The Hand in Hand, SW2

Pub SignMan left this review about The Hand in Hand

Smart local’s boozer doing a roaring trade on my mid-week visit, thanks to a surprisingly diverse crowd for what feels like a bit of an ‘old man’s pub’. The interior has a roughly U-shaped layout based around a centrally positioned servery which has seating on three of its sides. The room is carpeted for the most part, with tub chairs down the right-hand side and high tables and stools to the front and left. The bar has a timber fronted counter draped with Six Nations flags, and a modern brick and wood bar back which looks like a relatively recent addition, perhaps after the pub was opened out from a former multiple-room layout. Pleasant little fireplaces with tiled hearths and surrounds, can be found on either side of the room, one with the pub noticeboard above it, the other sporting a plain mirror. The décor throughout is a bit bland and what little of interest there was, had generally been covered in Six Nations promotional tat, but despite all this, the pub still felt rather cosy and inviting thanks to the muted lighting, including strings of fairly lights, which helped create a nice ambiance. A couple of TV screens were showing muted sports channels whilst a Euro disco soundtrack banged away in the background, so your appreciation of the pub’s cosiness may well depend on your tolerance level for such distractions. To the rear left, there is a slightly raised games room area with some limited seating, a pool table and a dartboard.
On the bar, just Sharps Atlantic as the lone ale choice, although a ‘Coming Soon’ clip for Exmoor Gold was also spotted. The friendly barman struggled to pour a pint of the lively Atlantic, but once he’d succeeded, it turned out to be a fairly decent drop.
I came here with fairly low expectations and was surprised by how much I enjoyed my time here. It’s an unpretentious local’s boozer that seems to be appealing to a good cross-section of the community and offers a bit of something for everyone, with a decent pint of ale and friendly service being enough to keep me happy through my time here. Worth a look if you happen to be in the area.

On 18^th September 2023 - rating: 6
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