2 February 2020
So to the highlight of the year, attempting to make Surrey look like an attractive pub destination for our American readers.
With a Sunday night in Walton-on-Thames to come (calm down, calm down), I start in Staines.
Perhaps not the most startling town in England, but you’re surrounded by runways and reservoirs and Runnymede and rugby fans.
It’s a a shame about the rugger.
It wasn’t too troubling in the Olde Red Lion on the edge of town.
But then these were normal folk, more interested in Molson Coors than mauling.
A delightfully dull beer range had Ghost Ship as the exotic guest, but this is London Pride country.
With late Sunday roasts being scoffed at the bar and window ledges I had to take my cool, decent Pride (3+) out with the smokers, who are always the most interesting of pubbers anyway.
Their delight in the French stuffing of our boys was palpable.
A mile walk down to posh Laleham where tempers were more frayed.
“Bring on Jonny Wilkinson” they probably said.
Or possibly “oy, more Dom over here my good man“.
It was chaotic, and the bar blockers didn’t help.
Pride or TEA, anyway, so Pride it was. Would I make it out before the pashminas and pooches attacked?
Only just.
Into £4.40 a pint territory, so no chance of a tip, despite the attractive flower display set out for the purpose.
And to be fair, it was a second Pride drinking well in an hour, though noticably less chilled.
Hate rugger, love the extra turnover rugger brings to pubs.
retiredmartin 
Is your added “e” on old a joke, a meaningless typo or something deeper? Does “Olde” in a pub name signify?
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The Olde was my assumption but actually it’s only old. The terms are pretty much interchangeable, but Ye Olde is quite common.
Can’t think of another word with acceptable alternative spellings like that.
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Olde always seemed like a term that may have been used to pull in tourists. Interesting that it apparently is not.
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I don’t think it’s that calculated. I guess a lot of pubs had “Old” added at some stage.
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It’s not like “Barge” where an extra “e” transforms it from a boat to a person in charge of or working on a barge.
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Not the greatest of Surrey towns by some stretch, the featured pubs look nice, but oh so boring beer.
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Yes, it’s great isn’t it?
Loads of Doom Bar, Pride and even Courage in the Wheatsheaf. Beer and Pubs Forum day out?
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Nothing wrong with rugby, superb sport. But then, I’m Welsh so I would say that wouldn’t I?
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You’re allowed to like 🏉, you don’t have a national cricket team.
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I nearly said you don’t have a football team but thought better of it.
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You’re right of course, but Collis King and Jacques Kallis have both played for what passes for the national side.
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Used to visit Staines (before it was ‘-on-Thames’) quite a lot and don’t remember drinking in the Old Red Lion. Wrong side of town, I suspect.
However, I did visit the Three Horseshoes in Laleham last summer on out excursion down the Thames. It was alright, but the Turk’s Head was much more pubby!
As we were pondering our options, near to the church, a local thought we were looking for traces of Lord Lucan! Apparently, Laleham was home to earlier descendants of the Bingham family one of whom bought the local manor.
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Live the gentle jibing of 🏉 😄
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Gentle?
I’ve failed 😉
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