The Green Man, Hatton, Feltham

This is a traditional, two bar pub near Hatton Cross station and directly under the flight path for the neighbouring Heathrow Airport. The pub feels like its a bit out on a limb, not seemingly close enough to any residential area to pick up regular custom, but it appeared to be doing a modest trade on my Saturday evening visit. You enter via a concrete front garden which occupies a wide space, filled with benches that are ideal for plane spotting. Inside, the pub is bare boarded throughout, with white tongue and groove panelled walls and criss-crossing dark ceiling beams, some of which are so low that they've had to be padded to avoid injuries. The bar is opposite the entrance and has a slightly scuffed, tongue and groove panelled counter front, pleasant leaded pane gantry and tidy dark wood bar back. The left side of the pub is more of a dining area filled with standard tables and chairs and a few low stools. A nice brick fireplace and chimney stands on the end wall and there are a few random pictures on display. Meanwhile, the right side has a public bar feel, offering limited tub chair and low stool seating, a less appealing brick fireplace full of bright flowers, and a juke box to one side. A TV screen was showing Saturday evening ITV programming for no reason other than to keep the barmaid entertained. The noise of planes going overhead was both thrilling and slightly terrifying, and I noticed that some of the window seats were designated as ideal for plane spotters, which I thought was a nice touch. The pub made a random appearance in the Good Beer Guide a while back, so I had some hopes for a decent pint of ale. Options on this visit were Greene King Abbot Ale and Festiv-ale (£4.95 a pint) and Morland Old Golden Hen. My pint of Festiv-ale was pretty ropey to say the least, whilst the bar staff ranged from cheery and welcoming to resolutely expressionless. I think I'll forever remember this pub visit for the roar of the jet engines passing directly overhead at decidedly low altitudes, and for that very reason, it's worth popping in for the novelty value. However, the pub itself is stuck in that limbo between traditional boozer and food-led establishment, failing to nail either and seemingly letting standards drop if the beer quality is anything to go by. I'm glad I visited, but I cant see a return on the cards. Date of visit - 14th October 2023

Official site of The Green Man - www.johnbarras.com

Official site of The Green Man - www.johnbarras.com