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Hollywood Arms, Chelsea, SW10
SW10
SW10 9HX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Hollywood Arms
The history’s on CAMRA’s site, the photos on the pub’s and the description’s below.
The gothic elements of the pub are very attractive: etched and cut-glass windows, room dividers, the bar back and front. There’s a smart function room upstairs, along with attractive lavs, with two cubicles no less. Some of the customers were annoyingly drunk, others a bit twattish and probably office workers; the Cure played at an agreeable level.
The only ale on offer was a very good pint of London Original at £5.15, which is actually very reasonable for these parts, but then again this isn’t the most desirable part for these climes.
I would love to have seen this place in its heyday. It’s just about ok and certainly better than the King’s Arms down the road; worth popping in for a swift one.
On 9th December 2021
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Hollywood Arms
This place is some considerable distance from what I regard as a traditional pub; the interior feels like an upmarket hotel lounge with armchairs, long sofas bedecked with cushions, curved sofa style high benches, large feature clocks, tree themed wallpaper, candles on the tables and lots and lots of grey paint. The exterior Gothic style arched windows are part complimented inside by a feature high arch between the front and back areas (painted grey naturally). The bar is beyond the front room, three handpumps offered Youngs Bitter, Bombardier and Twickenham Grandstand (£2.15 a half). Service would be best described as perfunctory, perhaps inept, it took two different people to pour and work out the price of my drink, good job is wasn't a round for eight, I'd still be there now, and I'd be skint.
Beyond the bar, further to the rear is a dining area, called The Aviary, while upstairs is The Blanchard Room, available for hire at no small cost I'd wager. I didn't see a food menu but a chalkboard offered snacks including Scotch egg of the day (?) £6 and fisherman's and butcher's platters £17/18. Incongruous with the surroundings TVs were showing The Six Nations with sound up, a couple of locals were watching, I knew them to be locals by the pullovers over the shoulders, head worn sunglasses and boat shoes. Various tables were reserved for later by people called Harry and Sophie while several Bright Young Things sat outside pavement café style sipping their pinot grigios and lattes.
I felt like a square peg in a round hole in here, it may suit the Chelsea set but it didn't suit me.
On 16th March 2014
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Hollywood Arms
This pub has had an internal makeover since my previous visit. The "butcher's block" tables have gone, with armchairs and sofas being the furnishings of choice. Everything has now been painted that ubiquitous Chelsea grey, including the Gothic arches dividing the room. The right hand wall has on it a sort of tree-themed wallpaper, and is dominated by an enormous, and apparently old, clock. Being a Young's pub the ales on are unadventurous, with just Young's Bitter and Bombardier available. I didn't see a menu, but I would be surprised if food wasn't available.
Young's have succeeded in achieving the hotel lounge look, and I don't think the makeove has improved it. But then I can count on the fingers of one hand the makeovers that I consider to be an improvement. But it is a spaceous, light pub that is worthing visiting to have a look at a rare Gothic style pub.
On 28th April 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Hollywood Arms
This is now a Young’s pub (in the past it has been a Chef & Brewer pub and a Watney’s house), but with just Bitter and Bombardier on during my visit. The food was par for the course for this very affluent area – fish and chips at £10.95, sausage and mash at £9.50.
The pub itself is early to mid-Victorian, with the gable proclaiming it to be from 1865. In fact it is the best remaining London example of the short-lived “Gothic” phase of pub architecture, as evidenced by the trademark arched windows. Inside it’s really a different story. When you enter you are in a seating area containing mainly normal tables and chairs, and with wall decor comprising black and white photos as well as black and white stylised portraits. There’s also a small bit of what looks like the original Victorian tiling by the door. The bar counter is in a room at the back, reached via entranceways surrounded and topped by wooden archways. These look like more modern embellishments, but if so they are sympathetic to the original design of the pub with the Gothic tops to the glass panels by the archways. There are some old butchers’ blocks now doing duty as tall tables accompanied by tall stools, as well as a sofa or two at the back and to the right of the bar counter.
On the whole this is a madeover upmarket Young’s pub. It’s certainly not one to be avoided, but it’s not for you if you’re looking for a traditional backstreet pub. Indeed, if that’s what you’re looking for you really shouldn’t be in this part of London.
On 19th February 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]