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Disappointment of the week with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Hope, Carshalton
Carshalton
SM5 2PR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Hope
I haven't visited the Hope since 2013 and I believe this was only my second visit in all. In all honesty, I'd completely forgotten just how good this pub is. It's certainly in the running for best London pub, especially as traditional backstreet city boozers go.
You enter the pub into what feels like a fairly crowded bar area. However, if you pass around the bar into the back room, there is much more space and plenty of seating, including further space outdoors.
The patient barman really seemed to know his stuff and was happy to provide advice and tasters to customers. There are a couple of regular beers on handpull along the front of the bar, with 5 further cask ales on handpulls at the left-hand side of the bar. Regular beers are Downton New Forest Ale & Windsor & Eton Knight of the Garter. Guests when I arrived were Marble Stout, By The Horns Hopadelic, Drop Project Shifty, Kent Cobnut & Siren Nightshift. No sooner had the Nightshift gone was another beer put on and pulled through by the barman, with Burnt Mill Big Sur Moon appearing in double quick time.
One bag in the box cider (Sandford Orchards Apple & Oak) was on the right-hand side and I later noticed that another cider and a perry were listed on a blackboard near the entrance door (Sandford Orchards Rib Tickler & Gwynt y Ddraig Two Trees Perry). Craft beers are not neglected, with Vibrant Forest Mantra, The Kernel Pale Ale, Verdant Deep In the Woods & Fruit Car Sight Exhibtion, Left-Handed Giant Apricot Sour, Yonder Raspberry Gose, Bianca Road Etna & Marble Birthday Beers No. 9 Peanut Butter & Cacao Imperial Stout all listed on the same board.
The front bar was full of locals, many with their dogs. It was mainly men, with a few women. Although there was a good mix of both younger and older men and women in the rear room. There was no sign of the cat. Food (pot meals) are also advertised on a separate board.
With a friendly atmosphere, professional service, real ciders, a few dark beers (both cask and keg) and a real traditional atmosphere, there is very little scope for improvement in this pub. It's very seldom that I find my second visit to a pub to be better than my first. But this is well worthy of an increase of my score from 8/10 to 9/10.
On 17th March 2023
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Hope
This pub definitely lived up to its name and we really enjoyed our visit. Seven ales on pump, Five Points Pale, Downtown New Forest, Downlands Bramber, Pig and Porter Red Spider, Kissingate Black Cherry Mild, Magic Rock Dark Arts and Windsor & Eaton Knight of the Garter. They also had seven Key Keg and four ciders. The pub also served a good range of food, a specials menu at lunchtime and about eight different hotpot meals from 12-10, priced at £5.50/£6 each. Only that we wanted to visit other pubs in the area, I think we would have stayed most of the afternoon. Always good to see a Ship's Cat in residence too, sat in the window.
On 28th November 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Hope
Happy to keep the general 9/10 theme going here, well described many times below, its a classic traditional pub with the bonus of excellent ale choice as well as being in top condition, on today were Mad Squirrel London Porter and Mr Squirrel,Arbour Oz Bomb,Kent Abandon Hope,Downton New Forest. Weird Beard Dark Hopfler and W&E Knights of the Garter. Craft keg is also in abundance, I succumbed to The Kernel IPA. The top pub in Carshalton by a very long stretch.
On 13th May 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Hope
The destination pub for my crawl and it didn't disappoint. Owned by some ale-loving locals and proof that the concept can work as it was Impressively busy for a Saturday mid-afternoon. Old skool interior within (as mentioned elsewhere, it has a ‘village pub’ feel) - two bars when you enter with aged pub carpet red embossed wallpaper ceiling with modern black beams, low ceiling, varnished half-length panelling and traditional seating. A nautical theme, which begins with the pub’s sign, continues within with some framed prints of ships on the walls and a bar gantry incorporating circular portholes. There’s no TV, music or fruit machines that I could spot. Old pump clips everywhere but arranged by brewery which for a low spectrum OCDer like me was ideal! Apparently there is WiFi but my phone struggled to get it. Fantastic range of ales; Downton New Forest, W&E Knight of the Garter, Dark Star Darkness, Crouch Vale Yakima, Wimbledon Quartermaine, Andwell Resolute, Magic Rock Common grounds plus key keg. I tried three of the ales, which were all in good shape, though a slight gripe in that barmaid didn't point out which was which on delivery. Friendly staff and a convivial atmosphere though I could have done without the drunk Wagner aficionados. I can understand how this one gets so many plaudits, it's a little cracker. 9.5
On 4th July 2017
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Hope
Attractive, multi-CAMRA-award-winning pub with seating around three sides of the central bar area. There is then another two-part room at the back and a covered patio to the rear. Despite being in the depths of suburbia, the traditional furniture and decor give the impression of a village inn. The six handpumps can be found at the left - hand end of the counter, and from the excellent selection in a variety of styles the Crouch Vale (£3.40) was doing particularly good business.
On 30th April 2017
- rating: 9
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Hope
Rather dated 60,s interior and mishmash of rooms added on surprised me as its a top rated pub.Must be the beer and as it was the regular end of month beer fest there were plenty to choose from.Great condition on stillage and handpumps.Very busy and nice to see a good range of ages enjoying the beer.Friendly pub.
On 24th May 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Hope
I arrived here today with high hopes given the pedigree of the place. I'm not a stranger to Carshalton and walking up through from the Croydon road I noticed the Racehorse on the left which I had definitely visited as a Courage pub nearly forty years ago. As has been noted before this is a former Charringon's house, I would guess part of the Croydon Page and Overton estate that Bass Charrington bought up in 1954.
The description of the pub is simple to me, it's a village local and although Carshalton is part of Greater London it is far more like a village than some of the parts of East London that pretentiously describe themselves as such.
There are seven cask ales on offer two of which are permanent, Downton New Forest Ale and Windsor & Eton Knight of the Garter. On my visit the 5 guests were Marble Pint, Brodie's Old Street Pale, Magic Rock Rapture, Red Squirrel London Porter and Clarence & Frederick's Oatmilk Stout.
There was also a keykeg font with Brodie's Big Mofo Stout (£6.80) and two others, one with a Magic Rock offering and one with something foreign.
I went for the Marble (£3.20) and the Oatmilk Stout (£3.60) both of which were in great nick. From my Spoons bubble the prices were high, but I am more than happy to accept that they are reasonable. This is a fantastic pub that was high on my "Must Visit" list but if it wins the CAMRA pub of the year award it will probably get relegated to a new "Leave it for a few years" list.
It's a great place that I would happily return to but somehow it doesn't quite completely do it for me as I prefer more basic town or genuine rural pubs. That is the only very picky thing that stops me scoring it a 10. It is definitely a "must visit" pub.
On 13th December 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about The Hope
Before the local community rescued it, The Hope was, by all accounts, something of a den of iniquity. Now it's a reliable source of well-kept, interesting beers, and I often find myself visiting.
There are regular beer festivals, which tend to fill the pub to capacity, even into the recently opened conservatory. There is a garden available, although you'd need a bit of summer to venture out. The pub website is informative and will list current and cellared ale, which is handy for trip planning.
I daresay most beer lovers in and around London have visited. If you haven't, I'd recommend you give it a go.
On 14th April 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Hope
Featured on the front cover of the latest issue of London Drinker ( October – November 2012 ), is The Hope, recently awarded the accolade of CAMRA London Region Pub of the Year for 2012.
A short walk from Carshalton Station ( Travelcard Zone 6 ) leads to the pub which features a mock Tudor exterior and a pub sign depicting a sailing ship.
In front of us as we enter the pub is what looks like a former brick fireplace with the L shaped bar servery to the left. The bar counter continues over to the other side of the fireplace, but there are no beer pumps or service from here. On the wall here is an old Charrington’s 1757 plaque, perhaps indicative of former ownership. In the corner here is a piano, although its rather cramped position suggest that it’s not a main focus of the pub’s social activities. The seating area continues round to the rear of the pub where there is a bar billiards table and a door to an outside patio.
It’s a comfortable, carpeted, traditional interior featuring a low burgundy coloured ceiling and fake black beams. The nautical theme of the pub sign continues with some framed prints of sailing ships on the walls and a bar gantry that incorporates some circular ships portholes. There’s no TV, music or fruit machines at all.
On my recent Saturday lunchtime visit, the pub was doing a brisk trade, with a good mix of locals, beer enthusiasts and several family groups and couples enjoying the good value home cooked lunches.
The beer range is the main attraction her and pump clips and CAMRA award certificates on display are many. Despite this, it’s very much a community orientated pub with a good group of loyal regulars. The pub is in fact owned by a group of local residents who, so the pub’s website tells us, clubbed together to prevent the pub from closure and conversion to an Indian restaurant in 2010.
Beers are listed on a blackboard and included Windsor and Eton Knights of the Garter, Downton Chocolate and Orange Delight, Liverpool Brewing Co Shipwrecked IPA, Arbor Ales Sonnet, Titanic Oatcake Stout, and, from a new micro brewery in nearby Sutton, Best Bitter from Clarence and Fredericks ( sound more like a pair of poofs to me !). All beers sampled were in good nick, the Titanic Stout proving to be exceptionally moreish. The pub has been a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular over the last few years.
A dark beer festival is planned for 29 November – 1 December. A meet the brewer evening – Arbor Ales – is planned for late November.
Good beers and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere make this pub definitely one to seek out.
On 19th November 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Hope
A destination ale house with a well thoughout out selection of some local ales(Dark Star,WJ King) and guests from further afield such as Red Squirrel Redwood American IPA , Crouch Vale Brewers Gold and a Titanic brew among others on my visit.There is also a good mix of styles available from the seven handpumps. The cosy interior is well described by others,the Mild in May beer festival was in full swing in the garden,and the beers on stillage were in fine form,not always an easy task.It is pleasing that the local community clubbed together to buy this pub,and the admirable policy of no TV or musak has created a drinkers delight.This is a must visit pub ,very convenient for Carshalton station and one that I aim to stay in for much longer on my next trip.
On 27th May 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]