The Watermans Arms Set for Reopening in September

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Riverside pub will be refurbished and launch with a gastro-pub style menu

The Watermans Arms with Barnes Bridge in the background. Picture: Instagram

August 4, 2023

A once popular riverside pub in Barnes could be set to reopen under new management after a sustained period lying vacant.

The Watermans Arms closed after the previous tenant felt the rent rise was too high but has remained vacant for over a year.

Now Joe Grossman, the founder of the burger restaurant chain Patty and Bun, was to relaunch it as a gastro-pub after giving it a major makeover.

He grew up in the Barnes area and says it has been a dream of his to run this pub.

The Watermans Arms was built in the 1850s and has several names since then including the Barnes Eatery. It relaunched as The Watermans Arms again in 2019 but had a troubled time with the arrival of Covid. When it ran into difficulties with the licensing authorities when Nigel Farage, the then leader of the Brexit Party, claimed that it had been tricked into serving a customer in breach of the terms of its licence after large crowds of people started drinking outside the pub after lockdown restrictions were eased. Richmond Council vehemently denied this had happened and said that it had received a string of complaints from local residents about licence breaches at the pub.

The pub, which is next to the Bulls Head by the Thames, has two levels with the upper floor benefiting from a balcony looking out over the river.

A reopening is planned next month after a refurbishment which will aim to highlight the original nineteenth century features of the building including the double height ceilings.

Mr Grossman will be bringing in Simon Walsh, who used to work at the Angelsea Arms in Hammersmith, to manage front of house and head chef will be Sam Andrews formerly of Soho's Ducksoup and the Camberwell Arms.

The a la carte menu will be seasonal and have a regularly changed specials board including fresh fish from the market and sharing chops and steaks from the in-house butchery.

There will be a special Sunday sharing menu and set lunches with cost £21 for two courses and £26 for three. There will also be a bar snack menu.

The Watermans Arms. Picture: Instagram

Mr Grossmann said, "The Watermans Arms has been a long-time dream of mine and, as soon as there was the opportunity to take the space and prospect of building something truly special within an area I grew up in, there was no looking back.

"The bones of the place are incredible with high ceilings, beautiful original windows and doors along with a balcony overlooking the water. There are not many locations like it in London, it's completely unique and iconic.

"It's in fantastic hands with Sam and Simon spearheading the project – two absolute legends who I've known for a while and always greatly admired. We want to build a place that people cherish and come back to again and again."

The expected opening date is 28 September although it will be possible to make reservations before then.

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