Riversniffers has confessed before how outdated we can be on Richmond pubs. The last time we went in the Britannia it was full of shaven-headed tattooed folks with pitbulls.

Yes, skinheads – remember them?

Well it ain’t like that now. This must be the only place in Richmond that regularly serves oysters (Thursday to Sunday, when there’s an “r” in the month).

And they have draft (we mean by the glass) Macon Villages, our favourite everyday white burgundy. You don’t find that in many pubs in Richmond either.

Youngish demographic, upmarket, attractive bar staff – you could be in Hampstead or with that edgy red ceiling, maybe Hoxton even, rather than provincial old Richmond.

It’s got a more intimate atmosphere than the other nearby gastropub, The Duke. And it feels more like a pub than a restaurant (a good thing in our view). For some it may be a bit noisy, but there is an upstairs room which is quieter.

The beer when we went was Timothy Taylor Landlord, which was good. They usually have other real ales as well.

At 5:30 on a Saturday afternoon at the tail end of this never-ending winter it was packed. Recession – what recession?

We were impressed, and will return

Richmond wasn’t exactly short of pubs – now we’re getting spoilt for choice…

The Britannia

5 Brewers Lane

Richmond

TW9 1HH

Tel: 020 8940 9786

A full slate of local politicians from all parties attended. All condemned the plans as likely to hit the elderly and the less well-off particularly.

There follows some photos of the event. If, like Riversniffers, you are against these plans you will find suggested actions at the end of this post.

Signing a petition against the parking charges

Susan Kramer, MP for Richmond Park spoke agains the plan, as did Vince Cable

Deborah Thomas, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Twickenham, signs the petition

As does Zac Goldsmith, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Richmond Park

and local resident Sir Trevor Macdonald

The petition fills up...

United in opposition to the plan

It's not just Richmond Park that will be affected

A bike with a message

That about sums it up

If you disagree with the proposed charges, you can write to Margaret Hodge, the government minister dealing with the matter. Her address is: Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MBE, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA Or if you want to email her  a quick Google search will pull up the necessary contact details.

But our local MPs point out that the Royal Parks Commission is the most arrogant quango, and having discussed the matter with Ms Hodge, they are not optimistic that her mind can be changed either.

But introducing the charges will need an act of Parliament, which will not happen before a general election. Both Conservatives and LDs are opposed to the scheme, so it may be that if the government changes in May people may continue to use these priceless assets  freely, as they always have done.

Fingers crossed.

To those of you who saw the original post about Venturer Photography day, our apologies for the delay in reporting back. To recap, the idea was to run a days photography training aboard the Richmond Venturer sailing from Kingston to Richmond. For our first course the weather could not have been kinder as the Autumn sunshine helped to make a memorable day. Our two professional photographers : John Frye and Marcus Perkins spent the day teaching and giving practical assistance with the students snapping photos at a hectic pace.

The feedback from the day has been excellent including a great article from the husband of one of the attendees and of course the photographs are stunning.

In addition to providing a great day on the river and great photography training, our goal was also to help  provide funding for the charity the River Thames Boat Project and thanks to a fully booked course it was also a financial success. We have a second photography course scheduled for the 1st April (at the moment places are available but please be warned it sold out last time). We are also in the early planning stages of a video day for later in the summer with lots more training options being considered which make use of this amazing boat.

If you are interested in finding out more please visit the website www.venturerphotography.com or take a look at the great work the of the River Thames Boat Project .

Louise & Paul

However, a reader wrote in recommending it. So we went to explore.

It’s pitched rather upmarket (by the way – have you noticed that Richmond drink prices in general are clearly more than in the West End? – we must be in one of the most expensive places to live in the entire  country).

But it is very pleasant. Large, busy but civilised, friendly but very courteous service. Truly excellent Doom Bar bitter (£3.20) when we went, and a very good French Chardonnay by the glass (large glass £5.70).

It’s also a gastropub, and the menu looks very very interesting. We didn’t eat there on this occasion, but when we do get round to it you will hear about it here. The reader who pointed us to The Duke was very complimentary about the food.

So there it is. A real and refreshing change from the same old Richmond town centre pubs. We intend to go there again, and thanks to the reader who brought it to our attention. We’re just sorry it took us two years to see what was right under our noses.

THE DUKE PUBLIC HOUSE & DINING ROOM
2 DUKE STREET, RICHMOND TW9 1HP

0208 940 4067

http://www.thedukerichmond.co.uk/

The fit-out must have been expensive. Rustic Italian, it has a relaxed, urban feel (if that’s not a contradiction in terms).

Starters were slow-cooked cannellini beans with Tuscan sausage (intense flavours) and prawn and crayfish cocktail (utterly refreshing).

Main courses were tagliolini with crabmeat, and calves liver, both perfect. We also had a bottle of white wine, Verdeca, Puglia 2008 (approx £16) which was modern, clean and intense, with a long finish.

The service was charming, professional but also relaxed.

All of this will be no surprise to those who’ve been to sister restaurants Osteria Pulcinella and Pincho, those very professional Church Street establishments.

But at Brocca, chef Pasquale Spaziano has raised standards to new levels. Despite the mid-market positioning Riversniffers has no hesitation in tagging Brocca under “fine dining”.

For a fine Italian meal, the lucky residents of St Margarets can now choose between Brocca at one end of the village, and the more formal A Cena at the other end, near Richmond Bridge.

Let’s hope we don’t get spoilt by too much choice. Who’d of thought it would ever happen to St Mags?

Oh, almost forgot – the bill? Including a couple of coffees  and a generous tip, £65 for two.

You owe it to yourself to go. But book early – the word is spreading.

Brocca Antika

139 St Margarets Road

Twickenham

TW1 1RG

Tel: 020 8891 2644

Riversniffers bumped into two seasoned restaurant goers who ate at Brocca on the first Saturday. Their verdict? The best meal they’d had anywhere in 2009 – at any price – absolutely fabulous.

She had bruschetta followed by a calzone. He had aubergine and mozarella bake, followed by crab tagliatelli. They had a good bottle of Italian white. The bill? £46 including a tip.

The next day the couple went to the Wolseley. They said that the meal, although really enjoyable, was “nowhere near as imaginative as Brocca on the Saturday”.

Riversniffers can’t wait to try it out and is booked in there in the next week. There will be a full write-up here shortly afterwards.

Looks like they’ll be beating the customers off with sticks.

Book early for Christmas!

Brocca Antica

139 St Margarets Road

Twickenham

TW1 1RG

Tel: 020 8891 2644

St Mary’s church in the centre of Richmond, Sunday evening 1st November 2009.

The church was full to overflowing for choral evensong, marking the retirement of Canon Julian Reindorp, who has been Rector of Richmond Team ministry since January 1992.

A fanfare started the service.

Long standing Richmond resident Lord (Alan) Watson attended, as did Richmond’s MP, Susan Kramer.

Julian was ordained deacon by the Rt Rev Trevor Huddlestone, Bishop of Stepney at All Saints, Poplar in December 1969.

Over the ensuing years he served as a parish priest in Poplar, Chatham and Milton Keynes before coming to Richmond in 1992.

For all those who have met him, Julian radiates energy, humanity, concern for others, openness and, yes, humility.

One of the most approachable people, and one who never stops working for others.

After the service came some brief speeches and a presentation of retirement gifts.

Lord Watson gave some words of thanks and appreciation for Julian’s work in Richmond.

As did Parish Warden Charles Stiller.

Julian always travels around his parish on a scooter, and one of his presents was a new crash helmet (which he proceeded to try on!)

Julian thanks his congregation.

And so concluded a beautiful ceremony, marking the retirement of a very well loved parish priest.

But he’s not going far – from mid-December Julian will be living in Teddington.

And we think it is certain we have not heard the last from one of the kindest, most public-spirited and hardest-working men that Riversniffers has ever met.

We wish him all the very best in his retirement.