The Elm Tree, Surbiton

This pub was a Hogshead before having a short stint as The Elm Tree before becoming The Duke of York which is what it is today. It’s a Greene King pub and I counted four hand pumps in amongst the standard draught products that line the bar. The ales available were Old Speckled Hen, Abbot, IPA and as my visit was just before Christmas the seasonal beer was Rocking Rudolph. I went for the Guinness that was well served by a friendly enough bar person. Very cheap food is served from 11:30 until 17:00 daily. I spotted a couple of plasma screens that were turned off and some very low background music was playing, but it was impossible to hear over the chatter reverberating around the interior of this open plan bare wood pub. Outside there is an awning that covers a smoking area that is railed off from the path at the side of the pub. I thought this place to be bland and forgettable and although there is not much wrong with it there are far better pubs in the area.

I've been pleasantly surprised by this pub recently, after several years' avoidance. It was indeed a Hogshead previously (and before that a Currys, retailing electrical equipment - don't go there expecting historic pub architecture). For a year or two, whilst Whitbread seemed genuinely to be making an effort with Hogsheads as a quality real ale chain, it was a very good pub run by a landlord who understood the important things in life - he knew his beers, knew his customers, and knew his barmaids. Then he moved on and his replacement was so clueless that even the lager-drinking bar staff started drinking out of bottles. On occasional visits during its subsequent incarnation as the Elm Tree, I felt its main purpose was just another high street venue in which youths could get drunk while watching football. That may well have been a tad unfair of me, but it certainly wasn't my sort of pub. On recent return, I've found they've boldly dispensed with the screens, and seem to be taking the pub in a different direction. I would like a wider range of ales than just GK, but I have to admit they serve them well. The bar staff seem very efficient and friendly, and give the impression that they actually want to serve you. Overall, it felt quite comfortable. And if last Monday was anything to go by, this could become rather a good live jazz venue. I've rated this a cautious 6 for now, intending to re-evaluate after a couple more visits to establish whether its latest relaunch has indeed provided an interesting addition to the Surbiton scene. I just hope it doesn't go too 'foodie' to the exclusion of a proper pub identity, which is a danger, but they seem to be getting a reasonable balance at the moment.