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London Stone, Staines Town, Staines Upon Thames
Staines Upon Thames
TW18 4EP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about London Stone
Revisit Oct 2019
Now keeping more regular hours, this is a student sort of joint with a very laid-back feel. Random furnishings, deep colours, posters and pop-art abound. Various entertainments include electronic games and table tennis while a stage to one side hosts regular live music. On handpump were Tiny Rebel Cwtch, Wild Brewing Bibble and Marston's 61 Deep, plus a cider. At a quiet time it was not unpleasant; you probably have to be in the right mood, but it certainly has more character than the average chain pub.
March 2018.
Beware limited opening times: doesn't open until 4 most weekdays despite information to contrary elsewhere. Will try again one evening...
On 10th October 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about London Stone
Now firmly in the ale house camp,the interior has been hollowed out and it's one big open plan space with a wooden floor.Long bench tables and seats but with straw bales acting as informal seating at most long tables.One of the crew didn't want to get straw up his shorts or anywhere else,so we moved our allotted bale to another table.
One wall is covered in old doors in a continuous panel,I've seen this elsewhere so clearly pub designers are buying these from a manufacturer.
The five handpumps were offering Binghams Southern Cross (fine but not top class),Downton Bogus Buffalo,Hammerpot This England and a real cider.A further 6 boxes of cider were to the side of the bar.
The young barmen looked knackered and probably had been on duty since opening time ,and we were in at 7pm on a steamy day.They didn't serve with any enthusiasm but that aside,this is a decent option for real ale in Staines,which is saying something.
On 21st July 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2728 recommendations about 2728 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about London Stone
Branded as a "Craft beer and ale house" this place has had a modern and eccentric makeover. A long vaguely J-shaped room, the bar is on the back wall facing the entrance. The counter front is faced with various different coloured wooden planks while the counter top is metal, there is a feature wall made up of old distressed doors, the central area of flooring is chequered metal plate. Some stools are made from old Meantime kegs cut in half; there is a lot of grey paint. A huge TV screen was showing tennis muted, meanwhile a funky soundtrack played slightly too loudly for a pub with three customers mid-afternoon.
There are five handpumps, one with a cider, Weston's Twist, the others were Hog's Back Hog IPA, Windsor & Eton Guardsman, Samuel Adams Blonde Ambition and Shepherd Neame Goldings Ale. The young barman was friendly and offered tasters as well as a choice of jug or straight glass. I had the Hog IPA which was in good shape and decent value at £3.60.
Outdoor seating is available in a small courtyard to one side where the old Hobgoblin pub sign still hangs, you can see into the cellar from here too.
This place isn't traditional by any means but it wasn't a bad spot, the beer was good. It's the sort of place I can imagine getting loud and busy in the evening though, one to time a visit to I think.
On 11th July 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about London Stone
Update - now. London Stone. Five pumps.
December 2013 (as Hobgoblin)
A revisit found most things the same as they were all those years ago when I was a semi-regular. Four pumps with three ales on; the ubiquitous Doom Bar but better options in Sharps Honey IPA and Trumans. The IPA was in decent shape and I was impressed to note (after my pint…) that it weighed in at around 7%. So that would almost certainly have made it the most interesting beer available in Staines that evening. Atmosphere was loud and raucous, with the football in full swing and lights dimmed down to squint-level.
January 2007
A decent place to socialise in Staines in the evening – the clientèle are (gasp) a mixture of locals, students and oldies and the doormen are perfectly pleasant individuals. The ale has been topsy-turvy, it used to be tasty and varied but is far more hit-and-miss now which drags the score down. Open-plan with wooden flooring. There’s a big screen inside for the football and there’s a small beer garden at the rear. The music can be loud at times but that's par for the course in a suburban town centre, it's the same at any other and at least here it's not the Rn’B fest so favoured by other Staines outlets - if you want a quality pint in peace then carry on down the road to the Bells. If you're out in the town with some mates, this is worth a stop. Rated 6.
On 10th February 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tom Fairburn left this review about The Hobgoblin
I drove passed the HOB-GOB the other day, and it looks boarded-up and closed down! But how long for...?! It's ideally situated for Staines town centre, and in particular the 'Vue' cinema complex, walking distance over the nearby stream (...or is that a river..)? Was a bit of a 'heavy metal' bar in its day! :o(
On 21st January 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 78 recommendations about 59 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Simon Roberts left this review about The Hobgoblin
Has recently changed from Thai food serving pub to traditional english fayre.
On 15th November 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 14 recommendations about 14 pubs]