please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
It's so good to see a pub turned around so well. The Sussex some years ago was a crap run down pub, but has been rejuvenated while still left in it's original style - great wood and windows. So glad that you don't stick to the 70's carpet when walking around any more! Now has a fantastic selection of beer, perry & cider, sounds like I need to try the pies too! A small pub inside but they've made the most of the building, utilising space better than previously. Top job.
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A cracking pub, eighteen handpumps serving a bewildering array of real ale. A wonderful aroma of roast dinners greeted us when we arrived today. A slight lack of indoor seating is the only fault I could see. Roast chicken sandwich with roast potatoes, a sublime Yorkshire Pudding and a small amount of gravy. Excellent real ale and perfect service. 10/10.
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The Pies are back,they left us for a while because Anthea,who makes these splendid things,had twin boys, so you would understand that she was unable to bake for a while.She still is only doing certain amounts so we will still run short sometimes until she is 100% pie friendly,they are handmade as you know.As far as the roast is concerned,it's been of the same quality since since we opened the pub and will continue to be so?
Like any establishment we are not perfect but we aim to be as good and as honest as we can be to all our customers.Sometimes you do make mistakes and you cant please everyone,that's life and also part of hospitality.We thank all you lovely people out there who support us by coming through the door everyday and making the wonderful comments and constructive advice, on this site and others,it's great to know what we try to achieve here week after week seems to please most of you,that's awesome!Thank you all and keep Real Ale alive!....and Vinyl!
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A great pub and only 1min from my front door. Always a good atmosphere and friendly staff with the already well documented range of ales and ciders. The 70s vinyl is a bonus in my book. If the pie lady has gone it's a shame but this place would stand strong without food at all. If you are nearby , go.
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I was introduced to The Sussex Arms a few months ago. Its shaping up to be one of my favourite pubs EVER. A HUGE selection of beers and cider, a great atmosphere, great decor, friendly staff who actually know about what they are serving, the loyalty card is a great idea. Tried their food the other day and it gets my thumbs up. Large beer garden for when the sun eventually comes out, music is at the right volume (loud enough to hear it, quiet enough so you dont need to raise your voice), toilets are always clean with loo roll in it, mixed crowd of people which is a good thing in my book.
This is a seriously splendid pub and im already looking forward to my next visit. Worth moving to Twickenham for! :)
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AJ has left and taken her pies/roast with her. :-(
Pies are rubbish now.
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What a truly excellent PUB in the real sense of the word. Discovered it, in it's present form, by accident when my partner (who's an avid Cider fan) spotted a board promoting draft ciders outside last Nov.
Since then we have been back back at least once a week.
What a change from how I rememembed the place. It [now] has absolutely everything you could want a pub to have with no disadvantages worth talking about.
Beer (and Cider) are excellent with an ever changing range available - you can try before buying.
Food is basic - but prepared to such a high standard one will always want more.
Drops one point because it is not walking distance from my home - but gets it back as it is on a direct bus route :-)
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This used to be the last place anyone would choose to visit. What a pleasing change, I had my doubts but they were overcome even before I saw all those handpumps, just seeing the amount of customers spoke volumes. Then such a choice. Its remarkable. Only one teeny criticism, I think the basic plan has been uplifted from the Southampton Arms, but that isn't to bas a template is it?
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Fabulous pub offering so many and unusual ales all the time. It's in an area that has pretty decent pubs but this is just about the best. At a modest £3 a pint and the loyalty scheme card where if you have 9 pints you get one free is also a major plus pint for this place.
Very, very popular with Harlequins fans. Despite this everyone in the pub, including the staff, were having a great time.
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The best pub I have been into in years! Crikey where to start? Excellent ales good bar staff and a fine ambience. Love the lack of lager and its attendant louts!!
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After years of being a scruffy hole that I'd got so used to ignoring on a daily basis I'd almost forgotten it existed, this is now quite probably the best pub in Twickenham. And it's my local! Hooray! (sort of)
Plus points: A vast, ever-changing selection of excellently kept real ales at a mere £3/pint and a great selection of proper ciders, all of which you can try before you buy. Lovely, obliging bar staff who contribute tremendously to the warm, friendly atmosphere. Delicious food including the mouth-watering made-to-order pies and some mighty fine sausages. Pleasant decor with roaring fires, non-intrusive classic music (on vinyl, no less) and a huge garden with several comfy sofas - perfect for whiling away a summer's afternoon with friends. Despite it always being busy, I've never waited long to be served thanks to the attentive bar staff, and service is always with a smile. The Tuesday jamming band is fab and not in the least bit loud like bands tend to be in pubs.
Negatives: It is far too close to my house. And they need more indoor seating because it's so popular (and rightly so) - the ONLY reason I haven't given it 10/10.
It's an amazing transformation at a time when so many pubs are going out of business. Given that it's 'tucked away' a mile or so from Twickenham town centre, it's always busy - a perfect example of how to do a pub right. Keep up the excellent work Sussex - and I'll see you for a few quality ales later on this evening!
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service 9/10
value for money 9/10
housekeeping 9/10
ambience 9/10
no wonder its the busiest pub by the green
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What a truly excellent pub! The only thing slightly wrong with it is it gets a bit crowded and noisy - because it's so popular.
A great selection of unusual beers - perhaps six or seven I've never tried before - and some ciders.
The staff are pleasant.
Prices are low - £3 or so.
And they play music from 60s and 70s album bands like Cream - not too loud, but just loud enough so someone every so often says "I remember this - what's it called?"
Just a great pub. Keep it up!
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Lovely place, Twelve ales at £3 a pint, cider at £3.20 PLUS every tenth one free. Smiling bar staff who offer you a choice of a jug or a glass. Shame it's tucked away, but well worth a visit.
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large selection of ales usually from small independent breweries (lately quite a few stouts & porters - always a good thing)....quality is consistently good (on the couple occassions where I was 'blessed' with the bottom of the barrel, the staff were more than happy to change).
The uniform pricing policy (£3 ales) makes life easier for everyone and should be adopted by more pubs
For being so close to Twickenham, it is nice that sport is not the focus.
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What a cracking pub. Warm and comfortable environment with 2 log fires and 16 real ales on tap. The staff were enthusiastic and welcoming. Home cooked food excellent. I only wish this was my local.
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What a fantastic pub. PUB in the true sense of the word. With 18 cask ales and ciders you cant go wrong. You can if they aren't kept right but never had a bad one here and having worked in hospitality for more than half my life, I take my hat off to the management for keeping them so well. Very hard to get right and lots of hard work involved.
Yes it can get real crowded but that creates a nice atmosphere with people from all walks of life. The staff understand the importance of customer service and its great to see the management on the floor serving and socilaising with punters. Your custom is made to feel truely appreciated.
The food? I don't think I've had a better roast anywhere!
A must visit if in the area.
A must visit if thinking of opening your own place.
A must visit for Fullers, Youngs, Enterprise etc.
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Not much i can say which hasn't already been said in last few months since it opened. Not being local we came accross this pub in the London Drinker and initially had problems locating it (slightly wrong postcode on the advert). It was the 18 ales and ciders which attracted us. Despite it being a saturday night and busy the staff were very welcoming and offering tasters etc to sample the beer. The young landlady was also happy to chat while clearing tables and even apologised for the wrong postcode being used in the advert, and seemed made up that we'd gone out of our way to persevere. I will definitely go back when in the area, and if sucess is based on the customer service then this place won't go far wrong.
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Becoming a bit of a victim of it's own success: I go in less often now as is sometimes standing room only.
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This pub is now excellent !
Following the refurbishment, I frequently find myself looking for an excuse to walk past and quite often...in.
Well kept beers and a friendly atmosphere have made this one of the best pubs in Twickenham.
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Good pub doing good things. Great range of diverse well kept ales; nice interior, not spoiled by refurbishment; cool outdoor space with sofas; varied and well-cooked menu. Vote with your presence.
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Excellent range of ciders. At first therer was a tendency to get the easily obtainable but second-rate stuff such as Millwhites but now they have some really good small-producer real ciders. Quick service, food is good.
Pint prices are better than many around here, esp if you use their loyalty card (1 free after buying 10). Food prices normal for Twickenham.
I've never seen so many bicycles parked outside a pub before - often 8 - 12 at a time.
I do wonder how many customers actually prefer the music as loud as it is.
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Marvellous establishment - 14 real ales all in excellent condition and soon as one ran out a new ale was quickly put on. Five or six draft ciders too. Fortunately there's a massive beer garden which accommodates children. Allegedly the food was good. Oh! And the bar staff are very friendly and quite happy for you to sample before buying - excellent background music on throughout the night. If you're in Twickenham then worth while visiting.
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In an area blessed with good pubs, the Sussex Arms is settling down well after its refurb and offers an excellent range of well kept beer and cider at good prices. Plenty of staff behind the bar, almost seem to get in each otehrs way at times. Music is good although to have a break occasionally would not be a bad thing. Also I agree with the previous reviewer that a core of 5 or 6 headline beers that rotate and are always available would be good - if you visit just a couple of times a week the beers change completely and you have to start from scratch to find your favourite, next time you call it's replaced by something else. Still they're very generous in letting you sample what's new!
If they keep these early standards up they deserve to do well!
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A pleasant break in the land of Fullers. 18 beers and ciders all that I had in good condition. The layout could be better with 4 people taking half the pub it seemed however had a very large garden.
The old Sussex was like a 70s pub in the worst tradition this one has a rather quaint 80s feel with modern beer keeping. The oddest part was the straight glass or jug question. One for the old timers and farmers in my experience. Does it matter? I'm straight if anyone is interested!
Could maybe do with a few rotating headline ales, even at a headline price, like a Jaipur or Summer Lightening or Proper Job. I do not mind trying beers but it's nice to have 1 you know you will like. Minor criticism.
Reasonable beer prices and no Fuller's. No TVs and a large garden. Will be back.
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Have been a couple of times since the refurb. Great choice of beers & ciders, good music and had a top notch Sunday roast in the beer garden.
From being a pub I would avoid at all costs it is now one of the best pubs in Twickenham.
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Five out of 18 MillHouse ..bet you had to stay in for a week after that!!!!!
There are a few Weatherspoons pubs that do 18 or close to like the George in
Croydon and the Wibbas Down Inn in Wimbledon so if the demand is there??
Good luck to them!!!!!!!!!!!
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Seen the pub being refurbished from the bus, so decided to pop and have a look. Very pleasantly surprised, good choice of beers and staff very helpful. Will definitely being popping back in again
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Visited late yesterday afternoon with the intention of having two pints but stayed for five and was very impressed. I can only echo everything that has been written below.
£3.00 a pint for all the real ales but with their loyalty card this becomes only £2.70 if you go often enough - buy nine pints and get the 10th one free.
Will be using this place as often as possible. Like some other posters my only misgiving is whether they can sustain such a large range of ales. The random five I had, though, were all in good condition.
Good luck to them - long may they last.
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I have paid a few visits now. Trade is starting to be brisk and the amazing beer range seems more sustainable than on my first visit. It is doing everything right. - £3 a pint, loyalty cards, excellent looking food (yet to be sampled), friendly staff. Deserves every success.
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Went here for the first time yesterday. WOW, what a find. I can only assume that the average score weighting will improve as newer reviews push older ones off the end of the queue. Super range of well-kept beers and draught ciders. If I ran The Prince Blucher I'd be getting worried.
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Complete transformation into really comfortable pub with a stunning range of ales and cider and helpful, friendly staff. I didn't try the food but it seemed to be popular and tempting. An absolute must for anyone in the area who enjoys a pint of decent beer.
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Oh and don't panic, Dartboard/Fruit machines/Sky are no longer.
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Wow, what a transformation. Loads of great ales and superb food. AJ's Kitchen is now based here, so the best pies and Sunday Roast for miles are served here. Cracking garden.
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What a fantastic improvement. Lovely pub, friendly and efficient staff, large garden, extraordinary range of beers and ciders. Haven't tried the food yet but it looked lovely.
Like other posters, I'd be surprised but happy if they could keep such a range going but, as meurglys says, it would still be fine if they lost a few. I'd also be very happy if they kept the current price of £3 a pint beyond their reopening period.
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I popped in here for a few beers on Saturday late afternoon. There is a marvellous range of beers on cask (and several ciders), a good range of bottled beers including several Brewdogs, Cooper's from Adelaide, Otleys(although the one we had was strangely flat) plus a number of others. The staff are very pleasant, the beer garden is pleasant and extensive and the interior has been refurbished without losing any of its original character. I am hesitant to say "best pub in Twickenham" before going there a few more times, so I'd better get going!
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A quick visit - and getting pleasantly busy by five on a Friday afternoon. I agree with the poster below who thinks that the beer and cider range may not be sustainable at that number, but even with half the choice it would still be worth visiting!
A garden, a basic but decent food menu and a feeling that it's a pub not a sports bar or ersatz restaurant. Well worth seeking out, and encouraging people who understand that a pub requires friendly service, good drink and an atmosphere which encourages you to stay.
We then went on to the "refurbished" Lion in Teddington. A huge mistake.
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recently reopened and very impressive selection of real ales on hand pumps many you will not have seen before and constantly changing. Large garden to rear. Didn't try the food but I expect I will on future visits. Decor is slightly corporate in that it hasn't the 'local pub' feel (yet?). All seeking real ale in Twickenham must seek this one out.
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Visited on 30th July after it re-opened on 28th July. They've done a great job of the refurb and it also has a large garden which I didn't know before. Great selection of beers including local favourite 'Naked Ladies' from Twickenham fine ales. The Pale Rider was also very nice. What a refreshing change to find a pub with lots of decent beers/ciders and only two lagers! I hope this pub is a great success, Twickenham can certainly handle a place like this!
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I looked in last night and was impressed with the re-furb, the selection and quality of the beers plus the friendliness of the staff. I will be back. I had no idea that the garden would be as big as it is.
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haven't been here in about 8 years and anything has to be an improvement, last time I went there I think there was 3 customers in there all 75 or over the landlady thought it would be a good idea to stay where she was talking to the customers already in residence before my arrival. I finished 2 crosswords before she decided to move from the comfort of the fire and serve me. Never again I thought and never again it has been and one has to wonder why she couldn't be bothered to move with pubs closing at a great rate of knots.she was as good as pubfull of average wetherspoon staff. Have spoken to mates who were there on friday day after re- opening and they gave favourable reports will have to have a look soon.
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The Sussex reopened last Thursday (same owners as the Fox and Royal Oak as I understand).
I went in on Friday and the place was heaving. But there were plenty of staff and getting a pint quickly was not an issue. And what amazing beer they have too. The choice is almost too good and I would be amazed if they manage to keep busy enough to manage such vast turnover. All the better if they can as this place really deserves to do well.
The refurb is really excellent and they've done a great job of preserving its character but adding some nice fixtures and fittings in the process. The leather upholstery and wooded floor in particular look great. The garden is still work in progress but looking good already. Food is basic but they’re sensibly keeping the menu short and sweet.
The other real winner for me is a complete lack of TV screens. At last a pub where you can drink in peace and don't have to put up with the football rabble that used to frequent the place in the past.
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I am surprised this has not been reviewed yet as I am sure that the Grand Re-Opening has taken place. 18 handpumps certainly sound interesting. The only problem for me is I do not work in Twickenham anymore therefore this is a bit of a trek.
Someone please go there and review this place as if it turns out to be anything like it sounds then I think I will definitely make an effort to get down there for a bit of a sesh! ! ! ! ! ! !
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From website of Richmond & Hounslow branch of CAMRA:
Extensive refurbishment of the Sussex Arms Ale & Cider House is still on-going and the pubs grand opening has been announced as the 28th July. The pub is receiving a very sympathetic restoration and has the potential to be the best real ale pub around by a mile, sporting 18 hand pumps!! There are lots of original features that are being restored (seats around fireplace, wood paneling, stained glass, glazed wall tiles in the back room, etc). It’s going to be a cracking traditional pub when all the work has been finished.
http://www.rhcamra.org.uk/branchnews.html
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I use to go into this pub quite a bit when I was a student because no one else seemed to go in there and the pool table was always free. It was a bit dark and dingy then and imagine my surprise when I walked in nearly fifteen years later to find nothing had changed. The toilets still stank of stale urine, the pool table was in exactly the same place and the pub still looked as though it was time warped in from the 1800’s. Normally I would like pubs like this for the reasons listed above (except the urine smell) but on this occasion it just left me cold. The fact that none of the ale selection was available and the cliental of old men who seemed to have nothing better to do with their lives than spend their time down the pub drinking their lives away. I am amazed this pub is still open in this day and age but it is best avoided.
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As grotty a pub as you could ever hope to find. I like to pride myself on the fact you usually find something positive to say in a review, but abandon all hope ye who enter here....
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what a mess. lanlady is a chav, customers are even worse. never seen such a disgusting pub in all my life. i thought smoking was banned in a enclosed area, hasnt seemed to happen in there yet. a used tampon in a plant pot? attractive. flooded toilets, the smell of urine going through the pub, oh how charming..
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Went to a Charity Star Trek Sci Fi night here in october, was very pleasently surprised to find a real style pub (or do we call that dated now?). Landlady is really friendly, and the entertainment was different but good fun (Music, with some videos shown that were Film clips from Batman and Star trek put together to some great songs). Will certainly go back if they put on another nite like that!!
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I went to a Karaoke at the Sussex and found it to be freindly, welcoming if maybe a little dated on the decor but I had a graeat time and the karaoke was fantastic with a quiz and games to add to the fun. The landlady was very nice so dont be put off by old comments or opinions. Go see for yourself.
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Christ, what a time-warp, straight out of Steptoe and son. At least the only chav was the barmaid. And I guess it is doing a sterling job of keeping its denizens out of other local watering holes....
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I popped into this pub for a quick drink with a mate and stayed till late after listening to some lovely live music. Atmosphere was brilliant and staff made us feel really welcome. Real lovely pub.
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a real pub . havent been in one off these for years. full of characters and atmosphere with friendly and warming feel and great bar staff. a good regulars feel about it
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A real throw back. Went in for a pint and was hit by the wall of smoke... How will they cope in July!
Inside it had only one draft bitter on, the ubiquitous Pride, and as usual another place pumping out mediocre Fullers. The 70s disco and flashing lights seemed to belong 200 miles north but I could have handled that before someone mangled Maggie May with a Karaoke version....
Avoid unless you like an old fashioned working class environment complete with 70s draft beer (poor).
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Always someone outside spitting. I don't know why, I think its how thick people mark their territory.
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I went in here today for the first time and was very impressed. The food was excellent and the staff very friendly and welcoming. I will definitely be going back. (If I can find it again as I live in Sunbury and found this by mistake!!!)
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Should be called the Slaughted Lamb and then bulldozed down to rebuilt as a swamp.
anonymous - 3 Jan 2006 22:28 |
Looks a much nicer pub from the outside than it is inside - Is actually quite rough and chavvy, go to the Blucher instead.
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Great if you have a penchant for smelling like an old ashtray, which you will within seconds of entering this place. Also tip-top for those many women who love to be letched over by dodgy old pissed blokes. A dream.
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Bit pokey inside, but feels like a traditional pub.
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Nice, not full of yobs, not too much of a regulars feel, they do San Miguel on draft & theres a foxy barmaid in addition
PJ - 29 Apr 2004 10:10 |
chilled out, relaxed, friendly pub
Ben - 2 Mar 2004 12:01 |
