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Chat about:
Halifax Crawl - 21 June 2024 with oldboots
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Lord Nelson, Southwark, SE1
SE1
SE1 0LR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Moby Duck left this review about Lord Nelson
A garish if not quirky estate pub both inside and out, very busy on a Saturday evening so obviously appeals to a section of the community.The cask options amounted to a turned Landlord clip, there were craft keg options. The only reason I can see for coming here is the novelty factor, which I suspect would rapidly wear off.
On 21st November 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1875 recommendations about 1848 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Lord Nelson
This pub dates from the early 19th century when it was sited about 100m from here towards Blackfriars Road. Whatever the reason for its demise, the current estate-style pub dates from 1956.
It’s not hard to miss on approach, as the exterior looks like it’s been bombed by a graffiti artist, works including an oversized pop art countenance of the bouffant Mr Tidy Beard that is Noel Edmonds next to a hamburger; what I was about to encounter matches earlier descriptions, ‘freak show’ being particularly apt.
The interior is like no other pub I’ve experienced, with a massive explosion of Americana, kitsch, jumble, record covers glued to walls (including Aled Jones’ Greatest Hits), celebrity masks (including Sam Fox), pictures of Max Headroom and a door decked out as a shrine to the aforementioned Noel Edmonds, with stills taken from throughout his career. From the ceiling hangs bunting and flags and there’s disco lighting and loud music. The floor is part carpeted then tiled and furniture is utterly mismatched, tables adorned with catering sized plastic bottles of ketchup and barbecue sauce, but despite the mayhem, boasts a TripAdvisor hygiene rating of 4.5. Customers appeared to be drawn exclusively from various student faculties in the locale, some being ID’d; indeed, the overall ambience of the place was like a student union bar, but on LSD; I noted a sign offering student discounts.
Unbelievably there was a real ale in the form of Ringwood’s Boondoggle at a very reasonable £2.55 a half, in very good nick, served by an efficient barman, who with his two co-workers coped admirably with the ample demands of their young charges.
I’ve been in worse places than this, but towards the end of my half I’d actually started to warm to the chaos, which is clearly honest in its original madcap approach to hospitality. Obviously, this isn’t worthy of a special visit (or is it?), but it’s worth including on a crawl if only for the morbid curiosity value, but what is it with the obsession with Noel Edmonds?
On 8th October 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1986 recommendations about 1952 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about Lord Nelson
Estate pub morphed into a freakshow covers it. Weird exterior and somehow even weirder once you get inside, well described below. I sat by the Noel Edmonds shrine. Estate clientele at the bar plus a few hipsters drawn in for the burgers. No real ale, the handpulls were covered by a plastic burger, fairly unusual selection of keg. Friendly staff and cheesy music. Bit of a sensory overload - but I quite liked it for a change from traditional boozers.
On 27th September 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Lord Nelson
Scruffy looking exterior with graffiti coverings at the base of an anodyne early 1970's housing block. Thought I would give it a go as it seemed well frequented and was rewarded by a madcap place with a riot of kitsch and tat on every surface; bunting everywhere, Charles and Di tea towels, stickers, postcards, posters, tables laminated with old film posters and a row of old ghetto blasters. Majors on burgers and there was a stiff trade in grease smells. Two ales on, both from Five Points. My first choice of Citra was new on but was adjudged by the (surprisingly good) barmaid to not yet be acceptable, so it was a half of the Best which was on its way out but was still better than some of the other beers I'd had nearby (NBSS 2.5). Accompanying soundtrack was atrocious-yet-brilliant late 90's bubblegum pop. I enjoyed my 15 minutes in here. Give it a try - at least it knows what it wants to be and goes full-on. 6.5
On 2nd November 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Lord Nelson
What clearly started out as an estate pub seems to have morphed into a freak show of a pub. The whole place is covered in all sorts of flashy bric a brac. Every inch of the wealls is covered in all manner of posters and prints, including Warhol's iconic Marilyn Monroe. The ceiling also doesn't have a spare inch to call its own with multi-coloured bunting, pom poms, fluffy toys, fairy lights, and even Charles and Di wedding tea towels hanging from it. Furnishings are similarly absurd - a sofa with a crimson throw, tall plastic covered tables one with a depiction of Arnie in Terminator mode, and some small, cheap looking stools.
But they did a have a real ale on, which well exceeded my expectations as I entered the pub - it was Butcombe Rare Breed at £2.40 a half. And it was in excellent condition. I didn't see any menus on the tables, but I did see a sign that said they specialise in burgers.
Surprisingly, I really didn't mind having a drink in this bizarre pub, although it's not the sort of pub to which I'd rush back.
On 8th May 2018
- 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 Lord Nelson
Curious place, this, with two rooms opened out to form an irregularly-shaped bar partially separated by a small and awkwardly-placed counter. The furniture is traditional and basic, but the decor is a right mixture of posters, photographs, other pictures and some brash illuminated signs, and there is a collection of soft toys hanging from the ceiling above the servery. Large front patio. On this visit, the solitary handpump had a reversed clip for North Blyth's Bucking Fastard, and the limited bottled offerings such as Bombardier and Old Speckled Hen didn't inspire, so opted for the Samuel Adams 'Boston' Lager (£4.50).
On 31st January 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Lord Nelson
Warning wear sunglass as this is weird ,wacky and bright.I love quirky unusual pubs but not this one.Now if it had good beer it may have made me feel better but I had a half of Tetley smooth.Yuk.Busy enough so others like it.I will not rate it as apparently it has a cask beer which I failed to notice but the pumps had Gonks and other silly things attached to them so due to the shock and awe of the décor I will call again as I cant rate this on one viewing. Maybe a two or maybe an eight lets see.
On 1st March 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Lord Nelson
This is a quirky, student friendly pub tacked onto the side of an unattractive block of flats just round the corner from Southwark tube station. The interior is divided into two sections with the servery separating the two. Both areas are carpeted with bench and standard seating arranged around tables which have an eclectic range of images on their surfaces – we were at one with a repeated image of Mr Happy and Little Miss Sunshine for example. This is just the start of the weirdness though, as the whole pub is packed full of strange, unrelated items that give it some charm, even if you end up wondering exactly what the point of it all is. I noted inflatable animals, tasteless 70’s paintings, a boar’s head eating a hamburger, various newspaper and magazine clippings and a whole army of plastic toy soldiers stuck upside down on the ceiling (alongside the teletubbies among others). It’s all very odd, but it’s quite good fun spotting something ridiculous even when you’ve already been sat in there for hours. There is a burger-centric menu, presumably sourced from nearby Borough Market, and we enjoyed some wild boar and venison burgers, served up by the very friendly bar and kitchen staff. Some outdoor seating is available, with a decent seating area out the front which makes up for the lack of a decent view by at least being quite a cosy, compact spot.
I only noted one hand pump – one of those annoying Greene King IPA pumps that are made to look like a keg font – but it was off, so I ended up drinking Tetley’s Smooth until someone helpfully pointed out bottles of St Austell Tribute in the fridges.
Despite the lack of good beer, I quite enjoyed spending time in this place, as the staff were lovely and the decor is unique, if nothing else. Probably not worth a revisit unless the beer situation improves, but I’m certainly glad that I visited.
On 8th October 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
nobby draws left this review about Lord Nelson
i visited this pub last friday - on the end of a council block, it's no oil painting. offsetting this is some brilliant art - in & outside, the friendliest crowd i have ever encountered at a london pub and the friendliest staff too. i think it was their 5th year celebration and was handed a free glass of punch when oi made it to the counter - it was packed at 6pm.
i met some friends and we mingled with some really great people - a great atmosphere, i presume the review below ('disgusting excuse for a pub') must be written by one miserable so and so... i couldn't recommend this place more. i'll be back - if only for the bbq - wild boar burger, delicious!
On 29th April 2012
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2 recommendations about 2 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Johnstone left this review about Lord Nelson
If you are hungry then this disgusting excuse of a pub is for you. I realise that pubs have to sell food to survive but this place is bad.
On 29th April 2011
- rating: 1
[User has posted 98 recommendations about 98 pubs]