Rumours, Worcester Park

This is a high street double shop conversion bar - or even a wine bar as it brands itself, and although it's got a wine bar sort of name, I didn't see a wine list when I was in. But it does do a real ale - London Pride at £3.30 a pint, which was in OK nick. There was also a second unclipped pump, and a "Greene King IPA" mirror on one of the walls (never seen one of those before), so maybe that second pump is sometimes used for that founder member of the London usual suspects club. A board behind the bar counter mentioned coffee, tea, hot & cold food and sandwiches, but I didn't see a menu. But maybe they weren't doing food on Christmas Eve lunchtime. It's fairly barren and minimalist inside. There's a modern tiled floor, low tables with black upholstered bucket armchairs either side of the doorway, plus high-backed black upholstered chairs with light coloured standard tables comprising the remainder of the furnishings. The cream painted walls are bare apart from a few pithy sayings stuck on them - e.g. "In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom; in water there is bacteria". There were three fruit/gaming machines at the back; several TVs on the walls (BT Sports is advertised); and some pop music was playing, presumably for the benefit of the barmaid/landlady and her kids who were sitting or playing at at one of the table as the only other punter in there and I were probably ninterested in such stuff. This is a fairly minimalist and uninteresting bar, but it does do a real ale, which has to be said was in good condition.

A shop conversion with a bright feel to it, walls wood panelled, red and white, and a tiled floor, and offering Sky Sports and games machines. The bar is to the left, with the usual lager and other offerings, two handpulls offering London Pride and a reversed GK IPA clip on both my recent visits, and Lilley’s apple & pear cider. The friendly barman I took to be the landlord evidently took pride in his Pride, changing a pint for me unbidden. This place was steady but not busy on both my visits, had a mix of customers at the bar and at tables, and a comfortable feel to it. It could do with a more interesting beer range, but was certainly one of the more relaxing establishments I visited locally whilst checking out pubs with some friends who were moving to the area.