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Detail Pages
The Colonies, SW1
SW1
SW1E 6PR
Pub Type
Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Colonies
The Pineapple until 1974 when the current name arrived, revolving around an African colonial theme, according to CAMRA; someone’s playing with fire here, given the current climate.
It has a fairly modern interior with a raised rear. Modern boarded with dark panelling and a white ceiling. Furniture is either tall and chunky – like some of the customers – along with studded oxblood banquets; muzak played in the background.
Ales presented amounted to Tribute, GK IPA and Landlord at £2.90 and good.
This place is ok, but like the other pubs round here, not great.
On 12th November 2021
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1982 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Colonies
Now owned by Greene King, the Colonies is a bit tucked away on Wilfred Street. Still a fairly open plan traditional pub interior the key selling point for this one over the multitude of other options in the nearby area is the pleasant courtyard garden that stretches from the back of the pub all the way to a back entrance on Castle Lane.
Insanely busy with the afterwork crowd when I popped in last week and three GK brews and a cider meant I didn’t linger long personally. But it was attracting a crowd that were and good on it for that.
On 29th April 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2109 recommendations about 1991 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about Colonies
Unspectacular pub with five hand pumps, three of which were in use but no ale of any strength. Service was slow, to say the least. Would not return.
On 1st March 2017
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about Colonies
A Taylor Walker pub previously called The Pineapple and well described below. Four ales on during this visit, we had Stonehenge which was in OK condition, slightly past its best. OK to drop in or include in a crawl, but maybe not somewhere to spend the whole evening being irrigated.
On 1st December 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3277 recommendations about 3242 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Colonies
The Colonies is an open plan Taylor Walker pub with traditional décor and standard furniture that is faced by a bar that runs along the right hand wall. Standard and premium draught products were available during my recent Wednesday afternoon visit. The bar also supports five hand pumps, one of these was unused and another was off leaving Greene King’s London Glory and Scrum Down as the ale options alongside Tyne Bank’s Pacification. Food is available all day from the Taylor Walker menu.
I counted two televisions that were both off, but Sky Sports and BT Sport were both advertised. There was some background music playing. The single cubical in the gent’s toilets was tiny and had no lock on the door. Out the back of the pub are some covered high tables and four picnic tables that ran down a wide unused side street.
I’d maybe pop back in here if I was walking past, but I wouldn’t make a special trip.
On 14th October 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Colonies
An extremely busy pub on our Thursday eve visit, with the rear courtyard and interior full to max. A decent looking pub from the outside, compared to the run of the mill interior. Seven handpumps in operation, mainly your bog standard nationals, with elevated pricing.
On 29th July 2015
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Colonies
This is a Taylor Walker pub, so furnishings are typical of the breed with mainly tall tables/tall stools and a few banquettes coupled with normal tables and chairs. The walls are dark wood panelled, and it’s bare-boarded apart from a small carpeted raised area at the back. There a couple of discreet Union Flags on a ledge near the door, and a small framed set of “Flags of the Empire” on one of the walls, but otherwise there’s not much very “colonial” about it. I guess in these PC days, over-emphasising the days of Empire is not really on. I’m surprised nobody is campaigning to have the name changed.
At the back is a “garden”, which is actually a very small road called Pine Apple Court that just leads to the back of the pub. But it does have half a dozen or so picnic benches, and is thus a rarity as outside seating other than on the pavement is most unusual in Central London. The ale selection wasn’t brilliant with just Courage Best and Directors, plus Adnam’s Ghost Ship (£2.05 a half) on. The usual pub grub menu is available, although on the more expensive side for TW outlets, with the fish and chips at £9.29 and Big Ben Burger at £11.29.
It’s a typical Taylor Walker chain pub, so nothing special, but OK as it’s tucked away somewhat and thus not really a tourist trap.
On 1st April 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Colonies
Backstreet Taylor Walker outlet, with a reasonably-sized square main bar plus some additional seating up a couple of steps at the back. There are also some wooden benches in the "beer garden" (actually a wide alleyway) to the rear of the building. Four handpumps offering EPA, Black Sheep, TT Landlord and Adnams Ghost Ship (a fairly typical selection) on my last visit.
On 21st January 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Blue left this review about Colonies
Very pleasant backstreet pub not far from St. James' Park, in which I've felt consistently comfortable on my several recent visits. Usually has four real ales on, although as at my visit last week only had Pride, London Gold and Bombardier. Beer quality has always been good, and it always seems to have a healthy trade without being uncomfortably busy. There is also a surprisingly large beer patio to the rear, with extra seating.
I tend to bring friends/colleagues from Australia, Canada, the USA, etc, here, just for irony value. Food service stops at 7pm, however, and as I've never wanted dinner that early I haven't eaten here.
On 4th August 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 271 recommendations about 270 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tia Maria left this review about Colonies
A brilliant off the beaten track pub, busy during the week with local workers, closed at weekends due to lack of trade in the local area (all offices and no shops) do open for major sporting events and is a great place during the marathon and is currently open on Saturday's for the six nations. You can also hire the pub for parties at the weekend, which with it's large outside area is ideal in the summer.
They do take bookings for tables, so you can ensure you get a seat in the evening.
All round is a much better pub than others in the area and the real ales are great. Currently stocking Bombardier, Gales Seafarer, Youngs Gold and St Austell tribute.
On 18th February 2011
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]