The Limping Fox, Long Ditton, Thames Ditton

What was once a backstreet local has gone upmarket, craft and gastro, complete with silly name. Stripped floorboards, dark green walls, plain tables and church chairs, with a few leather sofas by a fire the other side of the bar. Expensive artworks round the walls are for sale. Posh food and a range of keg craft ales with 3 handpumps, at time of visit offering Andwell Gold Muddler, Twickenham Naked Ladies and Robinsons Dizzy Blonde. Despite the pretentiousness, if you are in the right mood it is a pleasant enough place for some well-kept ales.

Official site of The Limping Fox - www.thelimpingfox.co.uk

Official site of The Limping Fox - www.thelimpingfox.co.uk

This is a functional, basic one room local's pub with a central bar. I reckon the carpet has been replaced since the last review, but nothing much else seems to have changed. There are a few "arty" prints on the wall now, red coloured wainscotting and bar surround, with cream walls above. A couple of stone look fireplaces face each other across the room, possibly of a 70s vintage, and there were a few posters up advertising forthcoming Harlequins fixtures. It's certainly a blokey sort of pub, the language was fairly industrial as was the banter among the regulars around the bar and those playing pool. There are five handpumps on the front of the bar, directly opposite the entrance. To my dismay, only one was clipped, but reversed too, which had had Young's Bitter on it. I nearly left but decided to enquire, to be told they had Doom Bar, which was then dispensed from an unclipped pump. The quality was fine (£3.00), but it seems a bit sloppy to me not to bother advertising what is being offered. An unremarkable place really, but there aren't many of this type still around so long may it prosper.