On 15 June 2024, CAMRA’s London Pubs Group visited seven pubs in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe. Proceedings started at noon in the Old Justice, 94 Bermondsey Wall East. This pub is Grade II listed and has two stars on CAMRA’s Inventory of historic pub interiors. Built in Neo-Tudor style for Hoare & Co by Sidney C Clark in 1934, it is a well-preserved example of a small-scale urban pub. The interior comprises two rooms which were connected later by a corridor to one side of the servery. The public bar has picture-rail height slatted light oak panelling and a fine brick fireplace. The panelling in the saloon bar is in a different (fielded) style though but also extends to picture-rail height.
The pub closed in 2017 and was under serious threat of redevelopment, leading to Historic England listing the building at Grade II. On the day of notification, the owners began stripping out the interior, with damage done to both counters and bar-backs. Southwark Council took rapid enforcement action compelling the owners to reinstate the serveries, using salvaged materials. This has been done very well. The pub reopened in February 2023. The Old Justice was where Paul McCartney filmed No More Lonely Nights and Give My Regards to Broad Street in 1984. Drop Project Choppy Irish Stout, Greene King Old House Bitter (house beer), Harvey’s Sussex Best Bitter and one guest ale are normally served here.
The Angel, 101 Bermondsey Wall East, is a former Courage pub dating from the c1830s, possibly incorporating parts of earlier C17 buildings, with later C20 alterations. It is Grade II listed and Pevsner describes the pub as a ‘picturesque, partly weather-boarded riverfront’ building. It is worth a visit just for its location. A Victorian-style refurbishment by current owner Sam Smiths saw the reintroduction of partitions between the bars. The work was carried out to their usual high standard. As with some other Sam’s pubs in London, no real ale is served but there are excellent views of the Thames and the city from the upstairs room.
The Ship, 39-47 St Marychurch Street, is an inter-war building and, while the interior has been opened-out, it retains a fine bar counter, a few stained-glass windows and two characteristic brick fireplaces.
Formerly a Taylor Walker pub dating from the 1930s, it was acquired by Young’s in 1985. The Ship is a very characterful and well-preserved example of the interwar ‘Brewer’s Georgian’ style. The interior is rated as being of local importance. Sharp’s Doom Bar or Timothy Taylor Landlord plus Young’s Original are usually available.
The Mayflower, 117 Rotherhithe Street, is not a listed building but it rates two stars on CAMRA’s Inventory. Originally the ‘Shippe Inn’, dating from 1780, it was rebuilt as the Spread Eagle and Crown in the 19th century. War damage to the roof and top floor led to a major refurbishment in 1957 which created a 16th century-style interior. This riverside pub was renamed the Mayflower after the ship which left from nearby landing steps for America carrying the Pilgrim Fathers. Much of the 1957 work remains in the main bar and front snug. The snug at the front has a bare wood floor and old high-backed settle-style fixed seating line the walls. The bar counter is of lapped wood panels painted black and assumed to be from 1957. The main bar is on two levels, also with a bare wood floor, and with seating bays dating from the rebuild. At the rear, a wooden deck has been built on stilts and offers splendid views of the river. Described as a ‘picturesque pastiche’ by Williamson & Pevsner, this former Charrington pub now forms part of the Greene King estate and appears in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2024. Six handpumps dispense real ales from national, regional and local breweries.
Pub number five, the Salt Quay, 163 Rotherhithe Street, is, in complete contrast, of comparatively recent construction but was included on the tour as a convenient staging point between the previous pub and the next one. It is also sits right on the river. Greene King Ruddles Best and one other Greene King ale are normally served here.
The penultimate stop was the Blacksmiths Arms, 257 Rotherhithe Street. This is a one star pub on CAMRA’s Inventory. It is a Victorian building that was given a mock-Tudor makeover in the 1930s. The attractive frontage is half-timbered at first and second floors, while the ground floor is decorated with brown tiles dating from c1990.
The comfortable interior retains three rooms, all wood-panelled to picture-rail height. The heated foot-rail around the base of the bar still functions and comes on with the pub’s heating. The photo of the Queen Mother is not a generic image but an authentic record of a visit she paid here in 1988. Fuller’s London Pride and Gales Seafarers are normally served.
Whilst the distances between the previous six venues were more or less walkable, bus C10 was used by many to reach the Ship & Whale, 2 Gulliver Street.
This is an early C20 pub built for Truman’s and features Art Nouveau details. The L-shaped interior is comfortably furnished with several Chesterfield sofas in the front area. In the early 1980s, it was principally a gay venue, situated in a wasteland of backstreets, wharves and warehouses. Following the docklands redevelopment of the 1990s it is now surrounded by upmarket houses and apartment blocks. The pub is a Shepherd Neame tied house and Spitfire and Whitstable Bay Pale Ale are the usual real ale choice.
Our tour ended here. Around 36 people participated during the afternoon.
Kim Rennie and Jane Jephcote
There is an archive of the Group’s pub tours available here.