The Ship, Mortlake, SW14

I’ve visited this pub a number of times now over the last few years, and it has remained essentially unchanged. The ale range generally is from the ranks of the usual suspects, but on the last couple of occasions the guest ale has been interesting – I’ve had Bath Gem in the past, and today they had on O’Hanlon’s Dragon’s Ale. The Dragon’s Ale was just fine and very welcome after the walk from Barnes. This pub has a great location with superb river views and lots of outside seating to the side and rear of the building. Food seems to be standard pub fare; I didn’t eat on my most recent visit, but on a previous visit I had a pretty reasonable burger and chips, my wife had an excellent beef and ale pie. It has to be said that there’s nothing particularly special about the inside of the pub that I could see, but it’s comfortable enough and the service was as good as I expect in a pub. Definitely worth going for the setting.

Situated in the shadow of, and dwarfed by, the former Watneys Brewery is The Ship, an attractive looking pub on the corner of a row of large Georgian houses that extends down to nearby Chiswick Bridge. The pub’s main claim to fame is that it is the nearest pub to the finishing line of the annual Oxford – Cambridge Boat Race. As we approach the pub, a partially turquoise painted frontage is initially discouraging, but inside is a pleasant and roomy, if somewhat unremarkable pub that has now been absorbed into Punch Tavern’s Taylor Walker branded portfolio. It’s a large pub with the usual mixture of seating, sofas and tables and a raised small carpeted seating area at the front which affords views of the river across the road. Room is found for a dartboard in one corner, although I didn’t see anything to suggest it’s in regular use. There’s some exposed brickwork and an old fireplace, close to which is a flat screen TV. Down one side is a large conservatory which leads out to the outside seating, which extends round to the back of the pub. There’s hardly any seating at the front of the pub, which restricts the ability to watch the river and the boat traffic, but it’s still a large outdoor area and very popular. The usual standard food menu is available and it is clear that this is a destination pub for families on sunny summer weekends, accompanied by the almost inevitable noisy kids and dogs. Like Ye White Hart, a short walk away along the towpath, it’s popular with passing walkers and cyclists. Visiting on an early mid week evening I found mainly locals present, watching avidly Deal or No Deal on the largish TV, interrupted occasionally by the passing cyclist or riverside walker. Beers on were Youngs London Gold, London Pride and Sharps Atlantic IPA., the latter being in splendid form and notably cheaper at £ 3.34p than the lower gravity Cornish Coaster that I had just had in Ye White Hart. On an earlier weekend visit a few days previously, Marstons Celebration and Brains Milkwood were on.