Location: Chiswick High Road, Chiswick, London.
Nearest tube: Chiswick Park (District Line)

The Barley Mow public house isn't the easiest to find, being nicely tucked away behind a tree. Once inside, though, there's a newly installed Austin Powers machine. It's located in a good place, just opposite the bar with good space to rest your drinks.

The lighting is good and subdued with only a slight reflection from an overhead lamp of the far right side of the table.

The game is in good condition and the playfield is rather very clean with most things working OK. The pricing is 3 games for £1 or 7 games for £2, though at the moment with the replay score at 70M you shouldn't need to put too much money in the game.

There only one problem with the game which was that the Dr Evil didn't rise from the playfield, though this didn't hamper progress to Virtucon and MoonBase Multiballs. The Landlady was keen to know of any problems with the game and said she would call out the repairers the following morning. There is a core of players for whatever pinball is installed in this location and it's heartening to know that those running the pub care about the game and know that the cash box takings are only part of the story. Players buy drinks and food which may not show up as being pinball related but without a well maintained and competent game these players would go elsewhere.

The pub interior has been redecorated fairly recently and the new colour scheme looks good and striking without being overpowering.

While there are plenty of lagers and fashionable vodka drinks, the choice of beers is limited (Courage Best and Directors if I recall correctly) and prices are all quite high.

Despite this, the commitment to pinball at the Barley Mow has to be praised at a time when very few pubs still have a pin. There's no doubt that having a pinball game in your establishment is a good draw for customers. Not only do players pay for the games they also add to the bar takings - a factor which might go unnoticed if you look at the coin box alone.

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