The Phoenix, Lower Sunbury, Sunbury-On-Thames

A pleasant old pub with two main rooms split by a central bar plus what looked to be a dedicated restaurant in a bright and airy room to the rear left side. The right hand room looked to be the main drinking area, stone flagged flooring, beamed ceiling, settle type benches at small round tables. The fireplace looks like it gets some use, décor included framed river scenes and old Charrington's ads, there were a selection of paperbacks on a shelf and a basket contained a few games, newspapers on a table. The beer range was decent, Ringwood Best Bitter, Pride, Brakspears Oxford Gold and Hobgoblin. I was initially rather confused as to why the pub was so quiet despite clearly being one of the better options locally, on investigating I realised why, nearly everyone was outside sitting in the large sunny riverside garden which has good views of Sunbury Lock and even has a gate to its own landing stage with moorings. There is a bar out here too with a kitsch thatched roof but with two handpumps which is useful. A flag flying "Sunbury Skiff Club". I liked it here, probably shaded it for my Sunbury pub of the day, I reckon it would also make a nice winter stop with the fire lit and the river looking moody and misty.

The Phoenix - the BEST pub in Sunbury, bar none! A fair bit of money was spent on a complete 'refurb' a couple of years ago (...2009..?) and what a difference it has made. Well done owners, this is now the best pub in the area, in my humble opinion. Directly on the 216 bus route between Kingston and Staines. If you're ever in the Lower Sunbury area (near the River Thames end of town) do pop in for a swift half pint, or some fruit of the vine. Good bar service, good clientele. :o) TJ