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Image posted by Rex Rattus
Submitted on Sunday, 5th June 2011
With picture contributions to 1103 other pubs
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Detail Pages
Hand & Flower, Richmond
Ham
Postal town: Richmond
TW10 5LA
Served areas
Reviews of Hand & Flower (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Hand & Flower
ORIGINAL REVIEW September 2017
A good looking exterior ,but these days this is much more a Korean restaurant than pub.On entering you notice that all the furniture is in rich ,dark mahogany,and the decorations have an asian theme.The small bar has four handpumps,but all unclipped leaving a very boring selection of 4 mainstream keg beers from the multinationals.There is a single oval table in a mid pub section,while there is a formal dining room to the rear,and an overflow dining area in a darkened space to the side.
There is an extensive beer garden ,with it's own serving shack again keg only.There are ponds ,a childrens play area but strangely a lot of CCTV cameras to one side.Children must be seated and dining after 7pm in order to remain on the premises.
I had a look at the menu ,which seemed authentic but a little pricey.The internal seating arrangement doesn't lend itself to someone who just wants a beer,it feels more of a pre meal gathering area,and despite a friendly welcome ,I can see little reason to return to simply drink standard keg crap.
UPDATE
After a long closure now reopened with much the same interior but with some freshning up,this is now a proper pub.There are various sections with the main bar in the room overlooking the Green and cricket pitch with dining type tables.There is a more formal dining room in a conservatory ,while to the side and tucked away is a back room.The garden has been opened out and has new garden furniture and no coy carp.
There were two handpumps working on my trip offering a real cider and Twickenham Naked Ladies (NBSS 3.5).The food menu offers quite typical pub grub with mains around £15 and decent cooking in evidence,with a selection of smaller dishes/sides making a cheaper option.The interior is dog friendly and there is a weekly quiz.
The one negative was very sloppy service at the bar with a food order not placed on their system and a dirty glass offered with water ,with no apology on it's return.There was a slapdash attitude, maybe something which gets ironed out in time but could be a cause for concern.At least the pub has reopened.
On 17th March 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Hand & Flower
Only had time for a flying visit on a hot mid-week afternoon,and as such did not have time to investigate thoroughly,from the outside it looks like it could be a real boozer but upon entering you find it is much more aimed at food, there is still a small drinking bar area and the snug-like areas remain as per the reviews below but seemed to set out for casual food eating as well as the slightly more formal dining area to the rear.There is a large paved beer garden to the side and rear of the pub complete with pond full of various Goldfish and Koi Carp. The pub is child friendly with time restrictions that I failed to note. I didn't spot a second bank of handpumps as reported below but there were four pumps in the front drinking bar, unfortunately two were unclipped ,one had Sharps Cornish Coaster reversed leaving the final one (that I was aware of dispensing the commonplace Doombar,not favorite of mine nowadays, it was however in good condition but I would have been happier with the Coaster had it been on.As it turned out not really my kind of pub, especially with the lack of beer choice,maybe it improves at the weekend. Unlikely to return.
On 29th July 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Hand & Flower
This pub has an inviting and attractive exterior, certainly at this time of year with the floral displays in full bloom. Inside there are several interconnected areas, the front and side rooms being where the drinkers congregate. Some bare boarded flooring, other areas have parquet, the Cricket Bar, to the front, has yellow/cream walls, black beamed ceiling, red wainscotting, leaded windows and leather benches and stools at conventional tables. Cricket team photos, sketches and the aforementioned autographed Aussie and NZ bats form the decor, I did like the drawings of cricketers from my era, I recognised John Snow, Clive Lloyd (the Boss), Dennis Lillee and I reckon Viv Richards but not as good a drawing as the rest. A dartboard in here would require the furniture to be shifted around if it was to be used. The side room has a few barrel tables and a couple of fine drawings of Old London Bridge when it had houses built on it.
To the rear is the more formal dining area, I was accosted by some waiter while I browsed around asking if he could help me, but an abrupt "No thank you" in my best leave me alone style soon had him on his way. Just off the dining room is a small snug-like area which has a most peculiar assortment of period style armchairs.
Beer wise the bar has two sets of three handpumps as well as the usual keg offerings, the Cricket Bar had Pride, Young's Ordinary and a fine Twickenham Naked Ladies (£3.20) whereas around the corner the Pride and Young's were repeated with the addition of Sambrook's Wandle. Worth a look around then before choosing but reading previous reviews these seem to be regular beers.
The pub does advertise itself as a food venue with the title "Public House and Kitchen" but is certainly not exclusively foody or even what I'd call a gastro pub. Yes there is a restaurant but in a dedicated separate space, plus very reasonably priced snacks are available, eg onion bhajis, veggie spring rolls, pitta bread and houmus and "doorstep" sandwiches are just £3. Monday to Friday there are also several lunch specials for a fiver, not bad at all.
The rear garden is pleasant, partly paved, part grassy with a fenced pond containing large goldfish shaded by a mature weeping willow tree.
Newspapers available, TV in the bar showing tennis from Queens, quiz night on Thursdays.
I liked it here, I'd certainly drop by again and I'm possibly as unsure as JB was in his earlier review as to why this place was previously off my radar.
On 13th June 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
View more reviews of Hand & Flower (5)
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Teddington, 1.75 miles, 33 min walk (show)
Hampton Wick, 1.97 miles, 38 min walk (show)
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.
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 18 May 2011 by hondo .
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 30 September 2017 by Bucking Fastard
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 30 September 2017 by Bucking Fastard
- Darts : No last updated 30 September 2017 by Bucking Fastard
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 30 September 2017 by Bucking Fastard
- Micropub : No last updated 15 February 2023 by paulof horsham
- Quiz Night : No last updated 30 September 2017 by Bucking Fastard
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 30 January 2022 by Rex Rattus
- WiFi : Yes last updated 30 September 2017 by Bucking Fastard
