The Three Horseshoes, Southall

There’s still no real ale here, just John Smith’s in the way of bitter, plus the usual bogstandard lagers. There was no sign of food on Saturday afternoon. This pub is on the CAMRA Regional inventory of pubs with historic interiors, mainly due to the fact that there are three distinct rooms dating from the early 20th Century. The doors still have the original Saloon, Public, and Private bar brass signs on them. The architect was Thomas Nowell Parr, so there are his trademark Tudor style arches inside. It’s also a good example of brewers’ Tudor with many black beams on show. But unfortunately that’s where the positive things end. The old saloon bar on the left is the largest, with some standard but grubby seating and a pull-down screen accompanied by obscured windows which increases the gloominess. This room seems to be the crèche as well. I guess it’s also dog friendly as it also had a canine visitor who was in playful barking and growling conflict with at least one child. Not sure who was winning. The middle room has the pool table and a couple of tables for the players to put their drinks on. I sat in the pool room and noticed one of the grubbiest floors, complete with at least one cigarette butt, that I’ve seen. The room on the right is probably the nicest. This pub is under threat, and it’s not hard to see why. I cut my visit as short as possible – and don’t expect to return.

Randomness Guide to London - Three Horseshoes entry

Randomness Guide to London - Three Horseshoes entry

It’s been a while since I last saw a pub in as much need for a refurbishment as this one. The décor is filthy and as things have broken there has been a half-arsed on the cheap attempt to fix them. For instance there are two large domestic fridges behind the bar as the old pub cabinets have obviously given up the ghost. The toilets are terrible and the pub has a musty unclean smell. All of the hand pumps are unused leaving a standard draught selection from which I was served a below par pint of Guinness. The pub is split into three sections with a sparsely furnished area to the left of the bar which has a projector screen up on the wall so maybe it had been cleared in readiness for the World Cup, but I have my doubts. The bar area in the middle has table football and there is a pool table in the right hand bar which also has a portable TV up on the wall which was showing daytime shows. There are signs outside advertising Sky Sports and DJs at the weekend when there is a late license at this over 21s establishment. I cannot recommend this pub to others as it is the worst I have been to in this area.