Red Cow, Richmond

A corner pub on a junction with roads either side, there is an island bar, boarded floor, a fake cow's head and lots of photos and drawings of the pub over the years. Other framed stuff includes London Underground ads and deer in nearby Richmond Park. Pride of place however is the elaborate carved dark wood bar back complete with painted mirrors. Fireplaces also have mirrors over, there is red cow patterned wallpaper plus more contemporary decor consisting of the 24 flags of the nations about to compete for Euro 2016. Seating includes a fair few high butcher's block tables but also upholstered benches and armchairs. Four handpulled beers on, Young's Bitter, Tribute, Robinson's Beerdo and Holt's Hat Trick. They may well do meals, I didn't see a menu however but snacks were available in the form of scotch eggs, pork pies and sausage rolls. An ok spot if not spectacular, I'd drop in again if nearby though.

This is a Young’s pub that had on Young’s Bitter, St Austell Tribute, Courage Directors, and Twickenham Pale Beauty (£1.90 a half), with a Young’s Special clip reversed. This is a reasonable selection, with a couple of genuine guests. I didn’t see a menu, but a blackboard advertised a £6 Credit Brunch (I was in on Wednesday lunchtime), including such staples as sausage & mash and scampi & chips. This is a narrow, wedge-shaped corner-site pub, with a bit of outside seating at the front. Inside it’s furnished with a number of tall tables (some butcher’s block style) and tall stools, settles, and a fair number of normal tables and chairs. All the corners have flat screen TVs on the walls (thankfully all switched off during my visit). There are a few miscellaneous prints on the walls as well as red cow’s head (false, I’m glad to say) and a gilded mirror above the fireplace. But pride of place goes to the impressive bar back (photographed by Quinno) with three decorative glass panels in mahogany surrounds. Although it’s been made over and is fairly modern in design, it hasn’t been given the full-on Young’s treatment. It’s a nice enough little pub, although by no means a traditional boozer these days. But I wouldn’t mind visiting again.