Duke of Clarence, Hampton

There were just the two handpumps on the bar – one dishing out London Pride, and the other with a Pride clip reversed. True to form, I went for the Pride, which tasted like it was supposed to taste, and at the reasonable price of £2.50 a pint. There was a simple pub grub menu, with sarnies at around the £3.50 mark, and mains also reasonably priced – e.g. cod, chips and peas at £6.25. This is a pretty basic pub. Inside it’s a one-room affair, although it has been extended at the back on the left with a conservatory area, leading out to a garden. The main bar area is carpeted, with green upholstered banquettes and stools, plus normal tables and chairs. It has a low ceiling with dark varnished beams, giving it something of a “country pub” appearance. The conservatory area is more modern in appearance, with a tiled floor, pine coloured furniture, and some large potted plants. The large widescreen TV is in the main bar (on but muted during my visit), as is the obligatory one-armed bandit. There’s also a small table at the back containing a few magazines, plus a newspaper rack on the wall which had The Times and The Sun in it, making a nice contrast, and perhaps in recognition of a wide customer base. Wall decor amounted to a few prints and black and white photos, mainly of local scenes and including some featuring royal visits to the area. This seems to be a basic and unpretentious pub. The negative points for me were the limited ale choice, and the music just a radio playing through the pub’s speakers, but I felt comfortable in here and would have no objection to a repeat visit.