Coach & Horses, Richmond

Large hotel and pub on the edge of Kew Green. Drinking wise there’s a large bar on the right after entering with odd shaped bits of rooms here and there. On the left is an enclosed room, The Library, which was being used on my visit for some sort of meeting or corporate event. Three pulls with two “Young's” beers and one from Surrey Hills, seven closely grouped solos provide a standard keg range. Fairly tasteful if disjointed interior with wood panelling, wide board floors and tiled pillars, a right mix of seating high and low or soft and medium, there’s a wood burning fire in one end. Decor is mostly botanical prints unusual given its location opposite the Royal Botanical Gardens. There’s a bit at the back labelled The Atrium but I didn’t explore it.

The pub is still Young's branded and their beers were very much in evidence yesterday with Ordinary Bitter on two pumps, Special, Winter Warmer plus thankfully Kew Brewery Pagoda Number 2 though dear at £4.45. The main bar area is slightly to the right on entering and has some nice high arched windows and dark stained panelling, some with framed pictures of flora reminiscent of Victorian plate drawings. There is a 60s looking piano on a side wall, framed pictures of Kew and the river and a corner shelf housed a collection of games; a good log fire was on the go bringing cheer on a chilly day and especially welcome at dusk. There are large high tables seating eight directly in front of the bar but the more regular variety elsewhere. To the side is "The Library", a pleasant and relaxing looking space with a real library of real books along one wall, not the usual second hand shop junk but stuff you might actually wish to browse through. In between the bar and the Library, to the rear is a large white tiled open to view kitchen which felt totally at odds to the pub ambience and by its very nature allows food smells to permeate the pub. I suppose open kitchens are a declaration of honesty but I like to keep the food smells separate when I'm just drinking. On a similar if not related score, the TV had on tennis, thankfully muted, a bit of a rocky soundtrack played at a sensible volume. There are apparently 31 "Boutique bedrooms" upstairs, whatever that means, and the reception is also mingled in with the pub. Outdoor seating to the front, facing the green but also the busy road would be a pull in the summer. I quite liked this place despite some departures from tradition, the decent guest beer was a plus too despite the borderline acceptable price.

The Coach has changed drastically since my last visit many moons ago. I could even go as far as to say that it resembles a restaurant now rather than a pub, especially on this visit, when the place was full of diners in for Sunday lunch. The pub consists of a traditional interior with the main lounge and bar situated on the right of entrance. There is a large dining room on the right and an open plan kitchen area to the rear, which added to the gastro pub feel and image. There was a further rear lounge area via a short lobby. Five handpumps with four on, we went for the Kew Brewery Pagoda Pale Ale, which was excellent. The pub used to be a Young's House, no sign of their beer now.