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The Andover Arms, Hammersmith, W6
W6
W6 0DL
Pub Type
Fuller'sReviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Andover Arms
Dating from 1853, this place is on CAMRA’s inventory of pubs with significant interiors, this being of Some Regional Importance, poorly illustrated on their website.
Bare boarded, the walls are no longer grey but whitish with attractive little recesses, the whole being moderately characterful. Furniture is conventional, with lighting coming from Wellington lights and candle sconces. The minor treat here though is the bar array. The pot shelf features a carved parapet and snob screens, supported by Solomonic columns. The rear includes lovely sections of polychromatic glass and gilded mirrors. Customers were mainly young, few in number – the Anglesea was full – some rather potty mouthed, another seated with a loud whining dog.
Being a Fuller’s house, there was Hophead (missed due to barholes), then a two of their dull beers in the form of Seafarer and Pride at £2.40 a half, served by a friendly barmaid which tasted…well…of Pride (the beer obviously, not the barmaid).
What with the potty mouthed customers, whimpering dog and dull ale selection, I don’t envisage a return visit; the Thatched House is better, the neighbouring Anglesea more so.
On 23rd January 2022
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Andover Arms
Backstreet Fuller's outlet. The L shaped interior has had an ill-advised grey paint job which has buried some of the character, though some bits remain such as a small row of snob screens at the bar and an ornate structure which now houses the wine list but what I think may have been part of the bar. Two ales over three sticks, Seafarers and Pride, the latter of which tasted a little old to me (NBSS 2). If you're crawling the area is worth a stop but it isn't a standout. Maybe things have gone downhill since the last batch of reviewers were in a few years back, I couldn’t see why it’d score so highly now. 5.5
On 1st July 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
BobOs . left this review about Andover Arms
An excellent back-street Fullers pub ably described by those before. The welcome was warm, the service efficient, the beers well-kept and the food - despite having a chaotic effect on my diet - was most excellent. With regard to the snob screens, I am positive they are reproductions as the quality of construction is not up to Victorian standards of pub furniture and also there is no evidence in the current bar woodwork of former partitions, which would have been a given if snob screens were actually in use.
On 27th February 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 370 recommendations about 355 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Andover Arms
This is a smart and well hidden back street Fullers pub. You enter into the main bar area, which is L shaped with bare floorboards, loads of bar stools along the dark wood servery and some standard seating with a mix of nice tables around the perimeter of the room. The servery interestingly has a small section of snob screens, which I would like to think are original, although they do look a bit odd in their isolated state. The whole bar area was lit by fairy lights on my early evening visit, which sounds quite naff, but actually created quite a pleasant effect and this subdued lighting sat nicely with the dark wood surrounds, creating a warm, restful ambiance. The room extends to the right where there is a fairly unmemorable seating area with some rugs on the floor and a lot of small pictures on the walls, whilst to the left the room extends to a rear dining room with skylights and a small lit fireplace. The décor is fairly eclectic with an ancient looking grandfather clock vying for attention with a flat screen TV (which was thankfully turned off), an upright piano and a large wood pile. A music hall style soundtrack played throughout my stay which seemed to fit in very nicely with the overall feel of the pub. Various bar snacks were available on the bar counter including a big jar of pickled eggs, whilst the day’s newspapers were stacked in the front windowsill.
Three Fullers beers were on during my stay – London Pride, Chiswick and Jack Frost – plus a guest in the shape of Arkells Wiltshire Gold. I gave the latter a try and was pleased to receive a tasty and well kept pint from the very friendly and welcoming staff.
I thought this pub was very classy and had a clear vision of how it should present itself. There are plenty of back street Fullers pubs across the capital, many of which fail to register in the memory, but this place really stood out for me and I would look it up again the next time I’m in Hammersmith.
On 14th January 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Andover Arms
Tucked away in a maze of residential streets, this traditional Fullers pub has a real 'local' atmosphere that comes as something of a surprise in this affluent area. Narrow 'L'-shaped bar, with many people standing when busy but some wooden seats with cushions at one end. Six handpumps: 2x Pride, 2x Chiswick, plus Hooky Bitter and Elgoods Black Dog (£3.70) as guests on my recent visit. Well worth seeking out.
On 12th March 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Andover Arms
This was my first visit since the much-maligned refurbishment, and although I preferred it as it was, with its more basic backstreet boozer appeal, I have to be honest and admit that I still quite like it as it is now. It’s now bare-boarded in keeping with its new trendy identity, but with some rugs to break up the floor space, and soak up some of the noise. The furnishings are OK, comprising all manner of round, square, and rectangular solid wood tables, with normal chairs. The bar counter is still right in front of you as you enter, with a seating area to the right, with more seating wrapped around the bar on the left, leading to a small room at the back that is well lit by skylights. This room contains a large rough hewn solid wooden table which could seat eight or nine people round it. I wouldn’t have wanted to be one of the poor sods who had to move that thing in here. There’s also a portrait of someone I didn’t recognise in here.
Being a Fuller’s house the ales are no surprise, except that I was a bit surprised that the only ales they had on were Festival, Chiswick, and the ubiquitous London Pride. That was a bit of a shame, as I fancied a pint of ESB and was sure that I would get one here. An example of its attempt to move upmarket is the stuff they put on the bar counter – jars containing pickled eggs, olives, various nuts, and a wicker basket containing packets of crisps. A big plus – for me anyway – is the absence of one-armed bandits and games machines, and I quite liked the laid back music they were playing, including some Nina Simone, jazz, and big band classics. I have the feeling that this will remain a real pub despite the upmarket makeover because I believe that is what its customers want it to be. I’d need to visit at some different times to be sure of this, but I sincerely hope that I’m right. Anyway, I still found this to be a decent place to relax and enjoy a pint, and would be happy to visit again.
On 18th May 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Andover Arms
Medium sized quiet pub in the back streets of Hammersmith well away from the noise and bustle of the Broadway and King street.Fuller's beers on sale.
On 5th August 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Oliver left this review about Andover Arms
Excellent range of Fuller's beers and Gale's HSB. Friendly atmosphere with added bonus of Thai restaurant attached. Complete with friendly pub cat!
On 2nd July 2007
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]