The Red Lion, Ealing Broadway, W5

Official site of The Red Lion - www.theredlionw5.com

Official site of The Red Lion - www.theredlionw5.com

Traditional Fullers pub largely unchanged since Pub SignMans review below apart from the covid restrictions meaning I had to stay sat where I was put unable to freely wander around. The main front bar is L shaped with a wooden floor, the walls adorned with the aforementioned film memorabilia . Five hand pulls on the bar with a choice of two , Pride and Hophead. A very nice looking pub but the experience would be much better in more normal times.

This attractive, traditional Fullers pub is located opposite Ealing film studios, earning it the nickname 'Stage Six' thanks to the many visitors to the pub from the studio's five stages. Happily, the pub seems very proud of this association, so we are treated to a great deal of Ealing Studios memorabilia throughout including lots of photographs and some marvellous old posters for some of those great Ealing comedies. The pub has put a great emphasis on dining, but retains a very nice front bar which seemed ideal for those just wanting a drink. This area has separate doors to the front and side, with the latter sporting an etched glass pane denoting entry to the Saloon. The bar area now forms a single L-shaped space of modest dimensions with a fine curved bar counter with a lovely brass lion's-head rail to the rear right under a dark wood canopy and anglypta-effect bar back. Smart back-to-back pews create cosy seating options under the front windows from which to admire some of the aforementioned photographs, whilst pews and low stools run down the left hand wall including in front of a rather nice tiled fireplace surrounded by more portraits of the stars. The room then extends rearwards through two distinct dining areas with exposed floorboards and plenty of banquette and chair seating in an area dominated by old movie posters. The rearmost section is a small conservatory-style extension with enough space for just one or two more tables before you're ejected out into a nice walled garden with some great old Fullers lamps dotted around the perimeter. There is a good deal of garden furniture and picnic benches out here plus a handsome old Fullers sign, with part of the space under a gazebo and the remainder under a very rickety looking wooden frame that looked like it might collapse at any given moment. There is also a limited bench seating area to the front of the pub and with so many customers opting to eat on this Saturday evening visit, plenty of drinkers were taking advantage of these al-fresco drinking options. There were three Fullers beers on the handpulls - London Pride, ESB and Oliver's Island - plus a couple of guests in the shape of Butcombe Gold and Bootleg Brewing Contraband. I decided to try the Oliver's Island and seem to recall it being pretty expensive, although I forgot to note the actual price. Thankfully it was in pretty good shape and went down nicely after a walk out here in the sweltering heat. This is a very nicely presented pub that offers a comfortable and interesting environment for drinkers and diners alike. I thought the bar area and beer garden were both great places to stop for a drink and my only reservations would be the overly food-led feel of the pub plus the cost of a pint. Ultimately, this is one of Fullers' better efforts and a good bet for a quality pint in Ealing.