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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Will Larter
Submitted on Friday, 11th February 2022
With picture contributions to 12229 other pubs
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Detail Pages
The Clarence, West Kensington, W14
W14
W14 9PP
Served areas
Reviews of The Clarence (Average Rating: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
David Walton left this review about The Clarence
This pub is definitely a local’s pub and quite a difference to the other two pubs visited this evening on North End Road. As described below bet felt like a bit of a turn around compared to Rex’s review of almost 11 years ago.Indeed the uncarpeted Saloon bar was heaving with locals girding their loins for a bingo night. The lady, I assume the landlady, was really pumping up the water nervy in the venue. I managed to squeeze in at a table around the back of the bar. I had accessed this part of North End Road. The rear Public bar that was carpeted and housed the unused pool table still was totally empty. There was a lot of Chelsea FC memorabilia on the walls in the Saloon bar at least.
Quaffs wise there was clearly no cask so it was a straight coin toss between John Smiths or Guinness for me as the remainder of the taps offered a small range of lagers. It came up tails and so it was JS for me.
I appreciated the energy of the venue but it can’t be rated more than an average 5 given the beer offering.
On 30th May 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 631 recommendations about 631 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Clarence
This is still a fairly large pub that still retains its original and classic two-room format. The main entrance now takes you into what was once a snug, but which has now been incorporated into what used to be the Public Bar. The Public Bar’s original doors on the corner are now unused. This room is carpeted, has a pool table in the middle of the room and is furnished with normal tables and chairs. There’s a fair bit of interesting decor in here, the most unusual being numerous stuffed fish mounted in glass cases on a shelf at the top of the walls.
The other room used to be the Saloon Bar and can only be accessed by doors in the side street - or via the doorway leading to the gents. Apparently this room only gets used when the pub gets busy (typically in the evenings), but as I was the only customer in on Wednesday afternoon the friendly landlady gave me the guided tour. This room is bare-boarded and seemed to me a bit more Spartan than the old Public Bar, which is a role reversal of sorts. All the windows have some rather nice leaded lights glazing.
As much as I like this pub, having no real ale is a great shame (just keg John Smith's being available). There is presumably no call for it, as there is presumably no call for food on weekday lunchtimes. This looks like a pub that has seen much better days and I guess is kept going by loyal regulars, although none were in when I visited. It struck me as the sort of friendly pub that would have loyal regulars. If it had a real ale on I would up its rating a couple of notches.
On 12th June 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Clarence
Traditional, single-bar pub housed in quite a substantial building on a corner plot. The large room is plainly furnished and sparsely decorated, but gives the impression of being pretty much in its original form. However, an internal partition must have been taken out at some stage as there are separate doors - each with a pair of Watney Combe Reid lanterns above - on each facade. Apart from the solid 'U'-shaped counter, the main feature is the pool table in the middle of the main seating area. Friendly landlord. No real ale, and the keg Courage Best was off, so it had to be John Smiths (£3.20). Most unusual feature - Classic FM being played quietly over the sound system...
On 19th March 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
View more reviews of The Clarence (4)
No known official website for this pub.
- Facebook - The Clarence
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Clarence - whatpub.com
Kensington (Olympia), 0.98 miles, 18 min walk (show)
Imperial Wharf, 1.67 miles, 32 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 08 December 2019 by Tris C
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 08 December 2019 by Tris C
- Car Park : No last updated 08 December 2019 by Tris C
- Child Friendly : No - Children are expressly barred. - last updated 15 February 2014 by Tris C
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 08 December 2019 by Tris C
- Micropub : No last updated 08 December 2019 by Tris C
- Pool Table : Yes last updated 07 April 2009 by hondo .
- Real Ale : No last updated 07 April 2009 by hondo .
- WiFi : Yes last updated 08 December 2019 by Tris C
