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Image posted by Blackthorn _
Submitted on Sunday, 1st April 2018
With picture contributions to 5202 other pubs
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Detail Pages
The Mute Swan, Hampton Court, East Molesey
Hampton Court
East Molesey
KT8 9BN
Served areas
Reviews of The Mute Swan (Average Rating: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Mute Swan
A substantial and attractive looking pub directly opposite Hampton Court Palace and within yards of the Thames, it’s obviously a very popular spot and it was full to capacity on our recent Sunday afternoon visit, with pretty much all the tables being occupied by diners. Although we did manage to grab a small table as somebody left, what with waiters constantly whizzing past and everyone else eating, we felt slightly uncomfortable and didn’t linger.
It’s quite contemporary in terms of décor, and a black, cast iron spiral staircase in the centre of the pub leading up to a mezzanine level floor is a prominent feature. The flooring was wood strip, whilst the lower part of the walls were clad with dark wood panelling and there was cream plasterwork up above. The large windows made the most of the outlook and the walls were filled with old black and white photos. The large bar had a mirrored backdrop and an extensive spirit selection.
There was a surprisingly good selection of beers on tap for a venue such as this that must be a bit of a tourist trap and on our visit the selection was Wantsum Hengist, Old Pie Factory’s American Pie, Bingham’s Twyford Tipple, Sambrooks Powerhouse, Bunnings & Price Original Bitter, Ravensbeer and a further pump which appeared to have run out. From an initial glance the solitary cider appeared to be Aspall’s Suffolk, but when I expressed my displeasure at this, the friendly barman said that they had some Hallett’s PX “out the back”. This was a new one on me and very pleasant, if a little on the sweet side perhaps. Whilst this isn’t normally the style of pub that I’d go for, at a quieter time I could see that it would be quite appealing.
On 11th April 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Mute Swan
Could have been awful - chain pub, opposite a major tourist attraction.
Was wonderful - six real ales and a barman who knew his stuff. Great pint of triple f moondancer, a decent meal and great service.
Recommended.
Photos at my walking blog - http://bit.ly/2a2SnEC
On 17th July 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 277 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Mute Swan
Located just over the road from the entrance gates to Hampton Court Palace, this is a smart, gastro-style pub from the Brunning and Price chain. You enter into a roughly square shaped ground floor bar, bare boarded throughout but with a few rugs to help dampen down the noise within. A plain modern servery runs down the right hand wall and there is a row of high tables and stools opposite with the rest of the room filled with standard tables and chairs and a few padded banquettes and pews. The walls have been covered with loads of interesting, vaguely locally themed black and white photos plus various maps, paintings, adverts and the like. A plain fireplace stands to the left in a part of the room that has been semi-partitioned from the bar area thanks to some sections of wall that have been retained. Opposite the bar is a spiral staircase which leads up to a first floor restaurant, also accessible via a standard staircase to the rear of the pub. The restaurant has the usual standard formal seating options and similar décor to that seen downstairs. The room runs around all four walls but the centre has been cut out, allowing you to look down to the bar area below. Music played quietly throughout my visit and I noticed the day's papers all piled up at the end of the bar. I ate here and found the food to be excellent quality, but very pricey by pub standards, as you might expect given its location (ham, egg and chips - £11.00).
Brunning and Price pubs tend to do well on the ale selection front and this place was no different, with the handpulls offering Brunning and Price Original Bitter, Taylor Boltmaker, Hog's Back TEA, Surrey Hills Greensand IPA, Tillingbourne The Source and Thwaites Wainwright. The staff here were especially friendly and one barmaid served me up an excellent pint of the Greensand IPA.
This is clearly a very well run, upmarket pub looking to cash in from the many visitors to the neighbouring Palace. I enjoyed my visit here but the prices don't make it conducive to a longer visit. Like other pubs from this chain, it also has more of a restaurant feel to it, despite efforts to create a separate dining area upstairs and it therefore felt like you would never be able to strike up much of a conversation with anyone in here. Still, it remains a solid pub and worth investigating.
On 6th April 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
View more reviews of The Mute Swan (6)
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- Official site of The Mute Swan - www.brunningandprice.co.uk
- Facebook - The Mute Swan
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Mute Swan - whatpub.com
Thames Ditton, 1.22 miles, 23 min walk (show)
Teddington, 1.8 miles, 34 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.
- Accommodation : No last updated 25 March 2014 by Malden man
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 25 March 2014 by Malden man
- Beer Garden : Yes - Benches at the front - last updated 14 March 2014 by Rex Rattus
- Car Park : Yes last updated 25 March 2014 by Malden man
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 06 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
- Darts : No last updated 25 March 2014 by Malden man
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 06 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 14 March 2014 by Rex Rattus
- Jukebox : No last updated 25 March 2014 by Malden man
- Karaoke : No last updated 25 March 2014 by Malden man
- Live Music : Yes last updated 06 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 25 March 2014 by Malden man
- Micropub : No last updated 06 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
- Pinball : No last updated 14 March 2014 by Rex Rattus
- Pool Table : No last updated 14 March 2014 by Rex Rattus
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 14 March 2014 by Rex Rattus
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 11 April 2018 by Blackthorn _
- Wheelchair Access : No - Toilets upstairs - last updated 14 March 2014 by Rex Rattus
- WiFi : Yes last updated 06 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
