The Queens Head, Pinner

Nice traditional pub which is perfectly described below. Only 3 ales on now that I could see - IPA, Tribute and Landlord. The Tribute was a decent pint. I enjoyed my visit and would call again.

Haven’t been in this one for many a moon but when the wife decided that Pinner Village would be a nice location for a family Sunday evening constitutional I got to choose that we started and ended in the Queens head. This characterful Inn, allegedly dating from 1705 if the sign on the beam behind the bar is to be believed, has had a small makeover since I was last in which fortunately has not affected the traditional décor and it’s still all dark beams, oak wood panels leaded windows and character black and white prints of the pub and Pinner Village in years gone by. But the boring brown seat coverings has been replace with a more modern red upholstery and the old tired wood bar front has been painted white which does help make the interior a bit brighter. But the biggest improvement is that the upgrade has also happened on the beer offerings as well and there are now seven ales available across the bar as well as some more modern craft beer offerings including Brewdog Punk IPA and Meantime Lager on chrome pump. I believe it’s still a GK tied house but the extra pumps do allow an enhanced guest ale policy. A word of warning is that the bar area is in three distinct sections with a glass petition between the main two areas, from when the pub used to be two separate rooms, and the pumps are arrange 3 (the original ones on the main bar section) +2 + 2 meaning you need to have a look at all three sections to see what’s on. And this isn’t necessary straight forward as the braying well-heeled locals referred to below were in dominating the bar stools in front of the bar. For our visits on this particular Sunday, GK IPA and OSH and the Queens Head Pinner IPA were on three of the ale pumps, which I can confirm is another insipid brew from Bury St Edmunds. But then there were three Rebellion Brewery beers with Smuggler, Roasted Nuts and the June monthly Rebellion Monarch as well as the excellent Castle Rock Harvest Pale and all the ones we tried were well kept. There is also a pleasant patio area out back beyond the toilets, which is next to the pub car park. But if you come here by car be warned that not only is parking in Pinner a nightmare but this is another pub who have sold the rights off to an external parking management company, in this case the bandits that are Premier parking, and if you don’t register your 100% correct registration number at the bar you will be hit with a £100 fine, which will make it one of the most expensive pints you ever have. We didn’t eat here but there is a limited Pie and Mash menu and then a more extensive Barrel & Stone pizza menu which I found a little bit surprising considering that Pinner Village is full of chain Italian Pizza restaurants such as the Pizza express just next door. Perhaps that’s all the well-heeled of Pinner eat.

Only pub in the centre of Pinner that was open on a Saturday afternoon. The oddfellows was closed for a private party. Lovely old building, nice interior, seven real ales. The Rebellion Mutiny was in perfect condition. Liked this place. Photos at my walking blog - http://bit.ly/2bDIqNc

The ales on when I visited last week were Greene King Abbot, Rebellion Mutiny (£1.95 a half), and something called Queen's Head Pinner IPA. Neither of the two barmaids knew who brewed it, but although I have my suspicions I didn't invest in a half to confirm them. I didn't see any signs of food or menus when I dropped in at around 2.15 PM on Thursday, but it looks the sort of place that would do food at the appropriate times. This place claims to be Pinner's oldest pub, and it certainly looks the part. It's claimed that there's been an inn on the site since 1540, and a sign on the exterior propounds the theory that there may have been an inn here as far back as 1336. You can see from the exterior that the timber framing looks pretty ancient, and inside there are low ceilings, and black beams everywhere suggesting great age. The walls have some attractive fielded wood panelling on them, but this is most unlikely to be an original feature. As well as the history and great age of the pub, it's also an excellent pub in other respects. It's carpeted; it's furnished mainly with normal tables and chairs except for uphilstered seating in the window bays. I didn't see any fruit machines or other unnecessary mechanical distractions, and although there may have been a TV lurking somewhere I didn't spot it. The music was playing so softly that one had to listen closely to hear it. I liked this pub. It had a nice homely feel to it, and it oozed character.

Official site of The Queens Head - www.queensheadpinner.co.uk