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Beer of the Week (w/e 14th April 2024) with Thuck Phat
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Detail Pages
The Lucky Rover, Chessington
Hook
Postal town: Chessington
KT9 1NY
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Lucky Rover
As I entered the depressing sight of three handpumps all with clips reversed greeted me. But on the offchance of being a lucky rover myself I asked if they had any ale on – you never know, there might be an unnoticed handpump hiding in the other bar. It’s worth asking, as the barman informed me that the Doom Bar (£3 a pint) was ready and promptly turned the clip round and pulled me a pint. A few minutes later a Harvey’s Best clip was turned forward on one of the other pumps, so real ale is available here. There were menus on the tables, but I didn’t get to examine one as they were whisked away, as they presumably stopped serving food when I dropped in just before 3.00 PM on Wednesday.
I found the inside of the pub to be reasonably attractive – clean banquettes, matching upholstered small stools, and standard square wooden tables. The walls are dark painted half height panelled, with dark painted beams on the top half of the walls and ceiling. I think it’s a bit of a faux country pub, although Chessington would once have been deep in the countryside.
There were a half dozen or so apparent regulars in, most being intent on the racing being shown on the TV. The main room extends to the left into another room just about separated by a brick built fireplace. A few plates and the like on the walls, plus a few horse brasses here and there, provided decor in keeping with the ambience of the place. I quite liked this pub. It’s probably not worth going to Chessington just to visit this pub, but I found it comfortable, the service friendly, and it’s certainly worth dropping in for a pint if you’re in this part of Chessington.
On 25th March 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Lucky Rover
Originally operating as a grocers and butchers, the Lucky Rover has been around since at least the 1850’s when the area began to expand after the improvements made to what is now Hook Road and the introduction of the railway through Surbiton.
Today this is a relatively cosy and relaxing pub that, when I lived in Hook 30 years ago, was better known to me for its bus stop than its beers. Externally, the building still retains a cottage like character with a couple of benches on the pavement outside. Inside, the bar is divided into a main bar with a small side section to the left hand side in what appears to have once been a separate but rather narrow building. Both bars are carpeted and similarly decorated with a few brass bits, plates, dangly pots and pans, a couple of flat screen TV’s and in the main bar, a jukebox and a small face-on [portrait of the pub. The smaller side has a signed London Irish rugby shirt on display above the fireplace and from the few Guinness related odds and sods I suspect there is a bit of an Irish presence within the ownership or management.
The 3 hand pumps contained Harveys Best (doubkled up on 2 pumps) and Courage Best. The Harveys at £3.10 was the most expensive pint in town but not what I would call unreasonable for Surrey and the quality was at least better than some of its competitors. The presence of London Drinker magazines shows that they do at least show some interest in their beers.
If I still lived in Hook I would certainly make more use of the place now than I did all those years ago although the pub isn’t really anything so special that it would warrant a specific journey.
On 14th April 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Lucky Rover
This is a comfortable homely type of pub with a cottage feel despite being situated on the busy A243. The bar is straight ahead on entering and the pub wraps around each side with the left area being accessed either side of a large chimney thus having the feel of a separate area. Carpeted, banquette and small stool seating plus a few bar stools. The ceiling and walls have fake black timber beams, and decor includes plates, a few brass artifacts and a drawing of the pub. There are a couple of screens that were on mute during my visit while the juke box played.
Three handpumps but two reversed unfortunately leaving just Courage Best. One reversed was clearly Harveys but I couldn't see the other.
There was a lively buzz about the place on Saturday evening and despite the disappointing beer choice I enjoyed my short stay here and would drop by again hopefully when the Harveys is available.
Some seating to the front (usually occupied by people waiting for a bus) and I saw a sign giving directions to a garden area to the rear.
On 30th January 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Lucky Rover
The Lucky Rover is a small U-shaped pub with a couple of plasma screens for showing horse racing and a jukebox that was playing some classic rock hits when I visited one evening just before Christmas. There’s a little fireplace that was crackling away as some locals enjoyed a game of poker. As I was half way through a decent pint of Guinness a couple of blokes sat next to me and stared up a game of cribbage meaning that half of the people in the pub were engaged in some sort of gambling card game. This was the quietest place I encountered during a crawl of the area, but everyone seemed to be local and I was made to feel very welcome. Alongside a standard draught selection the bar supports three hand pumps, two of which were drawing Harveys Best and the other Courage Best pump was off.
There are three picnic tables set back from the path outside the front of the pub and a bus stop is directly adjacent.
I liked it in here and would have no problem returning.
On 19th January 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]