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The Garland, Redhill
Redhill
RH1 6PP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Garland
A proper old-school pub and still serving Harvey's beers to boot. The interior shows signs of once being several rooms but is now all in one arranged round the bar, with traditional furnishings and even a bar billiards table. A covered outdoor area is provided to the side and there is live music on Saturdays. Definitely a good pub for drinkers and my only gripe is that the Old Ale was not on. There are not many things that might draw you to Redhill but this is one of them.
On 22nd January 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Garland
Apparently this is Harvey's only tied pub in Surrey. Harvey's beers are clearly quite popular in this area, as I saw them quite a few times during my day in the area. The 2 beers on were Sussex Best Bitter and their IPA. A third clip for Old Ale was turned round.
Very much a drinkers' pub and now run by an Irish landlord, there is a traditional wooden-floored bar area with a darts board and bar billiards table to the right-hand side, where the toilets can be found. To the left, there is an outdoor courtyard in which to enjoy the sun, when it appears.
Located on the main A23 Brighton Road heading south out of town, there are several take-away establishments nearby, along with the inevitable out-of-town retail parks. However, residential streets can be found off to the west of the Brighton Road probably house most of the pub's customers. Live music was advertised. A TV showing live golf was competing for sound with music coming from the speakers, which was a little irritating.
I do like a traditional town boozer of this kind. Whilst my IPA was in good condition, I was hoping for a slightly better beer choice.
On 16th June 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Garland
Situated a five minute walk from the train station on the main road heading south out of Redhill, the Garland is an excellent, traditional Harvey's pub - their sole representative in Surrey. To enter the pub, you'll need to climb a short flight of steps before you emerge into the U-shaped bar area. This is a carpeted room with the servery directly opposite the door, hidden in part by two large pillars which are clad with some pleasing modern wood panels. The servery has a marvellous curved counter and gantry with some fine cut glass on the bar back. Standard tables and chairs are the only form of seating, having been arranged evenly around the perimeter, with those down the windowless left hand side each sporting a lit table lamp. The walls have low panelling with old wallpaper above and have been covered with black and white photos, blackboards detailing various pub attractions including the ale list, CAMRA certificates and flyers for local events, with a dartboard hung awkwardly in the front right corner. To the rear right there is a separate room of sorts, dominated by a bar billiards table, but with a second dartboard squeezed into a gap alongside. The walls here are covered with various flyers and gig posters, Harveys promotional material and some nice old whiskey mirrors. Music played quietly throughout my visit and the blackboards detailed various live performances that were due to take place in the pub over the coming weeks, plus a beer festival set for the end of June. A door to the rear left leads out to a decent sized garden with plenty of furniture, which was proving particularly popular on a warm Spring afternoon.
There were five Harvey's ales on handpull when I arrived, although there were a few more pumps left unused, which suggests the range may widen during busier times. The options on this occasion were Sussex Best, Armada, Knots of May, IPA and Olympia. A very friendly and welcoming barmaid poured me a pint of the Armada which ,as you might expect from such a revered pub, was in excellent condition.
This is a very good pub which seems to get all of the basics right, to provide a very satisfying traditional pub feel replete with some top class ale. The place has a very uncomplicated feel to it and is the sort of place you could easily find yourself losing an evening in. It's clearly the best pub in the local area and makes a compelling argument for jumping off the train at Redhill to give it a try.
On 30th May 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Garland
Doesn't require much by way of introduction, this is Redhill’s nationally-recognized pub. U shaped interior, carpeted, cosy and has relatively modern pseudo-Victoriana wood cladding. Live music advertised and also noted as dog friendly. To the right are a darts board and bar billiards. A Harvey's house, there was pretty much the full range on my Friday afternoon visit; IPA, Best, Armada, Old (excellent nick) and Kiss (good shape). Friendly landlady asked if my two halves were for a whole pint, old skool. Busy at lunchtime, which is testament to its appeal. Also noted some younger elements amongst the crowd of older patrons. Worth the plaudits, this one.
On 16th March 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Garland
This isn't an original Harvey's pub but one that they took on in the 1990s. It formed part of their steady march towards and finally into London. I did come here once a few years after it opened and don't have any recollection of it being an outstanding pub so I was surprised to see scores of 9 and 10 below. My favourite Harvey's pubs are rural rather than town ones. There's little else that hasn't been said about the interior other than I did notice two dart boards. It has been knocked into one room so isn't totally original but I bet that was done by Ind Coope the previous owners.
It was quiet on my Thursday mid afternoon visit with a small group of old duffers sat at the bar. There were four Harvey's beers ranging in price from £3.30 to £3.85, IPA, Best, Old and Armada. I went for the Armada having had an exceptional pint of it last Winter at their Hove outlet. Sadly this didn't live up to it, I suspect I got the top of a fresh cask in Hove. Having said all that there was nothing wrong with the pint and it went down OK. This is a good town pub owned by a good regional brewer but I don't rate it as being anything exceptional. Possibly the lack of good pubs in the Redhill area has added to the credentials of it.
On 28th September 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Garland
The Garland is a Harveys’ pub that I popped into on a recent Thursday evening when it was pretty busy. The interior is cosy and U shaped with standard seating to the right of the entrance. To the right rear are a bar billiards table and a dartboard. The left hand wall is lined with tables that support lamps for the reading of newspapers. I didn’t note the presence of a television, but there was some background music playing.
I counted eight hand pumps on the bar that were drawing five of the Harveys’ range.
Live music is advertised for every Saturday night.
I liked it in here and found it to be the best pub I visited during my crawl of the immediate area.
On 30th September 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
TW G left this review about The Garland
My maiden review on PG having tired of the plebeian 'Twitter' mentality on BITE, which I've contributed around 600 pub reviews to but I fear has now had its day for more serious reviewers who want to do more than simply slate others' opinions. I trust a more respectful approach is adopted here....
I am one of those "jammy buggers" that Mr Davies refers to in his last review....! And I am happy to report with considerable smugness that having frequent access to the Garland is something of a privilege, and one which I certainly enjoy to the full.
I have had a nigh-on 20-year relationship with this pub, which promises relatively little externally given its demure Victorian architecture and being located in a town sadly not awash with dedicated quality ale houses. However, once inside the draws to the traditional pub and ale enthusiast should become more apparent. They have been sufficient to keep me coming back time and again, at any rate.
The decor is pseudo-Victoriana, which is far-from-authentic but does suit the overall ambience created around the bar and immediate seating areas. The function room is an anodyne but nevertheless useful overflow for when things get busy and for - oddly enough - the holding of functions. Music is played and is very much landlord's choice (no jukeboxery or karaoke here folks), which may please or displease in equal measure. But at least only 'proper' music proliferates here, and the recent addition of live events following a relaxation in licensing law is certainly a further string to the pub's bow.
There should be a warm welcome from Stuart or Lesley Dimmock, the current tenants, as well as their staff, which includes Peter Stevens, the 'executive chef' if I can call him that, who provides a variety of classic, but well-cooked pub grub meals at lunchtimes. Mercifully, evenings are retained as a time for the civil hubbub of drinkers, centred around the bar and around nearby tables, unencumbered by the fuss and faff of food orders.
Beyond this, the cask beer lover will immediately clock and approve of the 8 handpumps, all dispensing Harvey's of course as this is a tied house, but don't let lack of brewery origin diversity dismay you: if you enjoy a Harvey's, there are at least 6 to quaff your way through and in 99 times out of 100 a perfectly-conditioned pint will be pumped-up for your delectation. The landlord's biochemistry degree allows him to appreciate and understand the finer points of cellarmanship, and it shows. If he knows it is wrong, it shall not be served.
A reasonable selection of wines are also available at modest mark-ups for pub-land and from old and new world sources; spirits are also diverse in range and again, sensibly-priced. There is also a tryptych of keg lagers from the usual mass-produced factory spread, though these will not be found at such competitive prices - there is no apology at the G-spot for tentatively pushing customers away from bland fizz and fake stout and towards the craft ales, which start at £2.90 and although go up to £3.80, are still decidedly better value for money! Keg cider is also available for those suited to it.
The Garland has, since 2008 when S & L took the reins, become something of a civilised community centre (and I don't mean some kind of old man's social club with a pool table and serving John Smith's and Carling!), which prides itself on being available to anyone who appreciates its wares, from any age or background. Behave, and you will be gathered to its bosom. If you do not, you may be dismissed: one cannot say fairer than that.
Regular meals take place on Sundays for charity purposes, and it is a frequent haunt of the local CamRA branch for its meetings. On an everyday basis, there are darts and traditional bar billiards to keep the punters amused if lively conversation and cask ale appreciation are not enough. I should also mention a generous smoking area at the rear and a secluded garden, which has plenty of seating for clement weather and is handy for barbecues.
Naturally, I am biased about this place, as I have adopted it as my local and would find it hard to imagine people not finding it as engaging as I. It is not 'the best pub in England'. But it's pretty damn good, and when it's your local, that's more than good enough. I hope if you haven't already, you read this, pay a visit, and decide for yourself.
On 21st January 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5 recommendations about 5 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Davies left this review about The Garland
To update my notes below from nearly three years ago: the Garland continues to delight and is once again in the GBG. I do remember that it tended to close mid afternoon but it's open all day till late now. London travelcard and freedom pass holders will be pleased that the 405 bus from Croydon turns around a short stagger away and takes TFL passes throughout its foray into darkest Surrey.
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Redhill is very much a workaday town that owes its existence to the railway junction, and visitors to the area could be forgiven for carrying on to try their luck in nearby Reigate. But in doing so they'd miss out on one of the finest pubs in the area, better even than anything Reigate can manage, and that's the Garland.
It's still very much a local boozer on the edge of the town centre, and far enough away from the many lager and footie establishments to avoid cross-contamination by their clientele. A largish one room arrangement with a central island bar,a bit more public bar-ish to the left with darts and whathaveyou. Not much has changed, really, in decades. OK it's maybe a bit tidier than it was, and a bit brighter, but nothing wrong with that.
Then there's the beer. It's a Harvey's pub and there's always at least six, maybe more, of that company's delicious products, always in tip-top condition. Many people come a long way to sample it.
Harveys have long been exemplary in maintaining traditional standards in their tied estate and have stayed off the designer gastro road taken by so many others. Long may it stay that way.
This pub is worth mounting quite a serious expedition to reach. If it's your local you're a jammy bugger indeed.
On 1st January 2013
- rating: 10
[User has posted 567 recommendations about 559 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Garland
Consistently excellent Harveys pub, opened out at some stage to create a 'J'-shaped bar. Traditional decor and comfortable furniture. Bar billiards table in a small back room. Usually has five or so of the eight handpumps in operation, offering the ubiquitous Sussex plus the regular Dark Mild and Armada together with Hadlow and Old (£3.40, an in fine form) on my last visit. Overall, well worth the few minutes walk southwards under the Reigate branch railway bridge from Redhill town centre.
On 6th April 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Garland
The Garland is a classic street corner Victorian local on the main road running south out of the town centre.
It dates back to 1865 – one of the oldest buildings in Redhill apparently – and was originally called The Anchor. Inside, we see a photo of the pub from those days badged as a Mellersh and Neale of Reigate pub, who fell into the hands of the Meux Brewery in 1938.
It’s a fine traditional pub with a curved mahogany bar counter, complete with gantry and brass foot rail adding to the appealing interior. It’s a comfortable, carpeted, well appointed interior. An area on the right has a bar billiards table and dart board. On the left is a separate room that can be used for functions. At the back is a surprisingly large ( given the central location ) outside seating area.
Since my previous visit a few years ago ( doesn’t time fly ?), the long standing tenants, Bill and Shirley, have sadly gone and the beer range seems to have reduced. The more observant amongst us will also have noticed that the fine collection of clowns on the bar gantry and shelves have also disappeared. It’s still an interesting interior though, with particular note being made of a number of photos of the London – Brighton Veteran Car Run passing the pub.
As if we didn’t already know, it’s a Surrey outpost for Harveys of Lewes beers and, on my visit, 5 beers were on – Best, Mild and Armada ( regulars ) plus, as guests, Old and Bonfire Boy. Laminated drinks menus on the tables detail the good range of Harveys bottled beers that are also available. The pub has been a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular for a number of years and the new tenants appear to have maintained the good beer quality.
I have to report that the background music was too loud and intrusive and did feel out of place, but, thankfully, peace returned when there was a change of serving staff behind the bar.
This is still a pub worth going out of your way to get to
On 23rd November 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]