please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A pub how a pub should be.
Popped in for the beer festival but the beer had run out as we went on the last knockings of the final day.
Friendly and efficient staff and a good range of ales on tap. The locals were very friendly as well, would definitely recommend and shall be returning.
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I see that this is the 'random' pub of the day for the 5th day running – How random is that!!
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Excellent beer festival ( as usuall BTW ). Superb beer selection. Wonderful quality.
Only problem - the 12 casks ran out too quickly. Still, another 7 cask beers on the hand pumps on the bar.
No wonder this place is Sutton & Croydon CAMRA Pub of the Year (again)
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great pub,great beer,great food,great customers.poor male facilities.oldy woldy pub good banter. many of the staff are very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly.cant say enough about the positives about this place.
unfortunately i have just one large rant. this is a community run pub by committee, brilliant bring on more. exception to rule though is a self appointed egotistical landlord watch the pub video, the ayatoollah here wishes for curfews on customers, perhaps in the summer he will consider stocks in the garden to admonish the less righteous.
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At last! A local pub where I can enjoy the simple pleasures of life, great beer, great food and a good old fashioned chat. It's no suprise that the clientel tend to be of a 'more mature' age, this is a haven dedicated to the enjoyment of British ale, a drink not popular with the 'youth' whose tastes are somewhat different.
Most pubs seem to have more staff than punters on a normal Saturday afternoon but The Hope was gently buzzing and never empty. Finally a word about the staff. Fantastic!
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Message to BITE site admin. Please could you find the time to remove from the facilities listing, that The Hope has Sky TV. If I thought this gem of a pub had Sky TV, I would not step foot in the door. Fortunately The Hope was recommended through friends, hence I did visit.
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The Hope - Visited for the first time the other day. Good selection of well kept beers, good atmosphere, friendly, good food. Other things it's got going for it - NO SKY TV (despite that this sites says it has), no loud music. Will most definitely return to sample some more fine ales. Would be delighted to have this as my local.
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Good well run pub. Fantastic range of real ales. Friendly, helpfull staff. Well worth a visit if you find yourself in Carshalton.
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This pub just gets better every time I go in. Pub grub is traditional, none of this 'trio of wossnames in a bed of bladeyblah' and plates are huge. Beer is always superb, with a nice range of dark and brown beers, some exotic lagers, and farmhouse cider. Just a note to the poster below - the beers are on a blackboard right in front of the door. ;)
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Good range of beers, relatively local and tasted fine. Good atmosphere in the pub. One teeny complaint, the number of people sitting by the bar in front of the handpumps made it difficult to see what beers were on
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Hacker-Pshorr Munchener Hell - a genuine Munich lager has been added to the portfolio. 15 Belgian beers also on offer. 6 Handpumps of Ales, 3 ciders. Hot 'pot' meals available until 10pm every night.
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The Hope is in far better hands than it was on my previous visit, the new landlady has a wonderful manner that fits the pub perfectly, the ales were in good form ( if I was to be picky they were a fraction on the warm side) the beers are sourced from a very wide geographical area unlike some CAMRA beer festivals that concentrate on the same old stuff year after year. If there is a fault ,the prices are a little bit above the generally acceptable price level. I would venture in again if I was in the area.
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If there were only more pubs like this.
Great beer at reasonable prices, friendly service and excellent food.
Make sure you pay it a visit if you are in the area.
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k0536006,Ithought the food stopped at 15:00hrs. Whatever happened to secondary fermentation? Whisky maturing I understand! The ales i've had have been reasonable but not spectacular. I was given to understand by a shareholder that the purchase of the freehold was the next priority rather than an extension. I will give it another try and pop in two days running,possibly a Monday and a Tuesday to check wether there really is a wholesale change of the beer range.
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A pub that is owned by a consortium of its customers to prevent it being sold and turned into a restaurant. CAMRA pub of the year for the last two years. a minimum of 6 real ales, plus a choice of lagers (Brewdog's 77 lager, plus two "standard" brands) and strongbow and real ciders/perry and a superb range of bottled beers from around the globe. The real ale choice changes on a daily basis and always excellent. Rowan and Colin are the bar managers and are excellent. Food is superb and (like the beers) not expensive. Often, there are locals who bring their musical instruments down for an session in the garden. The Hog Roasts (about two a year - a full pig on a spit done over charcoal by the leaders from a local Scout Group) are something else! Regular beer festivals with another 9 beers on to choose from. No TV, music or fruit machines. Log fire in the winter. Good garden which in the summer really catches the sun. Car park is useful if you are only dropping in for one. Really friendly crowd and the staff really care about the beer, the food, what they are doing and the customers they are serving.
Anything wrong with the place? It could do with being a bit bigger as it is so popular and can get a bit crowded when really busy. However, I understand that the "community owners" have plans to extend the pub (and the cellar too so they can store more beer to meet demand and to ensure that every pint stands and matures so it is always served at its best)
Best pub by far for miles around if you enjoy good beer, variety of choice and good company.
Website is www.hopecarshalton.co.uk
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A tea chest bass and snuff. How very civilised. JHB was excellent though my mates preferred Summer Ale. Still No. 1 pub in the area. Marvellous.
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Looks a bit downmarket from the outside, but has a nice spacious carpark, and very welcoming inside.
A really great atmosphere, lots going on and the staff rushed off their feet serving meals - mostly through to the beer garden.
Bar billiards table with its own room in a back bar, the landlord gave us a handful of free tokens and removed the cover for us. Table very straight and playable despite being a narrow SAMS.
We stayed on for a pub lunch, wifey had ham, eggs and chips and I had sausages, onions and mash. Excellent and good value too.
Very pleasant clientele, no chavs, no screaming kids, no hint of a tattoo and not a mobile phone in sight (- we come from Crawley! ) They did a nice drop of Stella too. A perfect ten from me.
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Rapidly becoming my favourite place to drink. Fantastic welcome. Always a different selection of well kept beers. Tried three before settling on Brewer's Droop which was good but not quite my taste. The antithesis of the pub chain 'outlet' and everything a great local boozer should be. Sadly Mrs Den wanted to move on as we were on a pub crawl so only the one here. I'll be back
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The DarkStar American Pale was absolutely A1 last Saturday. Poor girl behind the bar spent the whole night on the one pump. Superb selection of extremely well kept ales. Always something to enjoy. No muzak, Jukebox, and no amusement machines. Damn tasty rolls too.
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Despite living not far from here, never discovered this place. What a little gem. Will go back. Good choice of unusual ales.
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Beers From Islands Fest from Thurs 23 to Sat 25th June
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Top notch beers at the festival and at the bar. Well done Rowan on your chioces
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Fab beer festival at the weekend - Shame the 10 festival beers ran out so quickly. At least there were another 15 different beers in the cellar.
The garden entertainment on the Saturday evening (Rumpledrumskin and the fire eater) were very impressive.
Well done to everyone involved and the staff who worked VERY hard to make it so good.
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Always a warm welcome and a good selction of real ales. Dogs now welcome too. A sign of it's success is that the pub could do with being bigger as it can be difficult to get a seat. Doesn't help when individuals nurse a pint at a table for 4 or stand at the bar and sling their coats all over the chairs!
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Real ale, Real cider, Real musicians, Real fire, Real pub.
no sky tv in fact there is no tv or piped music.
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Improving with every visit. Beers are getting better and better every time.
Ronan's promotion to bar and cellar manager is well deserved - bring on a variety of beers for us all :-)
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Food now available 12 till 4 every day. Dark beers festival Thurs 25 to Sun 28 Nov.
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The Hope have a very special "Meet the Brewer" evening on Wednesday 10th November2010 at 20;00 ( a.k.a. eight o'clock). Former dark Star brewer toby has moved on to Kent Brewery and his beers will be available.
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This pub is clearly doing something right, as it was crowded on my Saturday lunchtime visit. An excellent pint of Hophead served by a smiley, obliging barmaid. Very middle-aged blokey and it makes much of its real ale credentials, decor and food are obviously not a priority but excellent of its type.
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Carshalton old chap, i shall not rest until i am cold in the ground, we must have a drink sometime, in a pub of your choice of course.
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Shrimpers dear boy....give it a rest will ya!
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The Hope has been bought by many members of the local community,it is a pleasant pub in every respect.The factors that lift the pub to iconic status are Susanna who is a truly fantastic manager,calm, equable and exceptionally hard working ( she makes a difficult job look effortless),the other wonderful feature is the ales- not just any old cheap rubbish from a wholesalers list- they carefully select the ales to provide the very best available and regularly offer a rotating choice.The staff in my visits follow the managers lead and are very pleasant( sometimes under provocation from the flotsam and jetsam that turns up in pubs as customers!).This pub just might not be for you if you like lager and a chavvy atmoshere or prefer a restaurant that serves frozen ale in an apologetic manner.I think it is a truly fabulous pub indeed.
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Carshalton dear boy, i agree that we should agree to disagree although i still disagree, agreed ?
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best pub for miles around.a proper pub for proper people.
yes it's a bit tatty but i dont want some trendy tarted up place with nothing but Fosters ,i want a decent drink.
the racehorse is horrible,what is wrong with some of you people?well,you go over there then,and leave us in peace.
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And his hair was perfect.
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Slerpy and Vic me old muckers, a lot of people talk b*ll*cks on this website but it's the first time to my knowledge that it's been done literally. I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's.
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Shrimpers darling! I like to go into a decent pub get the drink I ask for and sit in pleasant surroundings having a chat - you obviously like to visit sh*t holes like The Hope - lets just agree to disagree! Plenty more far better pubs in Carshalton for me to visit.
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There is an obvious difficulty with this as he may already have 'em as a fixture without any requirement of an award.
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Mr Slerpy. I shall only join TSPBW if bogobilly is black balled; this chap is obviously a fibber - saying he never even saw a bear in the Hope!
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This could catch on.... I've just started The Society for the Preservation of Bears from the Woods! The defecating in the woods would also explain the drain pong.
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I've never seen a polar bear in the Hope, but that's probably down to global warming and the lack of icebergs in the Carshalton Ponds. As for dark bears, again no sightings. Maybe they had all gone for a s**t in the woods. Apparently that's what they do......
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But, Mr Slerpy - the Hope's dark bear is very freindly and not fissy who he drinks with; unlike bongobilly, he doesn't spend his time harnanguing people.
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Rangyboy, Very scary, I never ever go to pubs if I know that there is a dark bear, polar bears are more my kind of thing.
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This is a pub the way pubs should be with a good quality selection of beers and I mean real ale not fissy onion water with there normaly being at least 1 dark bear or mild with freindly staff that are always pleased to see everyone.
I could not recomend this pub enough at long last a real pub in carshalton
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Carshalton old chap/girl, reading your recent reviews i'm wondering whether you actually go into a pub to have a pint and a chat, or to check out it's interior decor, perhaps you should be writing for Homes And Gardens :-)
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Have been here twice now and will be back ! Well kept ales at resonable prices with friendly service .
The hope is one to check out .
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I asked the barman (age undetermined) for a pint of Blake's Heaven and that came in a pint glass too, Carshalton. What a coincidence! Walking past the Racehorse afterwards I had a perfect view of the car park. I didn't see anybody ignorant, rude or dreadlocked harnanguing anybody though. As it's a beer website I ought to mention that the beer was nigh on perfect, as their beers invariably are.
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Cant believe the below reviews about this place - it is a complete hell hole! As soon as you walk through the door the stench hits you. The place needs to be completly gutted and refurbished. Asked the barman who looked about 12 for a white wine spritzer and he gave it to me in a pint glass with a straw! As for the ignorant/rude and obnoxious girl with dreadlocks well what can I say apart from she spends most of her time in the car park shouting at the mums doing the school run for parking in the car park - excuse me love since when is this dump so busy that the car park is full! should have kicked this lot out and turned it into an Indian Restaurant!
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Popped in tonight and the hope was absolutely rammed! Hog roast and barbeque going on. Two seperate musicians playing, one indoors one in the garden.Fast smiley service despite the crowd. Tried the Dark Star Tripel 8.5% nice but not my favourite and Dark Star The Original Dark Star 5% and superb. The Hope is going from strength to strength. I can definately recommend this pub.
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In yesterday lunchtime before Saints played at Sutton. Hophead, Art Brew Happy, Batemans Dark Mild, WJ King Green Bullet and 1648 Signature. The Mild and 1648 were soon replaced by Leatherbritches Bad Boy and Ascot Penguin Porter. Real cider too. Very friendly community pub, excellent.
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Agree with Hoppyal regarding people refusing to move from the bar, which can make it difficult to get served.
Always seems to be a weird smell in the pub (carpets or coming from the cellar, where there has been an issue with water coming in)
I have also been moved from the table I was sitting on due to a private function, which is an inconvenience if there is nowhere else to sit.
Beer quality usually good, a great improvemnet to what the pub was before the friendly landlady took over.
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Without doubt the Hope is the friendliest pub in Carshalton! And the beers are a delight and to die for! As a Dark Star Hophead fan, it is great to have one of my favourite beers on tap all the time! Saves going to the Green Dragon, Half & Half, Cricketers or Evening Star in Brighton!
Added to this is the shear diversity of real ale offerings at any one time. It is like having a continuous real ale festival at your local pub with a variety of milds, bitters and stouts. Something for everyone! I also appreciate the regular beer festivals every few months with about an extra dozen real ale offerings. If anything, more should be done to advertise these festivals.
This is a real community pub and if you come after 8pm on a Friday or Saturday, there is often a jam session with local musicians. Everyone joins in and there isn't a clique-queness about the place. In line with its community aspirations, I was pleased to hear that the pub has been bought out by a group of locals as a cooperative. Added to this, there have been the Straw Jack festivities over the summer and more recently a wedding held at the pub.
The bar staff are extremely friendly and welcoming and I wasn't surprised that the Hope won the CAMRA Sutton Pub of the Year award. One assumes that this is the start of better things to come after only two years of its relaunch.
What could improve at the pub? I'm glad the Hope are sorting out food at the pub; pub grub and food are always welcome. Though they'll need to up their game in comparison to the Sun and Racehorse who have developed a good reputation for pub food in Carshalton. The loos really need fixing and I'm glad that a start has been made to the women's loos. The same is needed for the men's loos in due course. I would also welcome some Belgian bottled beers in the fridge such as Duvel, St Bernardus and the infamous West Vleteren (if they can get some). Like many real ale drinkers, I always like the odd bottle of Belgium monastic beer. Makes me feel spiritual! The carpets have seen better times and need a really good and deep spring clean to get of the old odours out of the carpet and revitalise the pub. I wouldn't be surprised if the carpet changes colour after a spring clean! And, lastly, something needs to be done about the fruit flies in this warm weather. They are a real menace and a Hope problem as I don't find them in other pubs!
Despite my gripes, this is by far the best pub in Carshalton if you like real ale and a friendly community oriented environment. Even if you don't like real ale, you'll find it is a hospitable pub full of conversations and good humoured people. You'll find a good selection of other drinks that may take your fancy. I say this as someone who has no vested interest in the pub.
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been in the hope 4/5 times in last year,mostly on saturday nights with about 6 mates,found the beer to be very good every time.always seems to be a party or function on so very packed,been moved from our seats a couple of times and drinkers wont move out of way of bar when trying to get served,apart from this well worth a visit.
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Called in a few days after Christmas, having been walking in the area, and found it most welcoming with decent ales (i had a Dark Star something) and friendly staff - very convenient for the railway station as well
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Read it and weep Swan Bar! It seems The Hope is not a flash-in-the-pan and between it and then new Sun it has blown The Greyhound out of the water. I wish The Hope another successful summer and look forward to holding a pint of mild in one hand whilst the other gives the finger to the clowns by the Pond!
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Diamond little hostelry, with a rather large beer garden out the back. There was a tent and festival taking place on teh Saturday, only stopped for one but was very decent.
Staff seems helpful and willing, and was suitably packed.
Would definately return.
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Attended the mild festival last night as the pub received its award for being voted Sutton Camra Pub of the Year 2010.
A very friendly pub with smiling staff and amusing customers. The regulars here bought the lease from Punch Taverns recently so is in good hands. A must visit for all fans of real ale. Surely must be listed in the Good Beer Guide 2011 when it is published.
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And another festival starts today! Where do they get the energy for all these events? Milds promised of course, as it is May, and doubtless the ales will be of the usual excellent quality.
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The pub has a piano, courtesy of the licensee Susanna, and is looked after by a regular. Anyone can play it and no-one abuses it. It's that kind of pub.
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The Hope has a Beer Festival from the 1st.-5th. April, an excellent list of ales including an ale from Art Brew.
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Absolute fantastic pub with great atmosphere. If you have a beard that rivals Gandolf himself and you enjoy real ale, then this place is definitely for you. If you're not a fan of facial hair or real ale, then I would still recommend visiting for the company of the staff and regulars.
Great beer, great atmosphere and great potential. Amazing turnaround.
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I have just noticed that the Hope have announced that they are the Pub of The Year for Suttton 2010 ( on Facebook) ,congratulations to Susanna and her wonderful staff! Soon the Croydon P.O.T.Y and the Hope will be voted on to find the overall Croydon and Sutton CAMRA winner.I really cannot see anyone seriously quibbling with this decision, if ever a phoenix arose from the ashes it is indeed the Hope.The hard work that has transformed this pub is eye watering.Rumour has it that an Easter Beer Festival is on its way.
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As the neighbour, I would like to point out the problem with the drains was more likely to have been the result of the 'old crew' sabotaging the drains when the pub changed hands.
I can only reinforce what many have people have said about the great turnaround the pub has acheived. The punters are extremely friendly and very welcoming, certainly not clique as seen in many pubs. The choice of ales is generally very good although it still baffles me why people would want to drink Hophead!!!
All things considered, the staff have done really well under difficult circumstances over the last 12 or so months. Apart from that Roly bloke who needs to get a shave and put a belt on.
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I was lucky enough to visit The Hope for my comrade Ash's birthday bash mid-January. Great staff, locals, beer and atmosphere. These people really care about their beer and the punters reap the rewards
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im pleased to announce that the drains next door have now been fixed and the unpleasant smell in the pub is diminishing, give it a week or so and we should be back smelling of roses! i would like to invite pubsignman back for a second shot and apologise on behalf of the staff that a poor pint was served but would like to point out that it is pub policy to change any beer straight away, without question, if it fails to meet the customers expectations.
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Pubsignman - "combined with an unpleasant smell throughout the pub"
hmm, undoubtedly there is someone less than fragrant on occasions in The Hope and as a result it's not too popular with the ladies. BUT , the staff are very friendly and the beer is usually top-notch and varied. Remember it's still got a long way to go following its transformation from staffie owning lager swilling yob-pub to a decent Carshalton boozer.
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Cosy little pub with a traditional atmosphere, a good range of ales and a lovely community feel. The staff and the regulars always make you feel welcome, and the garden is wonderful for the summer months. A real asset to the village.
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Traditional pub, good beer, didn't smell when we visited!
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Popped in here at the weekend on the back of the good reviews I'd seen on this website. The pub undoubtly has great appeal to fans of cosy traditional pubs with decent ale selections, and I was impressed with the decor (low beamed celing, uber-retro carpet!)and the warm atmosphere generated by the locals.
There were four or five ales on including Dark Star Hophead and Westerham Puddledock Porter. I opted for a pint of Hophead to get the ball rolling and was served an incredibly cloudy pint. Although it eventually cleared, it was probably the worst pint of Hophead I've ever had.
This, combined with an unpleasant smell throughout the pub, convinced me not to stay and try the Westerham, but to try my luck elsewhere.
Given the praise being handed out below, I'm prepared to accept that I probably just got unlucky, and I'd be prepared to give it another try in the future, as the place clearly has something going for it, but sadly by first visit was not one I'd care to remember.
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fantastic pub. great atmosphere, with very friendly punters. the beer is also well kept, and the most recent real ale festival was packed. it goes from strength to strength and is an asset to carshalton. i wish there were more pubs like it.
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Lovely friendly traditional pub, really hard to find these days. Top quality beer and the locals make you feel right at home. A+++++
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The Hope continues to improve with a fine selection of ales and a relaxing atmosphere. For CAMRA lovers simply a must.
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What a smashing pub perfect conditioned real ales and easy to get to from my home in Croydon.It will definitely be on my circuit
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This was our last port of call on Saturday after a strenuous days drinking.The Hope never disappoints with three offerings from Dark Star and a wonderful ale from King's Brewery ( jmb???).This is a very traditional pub that has been reinvigorated by Sussanha and the local CAMRA branch.If you are ever within travelling distance it is an absolute must.Outside there is a more than adequate car park and a surprisingly spacious garden.This pub has a soporific effect on me as it is so cosy.
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The Hope continues to improve with perhaps the best combination of beer range and quality for miles around. I think the beer here is better than at theTrafalgar (Merton, the current CAMRA London pub of the Year) and certainly keeps Carshalton right out in front as a real ale destination in South london and Surrey. If you haven't been, try it soon.
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Carshalton is blessed with some good pubs, but the Hope is now the best by a distance in my opinion. Firstly, there is no television or piped music. This means that one has the novelty of being able to join in conversations with people one has never met before. There is a great mix of folk who get in to the Hope and the atmosphere and friendliness makes you feel like a regular straight away. Secondly, but should have been firstly, there is an ever changing selection of ales of varying strengths, normally with a choice of milds, bitters, browns, and stouts. The innkeeper keeps these in excellent condition. Long may she thrive. The back room is used for regular beer festivals where a choice of about 10 are available. A great social pub for men and women alike.
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I've lived in Carshalton and its environs for 50 years and have only just started drinking in The Hope, at last Carshalton has a proper real ale boozer with the added bonus of the occasional folk night, congratulations to Susanna for transforming this old wreck into a pub that's a lot more shipshape, long may she sail !
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Just went to the LocAle festival 10 real ales on tap. 9 festival beers and a wheat beer. Ale in good condition. A little warm for my liking but probably what CAMRA would recommend, I always did like a colder than normal pint. Boules pitch being constructed at present. Only downside is the drains from the mens can sometimes seem a bit smelly. Probably due to years of neglect previously but under the new management the pub is improving in leaps and bounds.
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The Witches Brew last weekend was A1.
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Wonderful pub a delight in every way. Hophead, Brewsters Kiyo ( might not be the word, I might have drank a little too much of this), Alton Moondance and a Wolf mild. The pub was busy getting ready for the first anniversary of Susanna's presence, hopefully many more years of her stewardship will follow.
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Great range of changing beers in excellant condition. No music or tv.
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Nicely presented but with completely unuseable since the smoking ban.
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Ale Glass shortage solved, 48 Pints and 48 halves added - all 'northern straights' - website and facebook sites running and free wifi now available - ask at the bar for this week's password.
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A wonderful pub, rescued from thugs about a year ago. Tremendous selection of real ales, including mild. A good friendly atmosphere with older beer enthusiasts helping out in the cellar and with maintenance matters. Clientele of all ages who mix easily. This is a great pub which deserves to flourish and so far is increasingly doing so.
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Cottage feel with low beamed ceilings, panelled walls, upholstered banquettes and patterned carpet. The extensive naval theme includes portholes set in the bar top. I've not really much to add to trainman's comprehensive review below as there is no need to duplicate comment/description. Having taken note of the reviews of this pub's previous incarnation however it does seem to be a tremendous achievement by the current landlady and her staff, well done indeed!
Yesterday we had Dark Star Hophead, Freeminer Slaughter Porter, Marston Moor Honey Rabbit and Daleside Old Leg Over, plus the Wilkins Farmhouse cider.
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Mini fest starting on Good Friday for two days.
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Trainman, I'd love a tenner on this to recieve more awards in the next couple of years ! A true phoenix from the ashes job if ever there was one, I understand that it WAS Carshalton's only non real ale pub! I get the feeling there is even more to come . As the rating is so low i'll go for an equalising 10/10.
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Darkstar Hophead, Tom Woods Shepherd’s Delight, Cotleigh Barn Owl, Darkstar Over the Moon had gone but was shortly replaced by Moorhouses Black Cat. The pub has low windows directly to the street but in yesterday’s sunshine the feel was more akin to that of a country inn. Originally two cottages, the building became the Hope Beerhouse in 1877 and was restored with restructured frontage circa 1930. The bar is directly opposite entrance and winds around to the right, where 3 (display) handpumps unfortunately have no access to the cellar, and to the left where it becomes a horseshoe, and where the regulars gather. Low beamed ceiling, some well-upholstered settles and stools plus a couple of tables; to the rear a roaring wood fire (unnecessary yesterday, but kept going to toast buns for a birthday – later offered round the bar!) and a small open snug-type area with U-shaped seating for 8-ish and a serving hatch to the rear of the bar. Further on to a small dining room with windows to a paved beer garden with a few picnic sets. The lower bar walls have dark wood panelling, the papered upper half decorated with many naval pictures and prints and an impressive bronze(?) etched galleon mirror, some display knots are in cases on a central brick pillar. Good welcome at the bar, and easy chatting to the landlady & a few punters (15:00) and later (>17:30) there was a good local buzz. The landlady has an enthusiasm for the ales, and apparently brings a list of options for perusal at the end of the week: having cleared out some problem clientele (whose former presence is adversely & unfairly affecting her Bite rating) she is clearly building a following & deserves to thrive. I got the heads-up on this place from slerpy, but it also features in the current London Drinker (article and advert). Croydon/Sutton inaugural ‘pub of the season’. Glasses were Adnams or jugs, but it would be mean to criticise that. Three mini ‘fests coming up – Dark beers April, Milds May, Summer beers (Locale) June. Well done Susanna!
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John the Jester, How strange that you should so coincidentally happen to be on the premises when the local branch dispense such a worthy award ! Next you will say that you were not drinking !
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This is a lovely little pub which I would be proud to have as my local if I lived in the vicinity. Friendly atmosphere and excellent beer. And while I was in there yesterday the landlady was presented with a CAMRA award for "Pub of the Season" - well deserved, I reckon.
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The Hope is improving fast and the beer choice is expanding radiply. Very friendly staff and locals. Best of all, Dark Star Hophead is now to be a regular on the pumps. No longer need to travel to Adiscombe (Claret Free Hse) or South Wimbledom (Trafalgar ) for a decent pint. If things keep on this way I wont be supprise if the pubs in next years Good Beer Guide, if not pub of the Year.
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Nice old traditional pub, quiet, comfortable, good pint of Kronenbourg! Nt expensive.. Which we like... 6/10
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Kitchen refurb finally about to start! Nice real fire, selection of ales including mild. A proper pub, and one that you can actually take a lady to.
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It's improving, but there's a long way to go. The reputation it's trying to get rid of may be hard to shed, but full marks for trying. Shame there was no food on.
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The 3 (so far) hand pumps serve mild, bitter, and strong beer. Harveys being the most regular. The only TV is the CCTV watching the car park :) not yet perfect, but very good. 8/10
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The Ansell's Mild now replaced by Tetley's Mild. This pub is going to be one to watch, given its interest in serving a variety of proper beer. It's worth a visit if you are in Carshalton.
Cheers
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Good pub struggling to get going again - good ale at reasonable prices. Reasonable food at sensible prices. Much work required on the physical side - garden expecially. But it's getting there; Susannah working hard to get it right. Now favoured by those Swan Bar regulars of many years standing who like decent beer, the lack of juke-box, TV etc.
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I've ventured in a few times recently and it is nowhere near as bad as I thought. The ales are okay, and cheap, and the staff seem friendly enough. They have a few interesting ales on too.
Occasionally there a strange man who stands outside and heckles you as you leave. Not sure if he is the guvnor or just a bit odd.
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My first visit last night and I agree with the last two reviewers. This is a proper village pub with a friendly feel. It hasn't been mucked about, it's unpretentious and comfortable.
The beer was superb: Ansells Mild was surprising to find, and very drinkable. The Harvey's Best was one of the best-tasting examples I've drunk outside of the Brewery or The Royal Oak or The Garland: Miles Jenner would be proud. The ale is limited to what Punch has on their A-list, but the landlady explained she was trying to get Punch to let her expand. Watch this space.
Avoiding the modish urge to gastropub everything, The Hope offers simple pub grub at reasonable prices, Didn't try any last night - they'd stopped serving - but what was offered on the blackboard menu looked reasonably priced (mostly £3 -£5) and appetizing.
I'd go back.
7/10
Cheers,
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At last after years and years of mediocrity this pub is looking up with civilised new management (who have banished the pondlife) and decent real beer. Go and support it!
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The Hope is under new management and is now focusing on attracting real ale drinkers offering a selection of real ales often including a draught mild or other dark ale. Years ago The Hope had a real village pub feel and im glad to say its heading back that way offering lunches and sunday roasts and with a large garden is great for kids in the summer. no piped music, no fruit machines, pool tables or juke boxes, freedom to have a quiet drink with a paper or a chat with the friendly staff. Im glad to see such a positive change and will certainly be going back.
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Great car park to use while you pop in and pickup your Chinese.
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How this pub developed in a nice part of Carshalton near the ponds we shall never know. Even if your next train is half an hour away find something better to do than go in here for a pint. If you medically need a pint, sit outside. Otherwise, echo the other posters here. Awful place full of men with football shirts and number one haircuts swearing a lot. Pubs were not invented for this, surely?
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pub where if someone asks you to buy them a drink you do it and get out
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full of tossers who thik they re hard
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Scaffolders Arms. Plaster splattered jeans and Reebok classics are essential. No criminal record - no entry permitted.
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You'd be safer queuing for a beer at a Police recruiting office in Baghdad.
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I was in there once and someone threw a chair out a window then drove his transit into the doorway. 'nuff said!
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Invaded by White Van Men, steer clear
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It's like a episode of eastenders!!!!
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This pub is really handy for my home address, but to be honest, I find the customers slightly intimidating. Whilst I think dress codes are unnecessary, I think a 'no work clothes'policy might entice more custom.
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Like a long corridor - whereevr you stand, someone pushes past to get to the loos or wherever. I hear that people are leaving the Hope to go to the Racehorse - almost opposite
anonymous - 15 Mar 2005 16:23 |
This pub should have been called "The Scaffolders Arms" as that what makes up most of it clientle. This is a pub that manages to both suck AND blow.
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Chav-o-rama in the middle of a really nice road, in the middle of a not bad area. A real shame.
Steve - 1 Sep 2004 13:41 |
