pub reopened in April 2025. See their website: www.thehanworth.co.uk/

Builders Arms in Field Lane, Teddington, is celebrating its 150th anniversary on Saturday June 28th. The pub opens at noon and shuts at 7.30pm for a ticketed disco party. But at 1.50pm, for one hour only, most drinks will be available for £1.50! There is a barbecue from 3 to 5pm. And on July 15th, there is a Windsor & Eton tap takeover with a 'Meet the Brewer' session. All three handpumps will be dispensing W&E ales and the brewer will be on hand to answer your questions.

The George, at 32 King Street, Twickenham is closing for restoration & refurbishment. Now under new management - Morgan Pub Co. and no longer a Greene King pub. It reopens under independent family ownership. See their website: www.thegeorgetwickenham.co.uk/

The Roxie Steak & Tap site at 11 London Road, Twickenham that closed in 2019 has reopened as 'The Rose & Lion'.
roseandliontwickenham.com/

It has been reported on the teddingtontown.co.uk website, that The historic Kings Arms Hotel on Hampton Court Road at Lion Gate next to Hampton Court Palace and opposite the gates of Bushy Park is up for sale.

The annual Hampton Beer Festival takes place on the 6th and 7th of June 2025 and will be held in the Scout Hut at 84-86 Station Rd, Hampton. TW12 2AX. Purchase advance ticket from their website www.hamptonbeerfestival.co.uk/. Three sessions available:

Friday 6th June 6pm-10pm
Saturday 7th June 12pm-4pm (family friendly)
Saturday 7th June 6pm-10pm

The June/July issue of the London Drinker Magazine is now available online: londondrinker.camra.org.uk/LD/2025/LDvol47__HR.pdf

Our appeal to CAMRA for the beer called The Naked Ladies* brewed by Twickenham Fine Ales (TFA) to be re-instated as eligible for inclusion in the list of beers for the Champion Beer of Britain has been TURNED DOWN, despite all the changes TFA have adopted. Our Branch is bitterly disappointed in CAMRA's NE decision.

*Inspired by the statues of water nymphs in York House gardens in Twickenham, known locally as the “Naked Ladies”.

The Cross Lances, 236 Hanworth Road, Hounslow. Paul Thompson, the Tenant, had a meeting with the owner of the property and was told that he had until the end of May to save the pub, otherwise the owner will not renew the lease and the pub will close.

The Cricketers at 79 Kew Green. Now owned by Inda Pubs, a family owned business with nine neighbourhood pubs across West London. Under new management since April 2025.

The Roxie Steak & Tap site on 11 London Road, Twickenham, that has been closed for a number of years is to reopen in early June this summer as a games and entertainment pub under its new name, The Rose & Lion. It is backed by Heineken owned Star Pubs' with a £520,000 investment. The pub will be ran by local award-winning pub operators - Steve Orme and James Thomson.

In May 2024 it was reported that Heineken will reopen 62 pubs that were closed in recent years and invest £39m in refurbishing hundreds of sites across the UK. One of these pubs was the Roxie Steak & Tap site in Twickenham - See BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj5lvgyy5y1o

+++

The Lion pub at 27 Wick Road, Teddington is being advertised by the Stonegate Group as a Retail Partnership Tenancy (RPT) (New to market). See www.stonegatepubpartners.co.uk/find-a-pub/lion-teddington_031526 It has recently been reported by Fleurettes Estate Agents that it has now been sold. The pub closed in December 2022. See also teddington.nub.news/news/local-news/teddington-pub-sold-after-two-years-255649

+++

The Railway Bell pub in Hampton, aka 'The Dip' has been closed since April last year (2024) following the death of longtime licensee, Seamus O'Kane. Ownership then reverted to the Stonegate Group and the pubs freehold is now being offered for sale. With local concerns about the pubs future a 'Save the Dip group' has been setup and now has over 350 members. Locals are invited to join the campaign by emailing savethedip@gmail.com. the group has formally applied to have the pub designated as an Asset of Community Value. See teddington.nub.news/news/local-news/locals-rally-to-save-iconic-hampton-pub-257257

+++

The Jolly Coopers in Hampton has renewed their sign board. The New artwork depicts Henry Cooper and Tommy Cooper (but juxtaposed!).

It's been reported (Teddington Nub News) that after being closed since 2022 the Lion at Wick Rd, Teddington, has been sold by Fleurets (ref. LA-424296) for the Stonegate Group pub chain. The buyer of the pub has not yet been revealed.

The April/May issue of the London Drinker Magazine is now available online: londondrinker.camra.org.uk/LD/2025/LDvol47__HR.pdf

The Prince Albert at at 30 Hampton Road, Twickenham, will be closed for renovations from 31st March. The pub reopens at 3pm Saturday 12th April with live music from 8.30pm.

Fuller, Smith & Turner are to exchange contracts to purchase the freehold of the White Swan in Twickenham. This is expected to be completed on the 19th February 2025.

The Castle (ex Young's landmark pub) at 18 Upper Square, Isleworth is scheduled to close permanently on Sunday 2nd February 2025. The staff in the pub confirmed the rumours that it is to be converted into a nursery. However, there seems no planning applications for change of use have been made.

The George at 32 King Street, Twickenham has been refurbished and reopened 29th Jan 2025. It is under new management and no longer a Greene King pub but now part of the Morgan Pub Collective. www.thegeorgetwickenham.co.uk/

What was previously called Betty that closed in in January 2023 (after less than two years since opening) will be reopening as a new venue called Lil Nashville, a Country Bar & Kitchen on the 31st Jan 2025.

The February/March issue of the London Drinker Magazine is now available online: londondrinker.camra.org.uk/LD/2025/LDvol47_1_HR.pdf

New restaurant called Fabio's has opened on Hampton Hill High Street that was previous called The Beach House - part of the Oakman Inns and Restaurants group. www.fabiosrestaurant.co.uk

New Brand Guidelines for 2025 introduced by CAMRA HQ. These aim to ensure consistency of execution of the new CAMRA brand throughout the organisation and externally. This new logo has been reflected in this website's page banner.

The Builders Arms at 38 Field Lane Teddington, have added a new cask beer to their line-up. Surrey Hills 'Shere Drop' alongside Twickenham 'The Naked Ladies' and Windsor & Eton 'Knight of the Garter'.