The Rifleman — Restaurant in London

In an environment where a near 1 million hospitality staff have either been furloughed or permanently laid off, there is no need whatsoever for a bar to need staff for eight months. Or to fill a gap with a regular distinctly poor at dealing with women. Deary me,.....this lovely space is a well loved local’s local, but there are a few things wrong here….. First is no food. The place is screaming for a Sniper Pie, or Trench Toastie or soup or ….something. The men/woman ratio is heavily weighted in the favour of the middle aged bachelor and there is no capacity to invite generations Y & Z into the world of moderate recreational drinking. This bar is a microcosm of what gives in the drinking world: there are two generations that drink too much and another two that drink far too little. There are just too many pot bellies far too comfortable here: too many smug baby boomers and generation X really comfortable financially, but not altogether convincing as intelligentsia. There needs to be an impetus to co join the atmospherics of tap houses into the walls of the real ale pub…….. A pub of this quality should be rich with intelligent women, single or in groups, but alas, there is just a bit too much of the ‘real ale’ atmosphere here for this to be the case. Part of the problem lies in the atmospherics of Twickenham itself: kids activities and dogs are preoccupations and there is more than a tone of smugness in the air. Just not enough entrepreneurs, creatives, musicians, women and the young hang their hat here. Shame…the ales on offer and the pub itself...

A great pub and also a local, in the sense of the local pub in the past, which not many pubs nowadays can do it. Maybe I am rambling, but I knew where to get a good beer and atmosphere. There you have it!

Now, 2023, back again, still a pub which everyone should visit. Try it, you might like it... 👍

PS Back again after a while, now November 2023, and still a delight. Cosy, with a real fire, just right for the impending colder weather and the beer is as good as it always has been. See for yourself...

February 2nd 2024... The pub is alive and in anticipation of the forthcoming rugby tournament. I am only passing through; enjoying the beers and absorbing...

This is the best pub I have discovered this century. Period. Steve, the bearded manager, was super friendly, humorous and could not do enough to advise on the beers and history of the place but also, importantly for us, transport home. He could not have been more accommodating and delightful. What enthusiasm! The like of which I haven’t seen from a publican or staff member in a...