“TELL ME SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT SURBITON”

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I might group these pubs together soon, but then I’d go over 500 words and you’d just look at the pictures and try to find typos.

And unquestionably, Surbiton’s Black Lion deserves its place in the sun.

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Pub No.4
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Offers from Wetherspoons Museum of Pub awaited for this relic

Excitingly, Surbiton needs a zig zag in and out of Clapham Junction to really increase my dispiritedness levels.

Surbiton

“Surbiton is a suburban neighbourhood of Kingston” is the best I can find on Wiki. One of those suburbs without an obvious character of its own, despite a population of 45,000.

I know I’ve been here at least three times, the GBG tells me that, but I can’t distinguish it from Esher or Earslfield or anywhere else.

Wiki is effusive about the architectural charms.

Surb ARch

Which is harsh. You’d think I’d remember this fine Art Deco station, a reminder of the Woodville wonder.

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Classy

There’s some gorgeous housing reminiscent of the best that Sutton Coldfield or Orpington can offer,

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Distinctive mock-something

and the odd “art” piece like this abandoned Waitrose trolley.

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Tracey Emin cast-off

But the High Street is identikit, and I’m relieved to head away from the Costas and Café Neros to the pubs in Seething Wells, who I remember as a regular contributor to the NME back in the days that NME was a new music paper.

Surb 2
Seething Wells by the Thames

Guess what this one is called.

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Not a good likeness, tbf

My target is a Young’s pub.

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Slow down retiredmartin !
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Better view

There’s two ways that can go. The West London gastro, or the (rarer and unexpected) West London boozer.

Bit of both here.

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Smart bit
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Plainer bit

I get an exemplary (3.5) half of Surrey Hills from an exemplary barmaid.

“Ooh, an ale drinker. Come and join us at the bar”

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Forget his name, so will call him Legend

He’d been keeping pubs going without the need to write letters or request ACVs since noon, pure BRAPA gold.

We reminisced about Welsh beer and the Valleys.

Next to me, Becca (sp,?) seemed to disbelieve I’d come down to visit her local.

“Tell me something interesting about Surbiton?”

“Tell me something interesting about Cambridge”

That stumped me.

Then she reeled off a list of local boozers I ought to visit, and urged me to go to Trisha’s in Soho. So I will.

After I’d wished them a good day and fell t-over-a on the way out, I did visit those pubs.

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Great pub (2)
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Great pub (3)
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I have no recollection at all of this Spoons

And the Thames at dusk was as majestic as she’d promised.

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View from Seething Wells

Halfway there.Now for the tough ones.

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

24 thoughts on ““TELL ME SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT SURBITON””

  1. Did making the photo on “Hest is Best” featured change how your site comes up? I now default to the Hest is Best post when I go to your site. I noticed the featured designation on that post. Not sure if that is my issue or not. I’m thinking featured may cause that post to be the default post. Previously I would see the most current posting.

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  3. Well Sir, it is my pleasure and my honour to inform you, that Surbiton is the home to Surbiton Croquet Club, which is amongst the strongest of croquet clubs in the country and, with fully seven lawns, yes, seven, it is one of the largest too.

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  5. Seething Wells the punk poet sadly passed away in 2009

    Attila the Stockbroker is still going strong

    I am in the Surbiton Weatherspoons as i type recovering from a gruelling work meeting

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