A lively bar right on the riverside which serves every flavour of vodka you can imagine. Queues can get a bit lengthly later in the evening as the bar operates a one-in one-out policy so timing is everything.

Revolution is a safe, after work drinks venue for large(ish) groups, young people looking to make some noise and dance, and teens with no where else to hang out.

It is new, shiny, pretty looking decor, however lacks a comfortable feel. The different floors have slightly different atmospheres, yet I didn’t feel at home in any of them. Drinks are reasonably priced but don’t expect any bargains.

The ground floor is more bar like (but the seats are kinda like an upmarket McDonalds), upstairs is more homely but often the preserve of private parties taking up a large space.

All in all, I prefer the White Cross for informal meetings.

Being a bit semantic here but can a chain branch out? I mean a railway can branch out, a tree clearly does nothing but. A chain seems less agreeable to branching, but hey that is exactly what the Revolution chain has done in Richmond. We have a new branch. And boy have they gone for it. I tried to ascertain from the waiter exactly how much they have spent on this shiny new branch but he wouldn’t let on. We had a sweep round the table and the average guess was around three quarters of a million, or a bar and a half if you work in the city. And a bar and a half is exactly what you have got. The bar itself is enormous and stretches down the river side of the restaurant, with row upon row of vodka bottles reflecting the autumn colours off the Thames below.

Being brand spanking new the staff are well manicured and very attentive. The lunch menu is imaginatively written with a helpful ‘low carb’ section, but most people i suspect will play it safe in the burger section. The food arrived promptly and courteously. I plumped for the chicken and avocado salad which was generous and easy to scoff down in the allotted hour long lunch break. My colleagues all went burger and chips and the chips were great chunky slabs of potato. In fact the size of the chips is probably the most memorable gastronomic aspect of the visit.

The vibe downstairs felt a bit like a resting nightclub. The music system is clearly designed for wall to wall Friday night action and was all woofers, super woofers and super super woofers. In fact all you could hear (and feel) was a loud oomph oomph oomph and no vocal track at all, or am I showing my age?

Otherwise we like the décor. The lights are glued on suspended spaghetti like bundles of deer antlers. Slightly juxtaposed by the cheeky chic urban furnishings but maybe a nod to the red deer up the road in Richmond Park.

Not bad for a chain then, great for large work functions (how I hate that word) but probably not a local in the true sense of the word. The White Cross is safe.