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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Graham Coombs
Submitted on Monday, 20th March 2023
With picture contributions to 5136 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (7 more images)
Detail Pages
The Black Horse, Kingston Upon Thames
Norbiton
Postal town: Kingston Upon Thames
KT2 6QP
Served areas
Reviews of The Black Horse (Average Rating: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Black Horse
A tarted-up old pub, half painted dark grey on the outside and surrounded by contrived outdoor furnishings and undergrowth across the former car park. Inside is similar, with some colourful decor and assorted designer furniture ranging from high leather benches to chintzy chesterfields. Down one end was a sign claiming a semi-private games room but I didn't investigate. The beer did seem to be in good condition though, with cask offerings of Park Killcat, Twickenham Autumn Gold. TT Landlord and Doom Bar. Not totally sure if I like it but I will give it the benefit of the doubt.
On 20th March 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Black Horse
This is a large, modernised roadside pub with a smart interior that feels better suited to diners than drinkers. Upon entering, you find yourself in a large opened out room with some nice herringbone flooring in the front bar area. This space is broken up by a central pillar and the walls have a low moulded plasterwork design with bold, modern wallpaper above. Seating comes in the form of padded benches around the perimeter, with regular chairs in support plus some high banquettes to the right. The servery is to the rear and has a white wood panelled counter front with an unpainted top and a fine old mirrored bar back topped with a decorative pediment. To the left is a slightly raised carpeted seating area, almost entirely obscured by a partitioning wall, with dark painted walls, similar seating options, a tidy fireplace on the far wall and various lanterns, vases and potted plants in the front window sills. Over to the right, the room runs back through a carpeted dining area with basic tables and chairs in the majority. The servery also extends back here and there is a rear window bay which can be screened off from the rest of the room by a curtain. Decor throughout the pub includes small mounted deer heads, ceramic animals and a collection of large vases, pots and the like. There’s a decent sized front garden with ample seating and a good deal of shelter, although it does look out to a busy road. R&B tunes were playing quietly in the background and there was a modest crowd in attendance.
The pub has found its way into recent editions of the Good Beer Guide, and offered a promising selection of cask ale on this visit - Park Killcat and Poets Corner (£5.00), Twickenham Summer Sun, Sharps Doom Bar and Taylors Landlord. The bar staff were a bit useless, but managed to pour me a pint of the Poets Corner after much fuss, but it was in pretty bad shape and certainly not Good Beer Guide worthy.
I was a bit disappointed with this place, which I’d hoped would be the standout pub in Norbiton, but ended up being a very underwhelming experience. The interior is smartly furnished, but can’t shake the gastro-pub vibe, coming across like an Ember Inn, whilst the service and beer quality were both severely lacking. It’s a nice looking place and may well suffice for a bite to eat, but I can’t see myself returning and would be surprised if it made the GBG again this year.
On 6th November 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Kingston Gate
The pub consists of a large more or less L-shaped single room with the bar on the inside corner. Carpeted with mostly standard style seating apart from the bar stools and a few other stools at a ledge, the interior is mostly fairly modern refit issue, one area is slightly raised but there are a couple of fireplaces on opposite sides. There's a dartboard, a pool table and TV, decor includes a few old B&W photos of Kingston. The single space is sort of divided by a few pillars, sections of former walls and modern wood and glass half height screens.
The pubco menu offers decent value meals, baguettes and jackets plus an all day breakfast but I don't know what the food is like.
There are two banks of four pumps, one had all four clipped Courage Best, the other had Doom Bar and Spitfire with two not clipped. The Spitfire was fine (£3.30).
There is a ramped access and internal accessible WC. There are a few benches to the frontage on a raised terrace and I think there is a rear garden.
This is a particularly ordinary pub without any features of note. All was well during my post work visit but the presence of CCTV and the "No Drugs" notices are a little concerning.
On 8th July 2011
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
View more reviews of The Black Horse (5)
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- Official site of The Black Horse - www.blackhorsekingston.co.uk
- Facebook - Black Horse Kingston
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Black Horse - whatpub.com
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Car Park : No last updated 20 March 2023 by Graham Coombs
- Child Friendly : Yes - Until 8:30 p.m. - last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Darts : Yes last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Jukebox : No last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
- Karaoke : No last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
- Live Music : No last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Micropub : No last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Pinball : Yes last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Pool Table : No last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
- Quiz Night : Yes last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Real Cider : No last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
- WiFi : Yes last updated 12 April 2019 by ROB Camra
