Pubs & Clubs
Beers & Breweries
Pubs & Clubs
Beers & Breweries
Join Us
Heritage Pub

Express Tavern, Brentford (Express Ale & Cider House)

You want to visit - You have this in
Operator: Morgan Pub Collective
56 Kew Bridge Road, Brentford, TW8 0EW (View on Google Map)
Real ale discount scheme

An original coaching inn stop from London to Bath. Building thought to date from the 1860s and is a short walk from the Kew Bridge Steam Museum, the Musical Museum and Kew Gardens, this friendly free house just north of Kew Bridge has been a local landmark for more than 200 years. There are two drinking areas. The smaller bar that now has 10 ale hand pumps and the Saloon/Lounge bar has up to five Ciders/Perries on hand-pump. Though to the rear there is a large heated glazed conservatory with tv screens. Outside is a spacious beer garden. The Express is now run by the same company that transformed The Sussex Arms in Twickenham. Draught Bass has been retained and still a permanent feature on the bar.

Information for this venue is provided by the Richmond & Hounslow Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
Hounslow
Last updated
09/12/2024
Last surveyed
22/02/2024
Pub ID
HOU/6637
Asset of Community Value

Three star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic importance

Listed status: Not listed

The Express Tavern has survived remarkably little-altered with three separate rooms and some of the oldest bar fittings anywhere in the UK.   

The Express Tavern was rebuilt in mid-Victorian times and old photographs show three original entrances. Now, the sole central doorway leads into the right hand bar with a doorway (with no door) to the left-hand room. The right-hand room retains its original counter, but in 1994 it was moved back in order to create a larger drinking area. The bar-back is ornate but, unusually, is constructed of two very different and separate sections; the left-hand section is taller than the right, has a single rounded centre, whereas the right-hand section has three decorative pilasters. The doorway to the former landlord's parlour at the back (now an alcove with bench seating for customers' use) has a fascinating double-sided clock over it, surrounded by brown painted and gilt glazing bearing the name of the pub. This decoration suggests a date of about 1870 and, if so, then perhaps here we have some of the earliest surviving pub fittings in London. Over the servery between the right and left-hand bars is a wooden arch.

The left-hand room has a beautiful marble fire surround and original counter. The third room behind it was remodelled in Tudor style in 1932 judging by the date that had been scratched on a ceiling beam. This room had been used by the Royal Antediluvian Order of the Buffaloes for their meetings, whose horns still hang proudly over the opening to the front bar. Until recent years there had been a door to the servery with the curious feature of a little peep-hole in it apparently used to call for drinks when the room was in use to ensure the privacy of the occupants.

General information about historic pub interiors

Recently lightly redecorated with no changes to the original fittings - a model example on how to bring a pub up to the high standards liked by customers but respecting the historic interior.

The Express was rebuilt in mid-Victorian times and old photographs show three original entrances. The sole entrance now leads into the right hand bar with a doorway (with no door) to the left-hand room. Sadly, the full height partition with a mixture of Victorian and (perhaps) 1930s glazing that formed a vestibule just inside the front door has been removed. The right-hand room retains its original bar fittings but it was originally a much smaller room. It's now L-shaped since some rearrangements in 1994 when a partition that created a tiny private bar on the right hand side was removed. This was accessed from the now blocked in right hand door. Also, the bar counter was moved back in order to create a larger drinking area - you can see where the counter in this room is misaligned where it meets that of the left hand bar. At the same time, in order create a doorway to the former tiny landlord's parlour at the back, a three to four feet section of the bar-back that was beneath the clock on the right was removed; and the bar counter in front of it cut short so that there is now no counter in front of it. This doorway to the former landlord’s parlour has a fascinating double-sided clock over it, surrounded by brown painted and gilt glazing bearing the name of the pub. This decoration suggests a date of about 1870 and, if so, then perhaps we have here some of the earliest surviving pub fittings in London. Note the large ceiling rose and frieze now painted black.

The left-hand room has a fine marble fire surround fireplace, original fixed seating and original counter. The third room behind was remodelled in Tudor style in 1932 judging by the date scratched on a ceiling beam (now not visible - probably beneath the grey paint that we see so often in pubs). This room has seen the most recent change with fresh fixed seating and partitions with good modern stained and leaded panels, but the 1930s brick fireplace on the left is now hidden behind the seating. Another sad loss in this room is the removal of the door to the serving area with the little peep-hole in it, apparently used to call for drinks when the room was in use for private functions - for example, meetings of the brethren of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes whose horns still hang proudly over the opening to the left hand bar.Operated by owners of Big Smoke Brew Co., it sells a large range of real ales. On the exterior note the ancient 'Draught' 'Bass' advertising (illuminated at night) a beer that the pub still sells.

General information about historic pub interiors
Premium Access Required

You must be a Digital Subscriber or CAMRA Member to be able to view specially curated GBG descriptions

Premium Access Required
Seen some incorrect or missing details? let us know.
Monday
11:00am - 11:00pm
Tuesday
11:00am - 11:00pm
Wednesday
11:00am - 11:00pm
Thursday
11:00am - 11:00pm
Friday
11:00am - Midnight
Saturday
11:00am - Midnight
Sunday
11:00am - 11:00pm
Monday
11:00am - 10:00pm
Tuesday
11:00am - 10:00pm
Wednesday
11:00am - 10:00pm
Thursday
11:00am - 10:00pm
Friday
11:00am - 10:00pm
Saturday
11:00am - 10:00pm
Sunday
11:00am - 9:00pm
Spotted an error with the opening times? Let us know

Current beers

This Pub serves 7 changing beers and 3 regular beers.

Regular and recently seen

Express Tavern, Brentford

Add it to our list and share what's currently being served!.
Are you a CAMRA member? Contribute by submitting a beer score
Spot a Beer
Submit beer score
Changing

Changing beers typically include: Bristol Beer Factory - Notorious , Rudgate - Ruby Mild , Thornbridge - Jaipur

Source: National

Do you know what Regular beers or changing beers this Pub serves? Let us know
Your scores
Join CAMRA to access beer scoring and view scores for other pubs.
Become a member.
Retrieving scores
You have no beer scores submitted.

Facilities
Sports TV Sports TV
In smaller right hand bar, conservatory and tented garden.
Lunchtime Meals Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals Evening Meals
Garden Garden
Family Friendly Family Friendly
Disabled Access Disabled Access
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Function Room Function Room
On the first floor.
Games Games
Separate Bar Separate Bar
Smoking Smoking
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Features
Real Ale Real Ale
Real Cider Real Cider
Some, but not all, of the handpumped ciders / perries here conform to CAMRA's real cider / perry definition. Real ones seen here include Ascension, Celtic Marches, Cotswold, Sandford Orchards & Seacider.
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
Member Discount Scheme Member Discount Scheme
10% on cask beers
Transport
Close to bus routes (150m)
267, 65
Nearby Station (150m)
Kew Bridge
Close to London Underground/Overground/DLR (950m)
Gunnersbury
Are these pub facilities or features correct? Let us know

Nearby

Pub's new colour scheme. 2019. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 02-05-2019
You have visited this venue
View all visits
One Over The Ait
Pub
Real Ale Available
8 Kew Bridge Road, Brentford, TW8 0FJ
You want to visit - You have this in one of your trips
0.1 miles
Chiswick, Rowans frontage. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 06-10-2013
You have visited this venue
View all visits
Rowan's Cafe & Bar
Other Drinking Establishment
8 Stilehall Parade, Chiswick, W4 3AG
You want to visit - You have this in one of your trips
0.1 miles
Picture taken March 2022. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 16-03-2022
You have visited this venue
View all visits
Steam Packet
Pub
Real Ale Available
85 Strand on the Green, Chiswick, W4 3PU
You want to visit - You have this in one of your trips
0.2 miles
Bell & Crown 3. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 19-07-2013
You have visited this venue
View all visits
Bell & Crown
Pub
Real Ale Available
11-13 Thames Road. (rear entrance 72 Strand-on-the-Green), Strand on the Green, Chiswick, W4 3PF
You want to visit - You have this in one of your trips
0.2 miles
The Cricketers, known previously as the Rose & Crown. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 10-07-2015
You have visited this venue
View all visits
Cricketers
Pub
Real Ale Available
79 Kew Green, Kew, TW9 3AH
You want to visit - You have this in one of your trips
0.3 miles
The Greyhound pub sign taken in 2010. (Pub, Sign, Key). Published on 26-02-2023
You have visited this venue
View all visits
Greyhound
Pub
Real Ale Available
82 Kew Green, Kew, TW9 3AP
You want to visit - You have this in one of your trips
0.3 miles
Coach & Horses, Kew (Sept 2011). (Pub, External, Key). Published on 22-08-2024
You have visited this venue
View all visits
Coach & Horses Hotel
Pub
Real Ale Available
8 Kew Green, Kew, TW9 3BH
You want to visit - You have this in one of your trips
0.4 miles
Botanist On The Green, Kew. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 14-06-2023
You have visited this venue
View all visits
Botanist
Pub
Real Ale Available
3-5 Kew Green, Kew, TW9 3AA
You want to visit - You have this in one of your trips
0.4 miles
Pilot W4 2015. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 19-10-2016
You have visited this venue
View all visits
Pilot
Pub
Real Ale Available
56 Wellesley Road, Chiswick, W4 4BZ
You want to visit - You have this in one of your trips
0.5 miles
Chiswick, Globe Bar1. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 06-10-2013
You have visited this venue
View all visits
Globe Bar at Clayton Hotel
Pub
626 Chiswick High Road, Chiswick, W4 5RY
You want to visit - You have this in one of your trips
0.5 miles

Need accommodation?

 

 

Home
© Campaign for Real Ale 2023 - 2024 (ce-11)