Type in Red Lion and hundreds of options will pop up, not only here in the UK, but all around the world. I can certainly remember spending many a Sunday Sesh down at the slightly dodgy, but much loved Red Lion in Northbridge (WA). It was the place to be to dance to my beloved 80s music. If my memory hasn't failed me completely, I'm pretty sure they used to finish the evening with a sing-a-long rendition of the Lion Sleeps tonight. Or I may just have dreamt that up - we're talking 40 years ago.
Anyway, Barnes is a small Village - around a 20 minute walk from me in Putney. It's cute and on my first visit, I noticed the rather lovely Red Lion pub on the corner and said to myself, Jules (because I always call myself Jules when I'm talking to myself) you need to come and check this out. And promptly forgot about it - as previously mentioned, probable memory loss.
But on a recent review of my 60 before 60 list, I realised that unless I won lotto, some of the items were a little unrealistic, so I had to remove a few and substitute them with some slightly more achievable options. Hence, I added some of those "must go there" places that are closer to home and don't involve a plane ride and or a bank loan.
And so it was on a chilly Sunday during that twilight zone time known as Twixmas, that I found myself walking briskly to the Red Lion to meet up with Lizi and a friend from Aus. I had never heard the expression Twixmas before moving to the UK, Aussies simply say the days between Christmas and New Year. Which knowing our love for shortening words, is rather surprising. So maybe I could start a trend down under and call it "Twixo".
Being a Sunday, the only real choice was beef, chicken or pork belly. I went the pork belly and a plate of meaty goodness, veggies and obligatory large Yorkshire Pud was quickly delivered to the table, along with an additional jug of gravy. Delicious and the place is lovely inside. Lots of families, good atmosphere and the beer garden looks fab, although a tad chilly to be sitting out there.
As per the sign outside "Records show that the Red Lyon was an established small thatched pub with a stable by 1718. It burnt down in 1836 and was replaced with this building"
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