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Beer of the Week (w/e 17th March 2024) with Mobyduck on the Pub Forum

The Rifleman, Twickenham

7 Fourth Cross Road
Twickenham
TW2 5EL
Phone: 02088933836

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Graham Coombs left this review about The Rifleman

A backstreet pub in a residential area now taken over by Twickenham Brewery, but rather nicely still maintaining an authentic Courage exterior. Inside is a clean, modern refurb, retaining the bar, ceiling fake beams and a few other touches, but brightened up with painted walls. A large sports TV is to one side and a real fire to the other, while a corridor takes you back to a patio garden behind. Ales are mainly from Twickenham of course, in top notch condition, changing regularly and often featuring special brews. On this occasion Naked Ladies, Redhead, Winter Warmer and a small batch Coffee Porter, along with Youngs Original. A serious beer pub.

On 14th December 2019 - rating: 8
[User has posted 3296 recommendations about 3233 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Moby Duck left this review about The Rifleman

A tidy little locals pub, quiet on my early afternoon visit but I would imagine it can become quite crowded when showing the advertised rugby and football games on TV. The beer line up was exactly the same as in the previous two reviews and much like Aqualung I found it all rather boring and although my Redhead was in perfect condition its not a beer that excites me.A nice pub, shame about the mainstream and apparently unchanging beer regime.

On 10th October 2014 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1853 recommendations about 1827 pubs]


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Pub SignMan left this review about The Rifleman

Located down a quiet side street in the suburbs of Twickenham, the Rifleman is a pleasant, late-Victorian local's pub. Entering via a decent front patio area with several picnic benches, you find yourself in the main bar with the servery directly opposite. The room runs around the bar in a U-shape and is bare boarded throughout, with a good mix of pew and low stool seating along the front wall underneath frosted windows and dark wood beams. The left hand side of the room was dominated by a large screen which was showing coverage of a Football League play-off match with the commentary just about audible over the hum of conversation. A few bank notes have been framed and put on display, alongside the more obvious rugby themed pictures and a rifle, which is an obvious nod to the pub's name. The right hand side has a lot more bank notes, as well as an impressive fireplace with various pewter tankards stood on the mantle. There are numerous pictures relating to the armed forces on display on this side of the pub and a second screen was showing a tennis match, although no-one was watching and it was eventually switched to the football. A corridor to the rear leads to the toilets, a book swap and a nice looking rear garden. There was a good crowd in on my Sunday late afternoon visit, most of whom seemed to be regulars, although I was afforded a warm welcome as a stranger by the staff and punters alike. The pub had the distinction of winning the 2013 Sign of the Year award from the Inn Sign Society. The image depicts Rifleman Frank Edwards of the London Irish Rifles, who reputedly led his regiment into No Man's Land during the Battle of Loos whilst dribbling a football, earning him the nickname 'The Footballer of Loos'.
There were five ales available on the bank of handpulls when I arrived, although the line-up might be described as a little mainstream, comprising as it did of Taylor Landlord, Youngs Ordinary, Twickenham Redhead, Butcombe Bitter and Ringwood Best. I tried the Redhead, which seemed reasonably priced at £3.65 and I thought it was in very good condition, befitting of a Good Beer Guide listed pub.
I liked the atmosphere in this friendly, lively local's pub very much and stayed much longer than I had initially planned. A more diverse ale selection would certainly encourage me to return sooner, but I suppose with the Sussex Arms just up the road, the beer ticker market is covered, leaving this place to focus on what their customers want. Well worth visiting in combination with the other good pubs nearby.

On 5th June 2014 - rating: 7
[User has posted 3093 recommendations about 3093 pubs]


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Aqualung . left this review about The Rifleman

This is a small old Courage boozer unashamed to display it's previous credentials on the external signage. Inside it's a small single bar with wooden floors and some nice black and white tiling around the bar. It is 2014 GBG listed.
The problem with this place for me was the dull mainstream beer selection consisting of four regular beers, Young's Bitter, Butcombe Bitter, Landlord and Ringwood Best with the only saving grace being a varying beer from the local Twickenham Brewery which on my visit was their Redhead at £3.65. To put this price in perspective it is £1.10 dearer than the Twickenham beer in the (relatively) expensive Twickenham Spoons.
This is very much a local's pub and it may well be that there are proper locals in here that enjoy what for me was a boring beer selection.
As an unspoilt back street boozer I liked it a lot and the Twickenham beer means it is worth a visit. I preferred it here in some ways to the "beer and cider festival" Sussex down the road but wouldn't like to be here when the footbore is showing on one of the screens.

On 3rd May 2014 - rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]


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Kate Gowers left this review about The Rifleman

Despite having lived in and around the Twickenham area (for a somewhat generous definition of 'area'), I'd never visited the Rifleman. This has now been rectified.

To have two excellent pubs (this and the Sussex Arms) within a (say) two mile radius is indeed a treat. The Rifleman is a small pub with eclectic seating, a couple of benches in the front and a lovely rear garden (complete with a wildflower bed). There were four (I think) real ales on when I visited, including Twickenham Vanguard, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Buttcombe and one other (a session ale) whose name I can't remember. These ranged in price from £3.30ish - £3.55 (Landlord) - good prices for SW London. They focus on wet sales - unless you want crisps or a toastie, this is not the place to come for food.

The barman was extremely friendly and knowledgeable, both about the ales and about the pub itself. There are a couple of televisions which were on but on silent (one showing cricket the other Grand Prix) - this, ideally I could do without though I know many people welcome such things.

The loos were clean (and completely intact). In fact, the pub itself was clean and comfortable - a pub I would certainly be pleased to visit again.

On 11th September 2013 - rating: 8
[User has posted 2 recommendations about 2 pubs]


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Malden man left this review about The Rifleman

This is a pleasant backstreet pub with a local feel, most punters were gathered around the bar standing or perched on stools, exchanging banter during the England v Ukraine game being shown on the pub TVs. The single room has a horseshoe bar, beamed ceiling, standard style seating, a wooden floor with tiled chequered bar area plus attractive leaded obscure windows with the original winding opening gear still operational. Decor includes several framed collections of banknotes, green shield stamps, pictures of riflemen/servicemen over a fireplace and a large canoe paddle suspended over the bar. A brass plate plus the pub sign with cockerel signify the pub's previous life as a Courage house.
Five handpumps, one unclipped but a reasonable range of Ringwood Best, Youngs Bitter, Butcombe Bitter and Twickenham Naked Ladies on offer. A decent and vibrant back street pub in an area outside central Twickenham but well worth a mini crawl with the POW, Sussex and Blucher all nearby.

On 13th September 2012 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Luke Prior left this review about The Rifleman

This Pub is now back open, with Courage Best, Youngs Bitter and a Twickenham Ale always on tap... a good selection of lagers and a few other bits and pieces going on. Food is on the way with a brand new kitchen waiting to be installed... so come visit this great local... Quiz nights on monday from 8pm

On 11th April 2011 - rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]


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elizabeth mcgraw left this review about The Rifleman

Closed January 2011

On 19th February 2011 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 252 recommendations about 249 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rex Rattus left this review about The Rifleman

This is another small backstreet locals’ pub. They had Young’s Bitter, Courage Best, and Twickenham Spring Ale on when I visited. The Spring Ale was pretty good at £3 a pint. There was a TV on, playing a radio channel; a games machine was also available for those who fancied their chances of beating a computer; tables were mainly iron framed but with unusually seen tiled tops. There was a collection of old black and white photographs on the walls, and the windows were those rather attractive ones with small, framed panes of glass. The beams on the ceiling were painted black, and the walls up to the dado rail level were painted dark red. This was clearly a Courage pub at one time, as evidenced by the large Courage mirror hanging over the fireplace, and traditional sign of the gold cockerel on a red background hanging beneath the main pub sign outside. This struck as a plain unpretentious backstreet pub, to which I would be happy to pay a return visit if I’m in the area again.

On 20th March 2010 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]