Indulgent QPR drinking guide

[Phil Whalley]

QPR’s ground is situated just north of Shepherd’s Bush. That the Bush was home to the fictional rag & bone merchants Steptoe & Son tells you that this, like Brentford, is an oasis of ordinariness surrounded by posher suburbs. Half-a-mile to the west is Notting Hill, just to the south of which is Kensington and some of the most grotesquely over-priced property on the continent. A mile or so south west is Chiswick, favoured home for the BBC glitterati, whose White City workplace is a very short hop across Hammersmith Park to QPR’s ground, not that many of them stoop so low.

Starting from the ground itself, it’s close to the White City estate, built to cater for the growing post-war population of the area. The streets reflected the expanse of the British Empire, and QPR’s ground is actually located on South Africa Road, which itself leads into Bloemfontein Road. Thankfully, the planners didn’t go so far as to come up with something like Verwoerd Way. Drinking options here are so limited as to be virtually non-existent. If you want to live life on the edge, try a pint in General Smuts on Bloemfontein Road (W12 7DA). The Springbok on South Africa Road (W12 7PA) is slightly better, but footballgroundguide.com says that it’s now home fans only.

For better pubs, head south to the heart of Shepherd’s Bush. The main road onto which both Shepherd’s Bush (Central line) and Shepherd’s Bush Market (Hammersmith & City line) tubes deposit you is Uxbridge Road, and here you can find the Princess Victoria (217 Uxbridge Road, W12 9DT) and the Queen Adelaide (412 Uxbridge Road, W12 0NR). The latter is the closest decent boozer to the ground, around 5 minutes walk away – just turn left out of the pub, left again up Bloemfontein Road, and then right onto Ellerslie Road, where apparently the away fans’ entrance is located.

This stretch of Uxbridge Road is also a larger and better version of Whalley Road opposite the Hare & Hounds, in that you can buy takeaway food from a variety of global cuisines.

But my favourite pub in the Bush is the The Goldhawk (122-124 Goldhawk Road, W12 8HH), a large and comfy place with a decent selection of beer, although the modernity of the place extends to the prices. Quite close by is the Crown & Sceptre, (57 Melina Road, W12 9HY), a backstreet, locals’ pub, but with well-kept Fullers beer and a friendly, regular clientele who will clock your accent right away and peer with delight at your Stanley top like a Victorian naturalist who has just stumbled across a rare specimen.

The alternative is to go to Hammersmith, famous for the ‘Hammy O’, where Bowie laid Ziggy Stardust to rest and where Motorhead have been securing the future of the hearing-aid industry for decades. Hammersmith is easily accessible either on the Piccadilly or Hammersmith & City lines. There is a ready-made crawl up King Street, which is one of the thoroughfares that lead out of the Broadway where both tube lines are located. The Hammersmith Ram (no.81) is a large Young’s pub; the Plough & Harrow (no.120) is a Wetherspoons; the Salutation (no.154) is a well-regarded Fuller’s. The Ruby Grand (no.227) is a most handsome establishment and the last on King St, at which point you can turn right up Dalling Road, where you will find the Thatched House (no.115, W6 0ET), a Young’s pub worth a visit. But beware that by now you are a fair walk away from the ground.

Another option is Holland Park, which is the Central Line stop before Shepherd’s Bush. Here you can find the Prince of Wales (14 Princedale Road, W11 4NJ) which usually serves more obscure beers. If you’re in the vicinity, you might as well pop into The Castle (100 Holland Park Ave, W11 4UA), which is known for being a bit variable but good when on form.

We actually played QPR in the Football League for a couple of seasons, when we were both in the old Third Division, 1958-60. Like ourselves, QPR were founder members of their regional Third Division, and for years knocked around the lower reaches rather in the manner of Stanley, having to apply for re-election in the early days. It was only when Alec Stock became manager in 1959 – the season we went down to the Fourth under Harold Bodle – that they made progress. By the time Stanley were up and running again in 1970, QPR were in the First Division and on their way to their own version of the ‘best season ever’. Like Galbraith’s finest, QPR’s 1975-76 side finished runners-up after a season of brilliant attacking football.

So the fact that we go down to London with hope reflects not just our progress under Coley but also, to some extent, the distance QPR have fallen since those days. Little surprise then that, like Crown veterans who reminisce about the days when opponents would bounce off John Hubberstey and disappear in a foot of mud, QPR fans remain wistful for the days of Gerry Francis and Stan Bowles.

And on Tuesday, our histories bend to briefly touch again. In Macca’s always enlightening words – we can beat these stripey buggers! So if you can, get yourself on that coach, have a few beers wherever, and sing yourself daft for the Stanley boys.

Phil

[Long time red]

Bloody hell Phil I can feel another book coming on. Most explicit,.

[maccawozzagod]

Originally Posted by Phil Whalley

But my favourite pub in the Bush is the The Goldhawk (122-124 Goldhawk Road, W12 8HH), a large and comfy place with a decent selection of beer,

So is that where we'll find you pre seven o'clock Phil?

[Tealeaf]

One place to avoid. There is a little Eye-Tie restaurant just on the north-western corner of Shepards Bush Green which offers a two course meal for £5.50 a head. It sounds a bargain, even for Accy. Last time went in there for the said meal - there were 6 of us in total - the bill came to £123pds + VAT. Do the maths, then be careful what you order.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

One place to avoid. There is a little Eye-Tie restaurant just on the north-western corner of Shepards Bush Green which offers a two course meal for £5.50 a head. It sounds a bargain, even for Accy. Last time went in there for the said meal - there were 6 of us in total - the bill came to £123pds + VAT. Do the maths, then be careful what you order.

and ya paid it?

[Phil Whalley]

Originally Posted by maccawozzagod

So is that where we'll find you pre seven o'clock Phil?

Will definitely have a couple in the Goldhawk, but might also nip into the Crown & Sceptre and the Queen Adelaide, since you go past them en route to the ground. So probably in the Goldhawk from 5.30 ish for an hour or so.