The Bollo House, W4

Dating from 1880, this was originally the Railway Tavern, the origins of the current name – Bollo House – dating from 2001, shortened to the Bollo in 2005. There’s some attractive exterior green tiling, but once inside there’s less titivation; I missed the admittedly very attractive lantern. Otherwise, there’s a modern boarded floor and three-quarter height natural wood panelling topped with dark grey paint, then a mid-grey colour scheme, with a white Anaglypta ceiling. The bar back is a mix of pale wood and bare brick painted pale grey, furniture being mixed conventional, though there’s a substantial gulf between the tables to the periphery and bar, resulting in a yawning no man’s land, though the website shows that once there was furniture here. Tables to the rear are laid for dining (yet not a single diner) and lighting is conventional, whilst décor comprised just a few framed prints; a trip to the bog revealed very swanky lavs. Aside from myself, there were just four other customers, one woman fawning over a dog and making baby voices at it; all other five pubs visited were doing a roaring trade, yet this was ghostly by comparison. A trio of ales: Twickenham Strange Brew, Sambrook’s Wandle and Junction, price forgotten and lacking in condition, served by an antipodean barman who was similarly lacking in condition, judging by his communication skills. This place isn’t bad as such, but it’s deathly dull; the lack of mid floor seating makes the place look a bit windswept and clinical; the Swan is a similar distance from the Tube in the other direction and offers considerably more.

Probably once a decent back street local, this place has seemingly decided to go upmarket, certainly on the food front. Options included roast lamb chump, something called champ, wilted spinach and rosemary jus for a mere £17.50 or roast atlantic cod fillet, pink fir potatoes, spinach, chorizo and aoli, £16.. The lack of pie chips, peas and gravy was a bit of an issue. As a pub however it wasn't that bad, if a bit poncy, an L-shaped room with a polished boarded floor, candles on the tables, a nice fireplace and a domed rooflight. Some exposed brickwork behind the bar, friendly service and the presence of a shelf of games softened the gastro feel a bit. Four real ales on, Ascot Winter Reserve, Sharp's Cornish Coaster, GK IPA and Suffolk Brewery Porter. I'm happy for pubs like this to go a bit foody providing it is not to the detriment of the drinker if that is what they need to keep going. They actually manage this well here, I liked it, felt comfortable but probably will not eat here unless they get some pies and gravy in.

Official site of The Bollo - www.thebollohouse.com

Official site of The Bollo - www.thebollohouse.com