Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Poll for date of Halifax crawl. with ROBCamra
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Villiers Arms, Watford
Watford
WD19 4AJ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about The Villiers Arms
A lesson, children; Googlemap will take you to the cafe of the same name so be prepared! The pub itself is fab, a real comfy traditional place with a ton of breweriana, 1920s prints and old skool pub carpet. GBG listed with three cask, the Tring Mansion Mild was bang-on (NBSS 4), the TT Landlord a bit more pedestrian (3). A great atmosphere with it being a true drinkers pub and I felt at home, even more so when I was able to snaffle a couple of the complementary sarnies that had been put on the for the rugby! Well-worth making the effort to do this one.
On 22nd March 2024
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5074 recommendations about 5057 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Clive Thompson left this review about Villiers Arms
Hasn't much changed since my last review 10 years ago. Visited for the Oxhey Brewfest a couple of months ago, and back today. Three changing handpumps with TT Landlord, Black Sheep and a local Tring beer on in good condition. Good community pub. Opens 4pm during the week.
On 13th June 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 777 recommendations about 697 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Villiers Arms
Tucked away down a relatively quiet side street, the Villiers Arms is a pleasant traditional pub just a short walk from Bushey train station. You enter into the bare boarded bar area with a lovely curved servery immediately in front of you, with a simple bar back which incorporates a mirror bearing the pub's name. The canopy is lined with pump clips and has a mix of objects including barrels, kettles and lamps hanging from above, but the centrepiece here is what appears to be an original Victorian gas lamp, brought indoors and lit with a presumably artificial flame - either way, it looks great. The bar area has limited seating options and has been decorated with tobacco tins, ancient looking records, huge bottles, black and white photos and a tankard and beer bottle collection. To the right of the entrance there is a small carpeted space with a nice fireplace, whiskey adverts and mirrors and a TV screen showing muted Final Score. Moving round to the left, the room opens out into a large carpeted lounge with a mix of standard chairs and comfier sofas. More old pictures line the walls as well as cigarette cards, magazine clippings and bits of breweriana. A second TV could be found in this area, this time turned off, and I also noticed a nice fireplace, some unusual light fittings and an extensive plate collection. Outside you'll find a decent sized garden as well as limited bench seating to the front.
There are three hand pumps which on this visit were dispensing Otter Bitter and Tring Ridgeway with the final pump out of action. Having received a very warm welcome from the friendly landlady, I opted for a pint of the Ridgeway which was in pretty good shape and made a satisfying end to a mini crawl of the area.
This is a really cosy, welcoming pub with a good atmosphere created by the staff and locals and I could quite happily have spent considerably longer here had I not needed to head for a train back home. Well worth a look if you're in the Oxhey/Bushey area.
On 19th October 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about Villiers Arms
A very pleasant, atmospheric local pub in a residential area, consisting of a single L-shaped bar in a Victorian house. It's carpeted and decorated with various trivia, mainly framed prints and china plates, although there is an interesting fireplace. A selection of CAMRA newsletters was available to read. The locals were a very friendly bunch, and the staff made us feel very much at home. The music from the jukebox was rather eclectic. Two ales on – I had a pint of Somerset and Dorset, which made an interesting change and was very well kept. Well worth a visit and inclusion in a crawl.
On 21st March 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3283 recommendations about 3248 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Clive Thompson left this review about Villiers Arms
The Villiers Arms was purchased by the long serving tenant from Punch a couple of years ago and is now being run as a true Free House. Four handpumps with ever changing beers that have always been in good condition on my visits. There is a small front bar and a back room decorated with a plethora of old posters advertising sporting and entertainment events. Above the bar sits an old lantern with the pubs name etched on it which presumably would at one stage have been outside. There are many other old bits of ephemera and other collectables dotted around the pub which gives it a nice historic and lived in feel. A large beer garden / kids play area sits alongside the pub.
On 20th March 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 777 recommendations about 697 pubs]