The Hop Poles, Hammersmith, W6

Decent pub not far from the tube station. Pride and Doom Bar on when I called in. The Pride was fine. Happy to have visited and would do so again.

A trendified old pub with various decorations obscuring the remaining original features. The layout includes a row of dining tables down one side and a 'cocktail corner' at the rear, with some oversized benches at the front and a café-style area round behind the bar. A roof terrace was signed upstairs but was not visited. Draught ales were TT Landlord, Hobgoblin and Doom Bar: condition just acceptable.

Official site of The Hop Poles - www.craft-pubs.co.uk

Official site of The Hop Poles - www.craft-pubs.co.uk

Being a Stonegate pub I was not surprised by the uninspiring ale choice of Doom Bar and London Price (£2.15 a half). They also had Lilley's Mulled cider on draught as well. food seems to be mainly pizze (£8.75 upwards) and burgers, with the classic burger at £10. There are a few other pub grub favourites such as cod & chips (£11.50) and beef and Doom Bar ale pie (£12). The pub is mainly very ordinary with row of tall tables/benches and stools along the front of the pub by the window, and some booths along the right. But the really interesting things about the pub are on the right. A corner here has what looks like original Victorian wood framing cut glass mirrors on the wall, as well as an unused doorway, also with apparently original glazing, which must lead to the rear of the servery. A bit of the bar back, with more woodwork and cut glass, survives although some unattractive shelving has been added. A pair of doors on the right leads to a large room at the rear, which could possibly have been a billiards room in years past. Immediately to the left of these doors is another glazed door leading to the rear of the servery. On the wall in this back room is more of what looks like original Victorian woodwork and bevelled and cut glass mirrors. This is a four bay piece that has all the appearance of a classic bar back and with what looks like an unused dumb waiter in the centre, now showcasing gin bottles and the like. But there is no counter here and it's not the place where they would have had one. So, maybe it is reclaimed as suggested by Quinno, or maybe as it matches the rest of the glazing in the front room it has been relocated from behind the bar in the front room for some bizarre reason. As a pub this place is nothing special, but if you're nearby it's definitely worth a peek at the surviving Victorian features.