London Pub Tour 36 - Heathrow: Three Bells and Five Tuns

So on this London Pub tour I've covering two of the landside pubs I visited in Heathrow. The first I visited was the Three Bells (TW6 1AD - T3) back near the middle of November last year. I had popped down to wave off some of the other half's family though they were heading in different directions and had different flight times. So in between the two flights we stopped off at the Three Bells for food and a drink. the pub itself feels quite hidden upstairs in T3 as it's right down the far end from security near the toilets. The pub itself looked very gastro from the outside and this should have been expected considering it was a Geronimo (aka Youngs). Through the large entrance opening (no doors) you can see a large horse shoe bar. on the right of the entrance is a soft seating area with a carpet floor, bookcases, flowers and an open fire. This is a very cosy seating area and as it's away from the main noise of the airport is good to relax. The whole pub has a vintage rustic look, with bookcases or wall features separating areas. The remainder of the pub is normal low or high tables with plenty of space between tables for all the bags.

The pub wasn't too busy and there were plenty of tables and sofas available. As I was eating a low table was justified. The food menu was quite limited and I ended up going for the buttermilk chicken burger. The beer selection was okay for an airport pub offering three hand pumps which at the time were Young's Bitter, Doombar and Bombardier. On keg there was Fosters, Guinness, Becks Vier, Aspalls Suffolk, Peroni, London Lager, London IPA, Camden Hells, Camden Pale and Heineken. I opted for a pint of Young's London IPA which I've found hit and miss with my tastes over time. Sadly this time it was more of a miss and it wasn't so refreshing as the last time I had it, nor did it suit the food so well. We received table service the whole time we were there and the service was faultless. There wasn't a long waiting time to receive the drinks or the food. I could certainly see myself perhaps opting to have a few bevs in here before boarding my flight rather than on the usually more chaotic departure side pubs. My phone was low and there were plenty of charging slots all around the pub, including multiple charging points on all the high tables.

My next visit to Heathrow dropping off family occurred in March and this time at Terminal 5. This was my first visit to Terminal 5 and as a piece of architecture it was beautiful but for landside shops it certainly was bare. Thankfully there was a pub the Five Tuns (TW6 2GA - T5) which so happened to be a Geronimo's. This pub was on the main concourse just a short walk from the security gates but there wasn't much passing traffic and T5 felt quiet. The pub again had a large open front but was a smaller pub than the Three Bells. The pub also lacked the more comfortable seating area that was in the Three Bells. A large horse show bar was straight ahead in the middle with bar stools available. Low tables were on both sides of the bar offering plenty of seating for diners. The tables were closer together and this was due to an area at the front being reserved for bag storage.

The service here wasn't as great and it took a while for drinks to be delivered and having to chase for items missed. I opted for the fish and chips though regretted that choice as I've realised I'm not a huge battered fried fish guy any more. Someone ordered the pie which look very small and more pastry than filling. The pub offered a similar range of beers on keg which included Amstel, Peroni, Guinness, London Lager, Heineken and Aspalls Suffolk. There were only two ales on which were a choice of Doombar or Young's Bitter. I opted for a pint of the Meantime Lager which went down very nicely on this hot day. After finishing my drink I did order another but this time from the bottle selection and as I was seeing off my other half's family I opted for Erdinger Alkoholfrei. As a 0% beer it was quite tasty but obviously lacking in the alcohol taste you would get from the regular Erdinger. When about half way through the beer I just so happened to turn around the bottle and notice the expiry date on the back which stated October 2012! The beer was 5 bloody years past its best before. I informed the waitress that the beer stated it was well past it's best before although it didn't taste off to me at all. She checked and confirmed the rest were past their best before as well so I'm guessing they hadn't sold any of these since opened the pub. I got it taken off the bill but did finish the rest of the beer as it didn't taste skunked at all.

So two different terminals with landside pubs run by the same company but two totally different experiences. The Three Bells was enjoyable and relaxing whilst the Five Tuns was, well poorly run. Lessons to note are at Terminal 5 head straight through to the air side pubs.

London Pub Tour 29 - Wandsworth: Waterfront, Royal Standard & Alma

Last time I was down in Wandsworth I had popped down just to visit the Cat's Back a Harvey's pub, and before I headed home managed to squeeze in a visit to The Ship, a Young's pub by the river. I decided to head back and knock off the three other pubs in the small area near the station. My first stop was The Waterfront (SW18 1TS) a modern Young's pub built under a new build tower facing out onto the Thames. Young's seem to have made it their style now to open most of their new pubs in new developments which face onto the River Thames. The Waterfront has been around since 2006 and has generally been one of the quieter Young's pubs due to the surrounding area still being developed.

To enter the pub you need to turn just off the Thames path and enter from the side, as there is no front entrance leading onto the river. The pub is large inside, helped by the majority glass exterior letting in lots of light. There is an outside area on either side of the pub with lots of seating, covers and heaters. The very large square bar is set right in the middle of the pub with the area in front set for casual drinking and the area towards the rear serving as formal dinning. In between the two areas, on one side, there is a very large booth that could seat 15 people which I assume is used by after work groups. Also towards the front is an open gas fire.

The bar had 9 hand pumps which between them offered up Grandstand, Special or Bitter. On the keg front there was more selection with the standard Young's offering of London IPA, Guinness, Estrella, Hells and Hells Unfiltered, Fosters, Peroni, Yakima Red and Heineken. There were some craft beers from Brixton and brew by numbers (I believe) but I opted for the London IPA and a packet of spuds, which came to £6.90. The pint was smooth and went down well even on a windy day. There were only a handful in the pub and some music was playing lowly in the background. This sort of pub is perfect to visit on this type of day, and sit reading a book, watching the river and the people go by. After sipping and enjoying my pint I made my way away from the banks of the Thames, inwards towards Wandsworth Town station on Old York Road. I avoided the obvious pub directly opposite the station to The Alma (That was my next stop) and instead turned away from the Alma and a few metres down Podmore Road I arrived at The Royal Standard (SW18 1AL).

It's quite surprising how many people are unaware of this pub, even though it can be seen from the Alma. The Standard is a small looking corner pub, has the look of an old back street boozer. Upon walking in the corner door the bar seems quite empty of furniture and seems small. The bar is just against the wall and itself is not too large either. There were two hand pumps with only one in use offering Doombar. On the keg front there was Lagunitas IPA, Fosters, Freedom Authentic Lager, Orchard Pig Reveller, Guinness, Hop House 13, 1664 and Peroni. I selected a pint of Lagunitas for £5.60 which is reasonably priced for a 6.2% beer. The beer itself is very hoppy and this hides the flavour of any alcohol you would be expecting.

There were only 3 other customers in the pub and one of those was sat chatting with the barman. The pub has a wood floor with some small tables placed along the outside, and a set of sofas at the rear. There is a dart board alongside the bar, and sport on TV. On the walls there is lot of ruby memorabilia, which makes sense as this is a rugby area. There is a smoking patio/garden out the back. I've been in this pub previously and at times it can get very busy but today it was relaxed but I feel this is a pub that requirements more of a buzz going on rather than the relaxation like at Waterfront.

I managed to finish my pint quite easily and walked back up the road to the Alma (SW18 1TF). This is a large corner pub that looks very attractive, and is conveniently located directly opposite the railway station. This is a Young's pub and it also has a hotel, with a separate entrance area just slightly further down the road. The main entrance is on the corner through the curved doors. The pub is open plan with a large square bar in the centre. There is seating all around the outside of the bar ranging from sofas to small tables and high tables. There are function rooms upstairs and a dinning room in the rear. The bar is a dark wood which differs from the more pale wood of the floor. The walls are dark green up to waist height and light green from there up, and onto the ceiling.

Unlike some other pubs with square bars, this one does offer service on all sides. The bar has 14 hand pumps with three on the shorter sides and four on the longer. The ales on the pumps were a mix of Gold, Special, Bitter, Grandstand, Wandle and Pale Ale. The tap offering was standard for Young's with the likes of 1664, Camden Pale, Estrella, Guinness, Hells and Heineken. The only slight difference was the offering of Yakima Red and Neck Oil. I though had my eye on the fridge where there was a selection of beers in bottles and cans from breweries I'd yet to try. I ended up going for a can of Backstage IPA by Signature Brewery. There is a nice hand written looking label on the can but aside from that nothing much stands out from the beer. There was a fruit aroma and a slight orange peel taste and the beer was drinkable.

The toilets at the Alma are downstairs, and on the way you pass the wine cellar which is behind bars. The cellar adds to the pubs lure, and it's certainly well worth a visit, though I would recommend avoiding rugby days, as this is the pub everyone gravitates towards. The pub wasn't busy so I managed to get a table and from here I seen a bar tended being trained on how the pour the perfect Guinness, which is less regularly taught nowadays in pubs.

After finishing off my drink I walked across the road to the station to head home. Wandsworth Town Centre is just around the corner and has quite a few pubs but these will have to wait for another day.

London Pub Tour 18 - Vauxhall: Nine Elms Tavern, Riverside, Royal Oak and The Beehive

I was back south of the river again (just) for my next London Pub Tour, taking in some of the pubs in the Vauxhall area. I started by heading slightly down Nine Elms road to one of the newest pubs in the area, Nine Elms Tavern (SW8 5BP). This pub is in the new US embassy district and no doubt once the place opens up later this year, this pub will become busy every evening after work. At present the few occasions I've popped in this place has been empty and this time was no different.

The pub, like most new pubs, is underneath some Thames side flats, facing the river. Upon walking through the doors the bar is directly in front, with all the remainder of the pub accessed by turning right. There is an upstairs with quite a bit of seating, and from this area the design of the pub feels slightly ship based, with the supporting beams feeling like a ships mast. The downstairs has large round booths, with large tables in the middle, allowing big groups of 8 people to sit and drink in comfort. This is by all means a very modern bar in design but it pulls it off well and due to not being noisy/busy is easy to relax in having a quite chat with a friend or reading a book over a pint.

On offer were 3 ales: Winter Warmer, London Gold and Young's Bitter. The lagers offered up included Hells, Peroni, Estrella, London IPA, Guiness, 1664 and Fosters. I surveyed their bottle beer range and selected one of their Briton beers, Atlantic APA. The bottle was 330ml and 5.4% in ABV. I also had a packet of crisps to accompany from the Tyrells range, and the total came to £6.80. The beer was very floral but easy tasting and the hops were not overpowering, which is just the way I like it. There were only about 3 others in the pub, though some did start to arrive as I was finishing off my bottle.

I retraced my route to the Nine Elms tavern, back to Vauxhall and into another Young's Thames pub - Riverside (SW8 2LE). I'm quite familiar with Riverside as when it opened it was the local pub near where my work was based. Much like most of the Young's (Rams) Pub estate the outside hanging sign has been updated to just displaying the initial letter of the pub name, fitting into a scenery that matches. I do appreciate the design work that goes into these signs, but I feel they're less distinct and at a quick glance all you see is a letter, making all the Young's look very similar. I see they continue to update signs in their estate and assume these will happen for all their pubs, just wonder what their doing with the old ones?

Riverside offers a better view of the Thames than the Nine Elms, particularly with the outside heated seating. This wasn't in use today due to it being January, so everyone was inside. It's hard to tell which is the main entrance for this pub, but I walked in the doors from where the seating area is and the bar is at the far side. Along the window facing out to the Thames are lots of comfy seats and smaller tables. On the left there are more seats near an open modern gas fire. Directly opposite and running parallel to the bar is some high cushion seating. To the left of the bar is the dinning area and toilets. The bar is a large oval bar, though the rear is not used for service, and the area behind the bar had single seater booths. These are my preferred seats on busy days as you can seat with a mate with your own table and comfy seat and chat. Sadly the keg and pump selection offered at Riverside was exactly the same as the Nine Elms, except for the addition of a New Year Ale from Young's. I resisted and went for a pint of the London IPA. At £5.30 it's not worth the price, but it at least tasted better than the last pint of it I'd had.

The pub was starting to get busy with after work drinks crowd, so I moved onwards to my next pub the Royal Oak (SE11 5QY) which is a short walk from vauxhall train station heading towards Kennington. This is an Irish style bar, not the Irish theme bar of the 90s but an old school Irish boozer. The pub is not that wide, with the bar on the left and red booth style seating opposite on the right. At the end of the pub is an open  area with table seating. This is where most of the punters were, seated down the end watching the horse racing and Trump's inauguration. On one wall at the end was an electronic advertising display board, near to this was a juke box, quiz machine and a wall with trophies and photos. The pub has a worn look about it, but felt comfortable. There is an outside area for smokers to go. Behind the bar were leprechaun teddies which would hopefully inform those not in the know, that this is a Irish pub.

There were two hand pumps offering either Doombar or Cornish Coaster. On Keg there was a standard offering of Guinness, Guinness Extra Cold, Stella, Fosters, 1664, Carling, Heineken, John Smith and Strongbow. Out of this selection I would normally go for Guinness, Stella, Heineken or Strongbow, which all depends on my mood and the weather. I went for stella and a pack of Tayto's, and was surprised the stella was only £4.30. I relaxed in one of the empty booths and caught a bit of the inauguration, which to be honest wasn't high on my interest agenda. After finishing my pint I made my way round the corner to the Beehive (SE11 5JA).

The Beehive resides on a busy road junction and stands out with its mock tudor beams. The outside of the pub is great to look out but the inside differs entirely from what you may be expecting. The inside is very modern and open plan. The horseshoe bar is right in the centre of the pub, with some sparse sofa seating around the edges. This leaves large spaces around the bar area, which makes sense when you think that this pub is right next to Oval cricket ground. Considering the three pubs I had walked into already I was even more shocked to see that the Beehive was rammed packed with standing room only. On tap the selection was the lowest out of all the pubs today offering Heineken, 1664, Amstel, Fosters, Symmonds and Strongbow Cloudy. On cask there was Pride and Doombar. I selected a pint of Heineken and luckily found a drink resting space in the pub.

Looking around it seemed to be a few different work gatherings, and it's the first time I've seen the Beehive this busy outside of Cricket days. There is a small outside garden through the glass doors for the smokers to gather in. There was some awful club music playing trying to compete with the volume of the customers. After finishing up my pint I headed back to the Royal Oak for another pint of Stella in quieter (yet slightly busier than before) surroundings.

Not much beer choice on this pub tour but overall the pubs themselves were quite good, even if they were at the extremes of busy or quiet.