The Express Tavern, Brentford

Situated on the northern approach to Kew Bridge, this is a prominent traditional pub that has recently undergone a sympathetic refurbishment and rebranding as an 'Ale and Cider House'. A small porch offers you the chance to head left for the Lounge Bar or right into the Chiswick Bar. There is a nice curved bar counter with an impressive arched bar back, which serves both rooms. The lounge has bare floorboards and a large marble fireplace on the end wall with a big mirror above and lots of plants on the mantle. The room offers bench and standard seating around the perimeter and has a fairly neutral colour scheme with a few drinking quotes painted on the walls. The tables are marble topped and have heavy decorative bases and there are also some elaborate light fixtures and a nice set of filigreed double doors to the rear which lead into a smart rear room with plenty of additional seating options, old photos and brewery mirrors on display and attractive stained glass partitioning screens creating seating booths in places. The Chiswick Bar has a bit more of a basic feel to it than the other rooms, with simple seating options, an upright piano, nice lighting fixtures and an interesting pub clock over a doorway that leads into a snug-type area which apparently once served as the landlord's parlour. The day's papers had been supplied in a rack near the door and had the weather been more favourable, it might have been worth exploring the decent looking beer garden. The ale range was certainly befitting of the pub's rebranding, with a long row of handpulls offering Naked Brewer Palindrome Porter, Bass, Bingham's Brickwork Bitter and Total Eclipse, Hawkshead Red, Marlpool Otters Pocket, Dow Bridge Lock Keepers, Milestone Black Pearl, Alechemy Daylight Strobbery and a beer called First Drop (brewery not noted). Five real ciders complimented this extensive range and there was a strong keg and bottled range as well, all detailed in beer menus and various blackboards. I gave the Palindrome Porter a try and thought it as in excellent condition. This is a very well presented ale house that makes good use of the pub's history and combines this with excellent beer and a smart, clean environment to great effect. The pub is practically next door to Kew Bridge station, making it easy to reach and I would thoroughly recommend this as a genuine destination pub.

I paid my first visit to this pub on Friday since its recent refurbishment. The refurb seems to have been fairly sympathetic, although a bit more lighter coloured paintwork has appeared in the room at the back on the left. The black lacquered door, with the peephole in it used by members of the Royal Antedeluvial Order of Buffaloes to order drinks now seems to be propped open, and is now painted a light grey. Bass seems to still be an ever present ale, along with eight or nine others, plus five or so draught ciders. But you can't please everyone - when I was waiting to be served a couple of blokes were despondent that this place only served beer and cider, and no lager that they recognised. Not wishing to risk something strange like Brooklyn Brewery or Camden Hells, they left disappointed. But I was very happy with my pints of Lock Keeper, ELB Foundation and didn't give a toss about the absence of Stella. The sandwiches at around £3 a pop are a good bet as well. This is now a destination pub for any real ale afficionado. I'm sure I'll be back sometime.

A very savvy purchase with the Bees' new stadium being built in Lionel Road alongside the new housing development.