The Goose, Fulham, SW6

This was my sole venture into SW6 on the evening to replace the planned visit to the Old Oak! It is indeed a large pub, busy on my visit around 7pm. Not much to add to the physical description below other than noting after the rain has seemingly abated the outside space at the back was also popular. It is quite classy with all the booths, leather backed banquettes and good quality furniture inside generally for a pub of its type. Whilst the music was decent as a playlist is was turned up way too loud and so drowned out the chatter in the pub. Also the ambiance is degraded by what feels like oversized games machines dotted around the interior - indeed they would look effing huge and oppressive to the extreme on a smaller venue with lower ceilings. Beer wise there were three hand pumps one kicking out TT Landlord (have been seeing a lot of it of late) and a St Austell beer called Beatrix’s plus one turned round clip that was Tribute. I had a pint of the Beatrix’s, which was comprehensively off (Sarsons anyone). There were a lot of taps offering lager upon lager upon lager (can’t be asked to list), a couple of big standard ciders, Guinness, John Smiths (compulsory in a venue that shows evening racing), Neck Oil and the standard Brixton offerings. Had hoped this would have been a bit better but when do you ever get good or great in pubs this size. Right back to the more reliable W14 and some chips and salt needed to go with my vinegar!

Dating in some form from at least the early 19th century, though most likely rebuilt later in the century, this was originally the Crown, part of the Goose chain since 1996. It’s a large L-shape, with photos on the website’s gallery; sport TV and games machines are big here as is the screaming baby, though thankfully given the size of the pub, I could retreat to a quieter area. What was new to me, was the inflatable Guinness ‘bouncy castle’ rugby goalposts flanking the exit; charming. There are framed prints of the area from yesteryear and Six Nations bunting. Customers were either transient types, old geezers or ladz. An odd ale selection here, with one unused pump, Doom (reversed), then Marlow’s Rebellion IPA (reversed) and Rebellion Smuggler at a very cheap £2.05 a half and quite a nice, traditional tasting beer, served by a taciturn landlady. This is a rather downbeat place, which has seen better days; the TVs, Six Nations bunting and gimmicks along with games machines aren’t something that attracts me; on the plus side, the pub has anti-corruption, anti-slavery and privacy policies, so it’s not all bad.