The General Eliott, Uxbridge

Pub SignMan left this review about The General Eliott

This tidy canal side pub has an opened out interior that's very different to how I remember it from my one previous visit to Uxbridge, when I'm fairly sure it was a proper two bar boozer. Nowadays, it's a single space with carpeted floors except for a few quarry stone tiles around the bar area. The walls have been painted in neutral shades with some exposed brickwork around the right-hand side fireplace. Opening the pub out has created a peninsula servery with a smart panelled counter and plain bar back lined with blackboards detailing the various food options. At one end of the bar was a communal cheeseboard and crackers, although I'm unsure if this is a regular feature or just something they'd put on for England's Euro 2024 quarter final fixture which they were televising that evening. High tables and stools can be found to the front left, giving way to banquettes in the front right corner and tub chairs in front of the end fireplace. Tables and chairs round out the seating options through the entire rear part of the pub, where you can find another fireplace in the rear left corner. Random photos and paintings have been put on display, a spoon collection hangs off the mantlepiece of one of the fireplaces and a couple of hospitality type certificates are also on show. There were three screens showing the aforementioned England game, each with the sound on and most chairs positioned to view the game. A door to the rear leads out to a good canal side decked seating area - ideal on a warm afternoon, but also with a handy shelter for wetter days.
Three ales could be found on the bar - St Austell Tribute (£5.10 a pint), Greene King False Nine and Fullers London Pride. I stayed for the second half, extra time and penalties in the England game, so got through a few pints of Tribute, which were all in good condition. The staff seemed friendly and the place felt a lot more chilled than in the town centre pubs that were also showing the match.
I don't usually like it when pubs are opened out like this, but I thought this might be a rare exception, transforming a traditional, but rather dark and dingy, empty boozer into a bright, spacious contemporary pub which attracts a mixed crown and still has enough about it to satisfy pub purists. I'm glad I ditched the town centre pubs to watch the game here and would make this my first port of call when I'm next out this way.

Date of visit - 6th July 2024

On 31^st October 2024 - rating: 7
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