The Surbiton Flyer, Surbiton

I paid my first visit to this pub last Tuesday, and it doesn’t seem to have changed much since the previous reviewers’ visits. They did have on a Fuller’s ale that I hadn’t seen before – something called “Front Row” (a Rugby allusion I guess) – a 3.7% ABV ale which I imagine would be akin to Chiswick. But I was in the mood for an ESB, which was excellent. They now have those little candles on the table, presumably in a bid to inject a bit of subtlety, but the chaps playing poker on a big table didn’t seem to think they were worth bothering with. Anyway, I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit this pub, but it’s a decent enough watering hole to have right next to a train station.

The Surbiton Flyer is a reasonable sized single room Fullers pub next to Surbiton Railway Station so it is very handy for a swift pint if waiting for a train. There is a limited draught selection in between the two banks of four hand pumps that were drawing Pride, Seafarers, Discovery and ESB and the Guinness that I ordered was very good. The décor is made up with dark wooden fixtures and fittings and there is a real fire in the slightly raised area at the rear that was reserved for a choir that were due to arrive just after I left. There are a few books that are available to read from some shelves on the back wall, but the pub was pretty dim when I visited as the couple of chandeliers hanging from the ceiling didn’t emit much light. There is also a piano in situ, but nobody was playing during my visit so there was some very low background music playing. I wouldn’t go out of my way to drink here again, but it is very good for a transient station pub.

A single room Fuller's house near Surbiton station, a couple of slightly raised areas are carpeted, while the main bar has a wooden floor with a tiled splash zone against the bar. The bar on a side wall is polished dark wood with some etched glass mirrors. The ceiling over the bar has an attractive stained glass rooflight. Seating is mixed, but there are a few of the oft maligned high tables and backed stools. Local history photos, a few books on a shelf and 3 plasmas, presumably for sport. Better than your usual station pub, ESB, Pride, Gales Seafarers with the HSB clip reversed. £3.30 though for ESB, but it was in fine fettle.

The Surbiton Flyer page at the official Fullers brewery site - www.fullers.co.uk

The Surbiton Flyer page at the official Fullers brewery site - www.fullers.co.uk