Railway Bell, Hampton ('the dip')

The pub opened shortly after the Hampton branch line was built in 1864. Located on Station Road just beneath the railway bridge (hence its nickname "The Dip").

It's a cottage-style, two-room traditional pub, approached across a large, inviting front terrace area beside the railway bridge (Tudor Road) just to the east of the Hampton railway station. It has two separate, simply furnished bars, one of them decorated with old photographs of the locality.

The Railway Bell flourished as Hampton's living room under Seamus O'Kane, the highly regarded licensee who had built strong community ties. Following his death in April 2024, the lease reverted to Stonegate Group, which decided to close the pub and offer it for sale under terms locals consider unrealistic.

Since then a local group have campaigned to 'Save The Dip' with a view to purchasing the property. For the first time in over 150 years, this cornerstone of Hampton village life faces an uncertain future, prompting the community to rally for its preservation.

The Campaign Group [https://www.savethedip.com/] is currently building the Plan for how their vision can be achieved. How the property purchase, refurbishment and refitting can be funded and what needs to happen to make the ongoing operations profitable and sustainable.