Kingston & Surbiton Pub Review 2019

Recommended
Beer

Happy New Year and a big welcome to any new readers – and just like 2018, the new year starts with a trip to the Willy.  Last year (5 Jan) it was buzzing; this year there were more real ales on offer than punters in the pub – one punter was watching the football (Tranmere 0 Spurs 7) and left on the final whistle; just the 4 of us and a couple of guys playing pool in the whole of the ‘sports bar’ for the rest of the evening.

It certainly wasn’t warm in the pub and this had an adverse effect on the dart grip (that’s my excuse anyway) – some pretty average fare but Dave was the worthy winner as he finished the most games and made the most noise.  The beer quality was excellent.  It is worth noting that we are all now twice the age we were when the ‘Friday Night Drinking’ started back in May 1986 – no wonder it’s tough picking up a dropped dart! Doubles: D-8, K2-7, B-7, K1-4 (KS)

Twelve happy punters for the annual dinner and dance were divided randomly into a female table and a male table – the main purpose was to prevent the females having to suffer various conversations re bike lights, gear ratios, Strava etc.  The curry was excellent value.  Unfortunately the darts never got underway due to some rogue diners under the dartboard and, to maintain a decades-old tradition, there was absolutely no dancing.  Another successful MPGS D+D. Singles doubles or more: No play (KS)

The beer is normally excellent at the Waggon but wasn’t so good this week.  The Redhead tasted good at the start but I reckon it went ‘off’ after that – Brian couldn’t drink his pint and I wish I hadn’t drunk mine – had to retire early feeling a touch tom-and-dick.  Injuries affected the darts; Brian-ankle, Dave-knee, K1-take your pick.  However, we did manage 16 games and Dave was a worthy winner. Singles: D-8, K1-5, B-3 (KS)

The pub was full for the football (Arse 1 Manu 3) but soon emptied when it finished.  The last woman left the boozer at 10.30 after much jovial shouting and swearing and a bizarre conversation with Malcolm who made the mistake of looking round.  The beer is good but the general atmosphere could use some improvement – Rick’s bagpipe playing for Burns Night was vaguely amusing. Doubles: K1,K2,B,M could not be bothered (KS)

The sort of cold, wet, sleety evening where it seems a touch heroic to jump on the bike and head for the pub – at least the threatened ice did not appear.  The effort was rewarded with some rugger, some excellent beer and a reasonable game of arrows, although scores of 1,2 and 3 were recorded. Doubles: K2-9, D-5, K1-4, B-4 (KS)

No punters about – time for some nostalgia – go to the cinema and rush out for last orders in the Wheelwrights when it shut at 10.30 or 11 (no problem now).  The pub is largely unchanged except for the installation of a large number of big screens showing sport.  No dart board, but good to see that it is still going strong. Singles:No! (KS)

It’s probably time to decide whether we are on for darts before we go to the pub – frankly, if you are not watching sport or playing arrows the Willy is rather dispiriting.  If you are going to chat there are far better options (for example the Wych).  The Willy desperately needs more (young!) punters. Singles: K1,K2,M could not be bothered (KS) 

An excellent evening in the Waggon where Dave met his match on the noise front – a petite young woman with a voice like a foghorn and occasional outbursts of Tourettes – really funny!  The darts were OK and once Malcolm got started it was fairly obvious that a draw was the likely outcome, although we ran and of time and enthusiasm to try for ‘the beast’.  Good beer and an excellent noisy atmosphere in the Waggon. Singles: K1-5, D-5, M-5 (KS

Some decent football with England winning 5-1 in Montenegro; after that the stands cleared pretty quickly but not enough to free the darts arena – we could have asked but the general consensus was that we could not be bothered.  Excellent beer as usual at the Willy. Doubles: K1, K2, D, M could not be bothered again (KS)

If you run a pub why would you allow a drunk middle-aged yobbo (Chelscum of course) to stand at the bar singing football songs and swearing with no wit whatsoever?  Who knows, but eventually he did fall out the door and hopefully had a severe hangover.  Apart from that the beer was good and we even managed a few games. Singles: B-3, D-0, K1-0   Doubles: B-3, M-3, D-2, K1-2 (KS)