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Submitted on Monday, 22^nd July 2024
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The Hero, W9

55 Shirland Road
W9
W9 2JD

Phone: 02072669198

Correct details

Served areas

Maida Vale, Warwick Avenue

Tweets by The Hero

The Hero of Maida Couple of tables left for our guest chef #duckdinner next week. Have the joy of welcoming @Kricketlondon… https://t.co/hl9ucHTjUI 3:20 PM Oct 16th 2018 from Hootsuite Inc.

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Reviews of The Hero (Average Rating: 5 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

David Walton left this review about The Hero

Visited previously as the Hero of Maida on 22/08/2022.

First up, I also prefer the previous incarnation. Feels like the interior has been sandblasted to remove any semblance of internal character so much so I was a little concerned I would be asked to wear a taupe smock so that my red and white spotted collared shirt would oils not be off putting to would be passers by looking to pop in here for a quaff in its internal blandness. Things I did like (which were here previously) were the high ceiling - OK that’s about it! The walls are crying out for something beyond the mirrors with the menus written on them. Feels like they have been plastered and are awaiting something else, but here they are, and here they will remain I suspect. The layout is also very unchanged (from memory - OK last visit was last venue on a very decent crawl in the area), with the bar against the wall opposite the front door and with a very large floor to ceiling bookcase housing spirits and pickled food. No sign of a ladder to get to the upper compartments so was tempted to ask for something in the upper levels to see how they would react.

OK there is a decent keg offering, listing Portobello Pilsner, the Pils from Lost & Grounded, one from Deya, Verdant Light Bulb, the super safe Kernel Table Beer, Kicking Goat cider plus Guinness and Lucky Saint. There are also three cask offerings (today and generally it seems from the bar counter set up), two from Allsopp’s (the IPA and the pale ale) plus one from Deya. I had lined up my cask selection only to be told there was no cask offering today as it is too hot. Pardon me, it is definitely not hot today. Hot is when I walk about in shirt sleeves and feel uncomfortable. Today is verging on putting on a light casual jacket weather. No cask today is I can’t be bothered to have my listed cask offerings available for purchase.

Found the reincarnation of the Hero as fundamentally disappointing. Will appeal to many in its cut back, basic interior styling. A pub by the bland for the bland. I’m off somewhere less beige next and hopefully with out pathetic weather based excuses. A 4 from me for what should be a decent pub is v v disappointing.

On 22^nd July 2024 - rating: 4
[User has posted 631 recommendations about 631 pubs]

Tris C left this review about The Hero

The original Hero of Maida was a pub a quarter of a mile away on Maida Vale which closed in 1992, named after General Sir John Stuart, ennobled Count of Maida by King Ferdinand IV of Naples and Sicily after the victory at the Battle of Maida in 1806; it opened in 1809 and today, all that remains is a pole and sign frame to what is now a skin clinic; this ‘Hero’ was originally the Shirland Hotel, built 1878 and situated in a not very nice area, but on the border of the rather smart enclave of Little Venice, which I remember as being very down-at-heel in the ‘70s; how things have changed.
The exterior now features a dog to the sign and gas Windsor lanterns. The oh-so-contrived website paints a tableau of what to expect: as if in a painting by Vermeer, a girl dreamily lights a candle; a fish’s unblinking glazed eye looks up as if in a scene from Alien; a barman descends from the upstairs dining area carrying a tray of drinks, despite the bar being on the ground floor; an aerial view shows a quartet of diners toasting a fish pie, all to an abundance of knotty unpainted wood, shades of ochre and umber to rag washed walls and ceiling. With a quarry tiled bar apron, the floor’s dark bare boarded, furniture traditional. There’s a very substantial natural oak bar back, with jars containing eggs, fruit, vegetables and alliums pickling away, framing another picture of that mystery dog. Customers were mixed locals and abundant for a Monday, many eating, all making for uncomfortable acoustics.
Above the zinc bar top, the bronze-effect pumps and taps are too cool to have either clips or fisheyes, all wares advertised to a beer board, the cask options amounting to DEYA Creek Life, Allsopp’s Pale and IPA at £3.30 a half, but on very good form, served by a smiley barmaid.
I preferred this pub’s previous incarnation(s), finding the place now a bit pretentious, not to mention expensive. It does though add to the area’s limited drinking arsenal, making for a decent crawl with the Prince Alfred, Warrington, Warwick Castle and even the Carlton.

On 3^rd June 2024 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Bucking Fastard left this review about The Hero of Maida

Heavily gastroised,this street corner pub will always be popular with diners,and the very high ceiling and little in the way of wall decoration together with a wooden floor creates a noisy atmosphere where most punters seem to shout in order to be heard.Candles on each table seemed unnecessary while there is a first floor dining room if you want a calmer atmosphere.The seating is around the perimeter with two wings away from the bar which appear the best place to sit and sup.
Three handpumps offered Timothy Taylor Landlord,Sambrook Wandle and Tiny Rebel Cwtch (not on great form).Nothing special here,there are more interesting pubs not far away.

On 6^th January 2019 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2936 recommendations about 2936 pubs]

View more reviews of The Hero (9)

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A stroll around the heritage interiors of W9 by Steve of N21

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