The Jolly Coopers, Hampton

Can't add anything to PSMs detailed review below apart from on my visit the beers were Hopback Summer Lightening, Portobello Star and Exeter Avocet. A fine pub.

Set down the attractive High Street, just a short walk from the Thames, this is a very pleasant and welcoming traditional pub. The pub has some nice floral displays outside the front and they must have some sort of automated watering system installed, as I got a bit of a soaking as I approached the front door. Inside, we find a U-shaped layout wrapped around a centrally positioned servery. The room is carpeted throughout and the bar has a tongue and groove counter with a smart ironwork canopy above. To the right is a simple seating area with benches and low stools serving several small round tables in a fairly narrow space. There are lots of nice old pictures on the walls here plus a TV set showing a live football fixture. The front left side has a nice Charringtons sign on one wall, near a set of bookshelves, with pew and standard seating along the end wall. There's also a nice fireplace with some lovely old sherry and port barrels and various decanters displayed around it. Various interesting photos are dotted around the walls and there are some shelves with a smartly organised beer bottle, tankard, jug and whiskey box displays. A much larger screen could be viewed around here, also showing the football and beyond there is a bar billiards table in the rear left corner, sadly covered with condiment bottles and restaurant paperwork. Double doors to the rear left lead through to Squiffy's restaurant, set in what appears to be a much blander space with plenty of formal seating. I didn't eat, but the Sunday roasts looked excellent. There were five ales available on this occasion - Hop Back Summer Lightning, Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Courage Best, Brains Rev James and Ascot Alley Cat. I enjoyed a good pint of the latter whilst watching the football and chatting to the very friendly locals who seemed to have a good rapport with the staff and helped generate a lively atmosphere on a Sunday afternoon. I can't say I knew much about this place prior to my visit, but I found it to be a really pleasant pub of the sort I could happily spend several hours. The ale range might be regarded as slightly pedestrian, but the quality was good and this was amply compensated for by the convivial atmosphere within. A very nice surprise and certainly somewhere I'll be looking to revisit.

I've been before, & somehow always expect a slightly more adventurous selection of beers here, ystdy offered Brakspear, courage, Bombardier, Summer Lightning (£3.10). I like the pub tho, central horseshoe bar faces entrance, old photos on walls of river & locale, pictures (with thanks) of guidedogs which the pub evidently sponsored, splendid action shot from the '70 cup final (Chelsea2 Leeds2), bar billiard table to the left and, beyond, a restaurant area to the rear which, if memory serves from prev visit, offers a decent menu. Not sure about other comment on food price - I heard someone in Railway Bell mention they had a fresh salmon sarnie here for £2.20? Would be enhanced by offering a rotating micro. 24 March 2007 CLOSES 15:00-17:00hrs, so will have to postpone comment.