The Fighting Cocks, Kingston Upon Thames

This is a small pub on one of the main roads into Kingston, which is best known for its roster of live music. The pub has a small main bar, with a staple-shaped layout, with limited seating options, mainly in the cramped front part of the pub, and down the left-hand wall, opposite the bar. The servery runs most of the length of the right-hand wall and has a simple counter and a distinctive leopard print bar back dominated by a large central mirror with a winged skull image on it. Decor includes a few decorated skateboards nailed to the walls, some gig posters and various bits of promotional material. The room extends a short way to the right at the rear, but this extra space has been given over to a pool table, so fails to ease the lack of seating issue. A door to the rear left gives access to a narrow courtyard to the side of the pub, which does provide some extra seating under ample shelter. Heading back past the pool table, you pass the toilets to enter the gig venue - a small, sweaty room with a low stage, walls plastered with stickers for various bands that have played here down the years, and a second servery in the rear corner. There’s no cask ale here unfortunately, and on my visit, their two Siren keg beers had gone off, leaving some mainstream options plus a house Lager and IPA. The latter of these was actually pretty good and kept me ‘hydrated’ through an insanely hot and sweaty gig on one of the warmest days of the summer. The staff are pretty efficient and kept queuing to a minimum when the crowd surged in between acts. This is a cracking little gig venue that I’ve now seen a couple of great shows at, but as a pub in its own right, it’s not likely to win too many people over. The lack of seating means you can’t really get comfortable and the absence of cask ale will alienate purists. I’ll be on the lookout for more gigs here, but my pre-gig drinking will mainly be done elsewhere.

This is one pub where they didn't have to make any special decorative efforts in the run up to Hallowe'en. It's black and gothic everywhere all the time. It looks ghastly in my opinion, but I'm sure it's the look they are trying for. I was in at early doors on a Wednesday, when there was an overpowering smell of cleaning fluid, and there was raucus heavy metal music being played. There's a pool table and I saw a quiz night advertised. They did have a couple of real ales on - Doom Bar and Robinson's Trooper (obviously). The Trooper was £4.15 a pint and £2.50 a half. This is a too wide disparity between pint and half prices in my opinion. I'm sure this place appeals to certain type of customer, but having had three of my senses assaulted, as well as my pocket, I left never to return.

A long-established student alt/rock pub which also hosts occasional live music and comedy nights. The interior is dark, in places black, and fairly stripped back with various monochrome band pictures, US number plates, a bat wing ceiling fan, a skull and crossbones on the mirrored bar back and the telly was showing HORROR+1. Obligatory copy of the Graun (appeared unread). Two ales, Robinsons Trooper (inevitably) and Dark Start Hophead, for which I fleeced £2.15 for a half (at least it was in decent nick). I guess it works well enough as there were a few people in but ultimately the high prices and my long-past-student-age means I'll pass next time.

Passed loads of times but thought it was a music/comedy club.Interesting music orientated bar..Grotty ,well worn interior with music posters.Two cask ales Trooper (obviously) and my Dark Star -hophead which was served in a glass from the fridge but did not hide the flavour.Quirky but worth a visit.

Not sure why no-one’s reviewed this before. You get something of the character of this legendary Hell’s Angel themed live music venue from the death’s head emblems either side of the entrance. Legend also has it that it lives up to its name, as there’s lots of fighting and it’s full of total cocks. However, this is of course nonsense. As at my Sunday evening visit there were eleven other customers, all male and looking the part, having friendly conversations with one another, The barman made us feel very welcome. There were two ale pumps, on which only Tribute (a drinkable pint of) was available, and a fair range of taps including Stowford Press cider. The interior has an unsurprisingly black theme to it, the ‘our house wine is Jagermeister’ poster above the bar and the mantelpiece with five skulls on it seemed perfectly in place. Not quite so keen on the leopard skin baize on the pool table, but I guess the traditional green would have clashed somehow. We had a pleasant drink here on what was evidently a quiet (apart from the heavy jukebox music) night. If you like the theme you will love this pub. Personally I’d be very happy to come here again if passing, though I wouldn’t go out of my way to do so unless I had a particular reason, such as a live music night.