Rifleman TW2

London’s Best Beer, Pubs and Bars updates
West London: Twickenham and Hampton Hill

Rifleman, Twickenham TW2 (London)

Traditional pub (Enterprise)
7 Fourth Cross Road, Twickenham TW2 5EL
T (020) 8893 3836
Open 1200-2300 (2230 Sun). Children welcome until 2000.
Cask beers 4+ (Twickenham, Wells & Young’s, unusual/local guests) Cask Marque, Other beers 1-2 bottles, Also Bottled/occasional cask real cider
Food Sausages and other pub grub, Outdoor Front terrace, beer garden, Wifi.
Monthly beer festivals with up to 4 extra casks, M quiz, free chilli nights, big screen sport, fortnightly poker.

Following up a Good Beer Guide listing, I first visited the Rifleman during the initial research for the Guide late in 2010. I found a small but pleasant and very traditional corner local with a pretty beer garden, tucked away in residential streets between Twickenham Green and Fulwell. The landlord, however, regaled me with tales of woe, and I wasn’t surprised to hear a few weeks later that the pub had closed. Thankfully I’d also found the Prince of Wales (p232) round the corner as a recommended local outlet for the nearby Twickenham brewery.

New, young and ambitious tenants Luke and Cloé took over and reopened the Rifleman in March with even more of a beer focus. A Twickenham beer is always on, while a second pump rotates through Wells & Young’s brands like Courage Best (this is a former Courage house) and Young’s Bitter. Two additional pumps dispense changing guests from small and usually local breweries — Marlow, Nelson, Sambrook’s, Westerham and Windsor & Eton are all supported. One weekend a month the range expands further with three or four additional casks on stillage at the bar, often including a cider, while Leffe Blond provides a little extra interest to the keg taps. The pub interior has been stripped back in more contemporary fashion and isn’t quite as cosy as previously but the single space around a three-sided bar offers an open fire and some pleasant corners in which to enjoy great cask ales.

National Rail Fulwell, Strawberry Hill Bus Trafalgar Avenue / Prince of Wales (numerous Twickenham/Fulwell) Cycling Link to LCN+ 37, Hampton Wick, Brentford Walking Link to London Loop