The Glasshouse, New Malden

Official site of The Glasshouse - www.glasshouse.pub

Official site of The Glasshouse - www.glasshouse.pub

Rex's review below has it pretty much covered, beers today were Young's Ordinary Bitter, Pride, Doom Bar and St Austell Tribute with the fifth pump continuing to be unused. My choice of Tribute went so I opted for the Doom Bar, it's gone up now to £3.60, a Central London price, too much for ordinary suburbia, and it was too cold and a bit lifeless too. It is upmarket and therefore nothing like the old Railway which was at the other end of the spectrum, but it really does lack character despite being well appointed and comfortable. In addition there is a nice garden with a pergola shelter beyond the restaurant, and they have occasional live music. A TV on the wall towards the front was switched off early evening.

Randomness Guide to London - Glasshouse entry

Randomness Guide to London - Glasshouse entry

They had four real ales on this afternoon: Sharp’s Doom Bar; London Pride; Bombardier; and Young’s Bitter, with one pump being unused. The Doom Bar, which tasted fine, was a jaw dropping £3.50 a pint, which I think is somewhat over the top for a New Malden pub. I remember when this used to be The Railway, and the pub couldn’t be more different now. In fact I hardly recognised it as the same pub, as it has now had a Young’s class makeover. The main bar area as you enter is bare-boarded with a few rugs strategically placed; there are sofas/coffee tables; high stools/tables; armchairs; and large wooden tables with normal chairs suitable for large-ish groups of drinkers. There are a number of photographs, prints, and cartoons on the walls, many seemingly representing French café society, although I did spot a couple of photographs of the Crystal Palace. On the right there is a mirror on the wall, above a fireplace adjacent to one of the sofa/coffee table combinations. The front of the bar counter is painted that grey muddy colour you see in many pubs these days, and a notable feature is the ceiling area in the middle of this bar where concealed lighting continually changes colour. At the back on the right is a separate, but connected, room where all the tables are set for diners. This is the sort of pub where they have a menu printed daily. The food’s not cheap, but why would I think it might be after they had charged me £3.50 for a pint of bitter! Examples are – cod and chips at £10.50 and burger and chips at £10.95. Champagne bottles (empty ones presumably) on the windowsills set the tone and give you a clue as you approach as to what it will be like inside. It’s nice and clean, and while it no doubt appeals to some people, this pub is a little too characterless for my taste. I don’t think that I could recommend this pub to anyone who likes the traditional pub, especially with the over the top ale prices.