The Fox on the Hill (JD Wetherspoon), SE5

The Fox on the Hill is a large looking Spoons pub that is a shortish walk uphill from Denmark Hill station. Once inside there is what looks like a very large island bar with large seating areas around it,i had a drink in the right side of the pub which had normal tables and chairs to the rear with the usuall tall ones to the front. There were 10 pumps on the bar with four having the usuall Spoons beers on like Doom Bar and Ruddles,i had a drink of Sambrooks Pale Ale which went down very well after a long bus journey to Golders Green followed by another hours travelling to Denmark Hill,the other beers i noted were Jennings Blazing Saddle and Wychwood Bountifull. I quite liked this Spoons. Pub visited 13/9/2014

This is a ‘spoons, so obviously you get a decent selection of ales, and the usual pub grub menu, all at very reasonable prices. The usual mix of tall tables/tall stools, booths, and normal tables and chairs is here, plus of course old black and white prints of local scenes. Unusually, this ‘spoons is in an original pub, still bearing the original name, occupying a very large and prominent site on Denmark Hill. Inside it’s predictably large, although as it’s an original pub building it’s split into distinct areas mirroring the original multi-room format. One of the areas is designated as a family room, with other areas off limits to children. There’s a car park, and very large garden, at the front of the pub. It’s a ‘spoons so you know what you’re going to get, but here the chain hasn’t managed to destroy all its original pub character. As ‘spoons go, I reckon it’s one of the better ones, and definitely worth dropping in for a beer or two.

This one really took me by surprise. It's a grandiose detached former Charrington's pub in extensive grounds perched on the top of Denmark Hill. The Car Park contained far more vehicles than could be accounted for by the number of customers and there is a large grass covered garden with picnic benches. It almost felt like it was out in the countryside despite only being a five minute walk from Denmark Hill Station. It was also cheaper than the previous two very urban Spoons I had come from. There were five festival ales on three of which were doubled up plus the two usual GK beers. Two pumps were wasted with Doombar and London Pride. I had the Cotleigh Lemon Ale (£2.15) which was in superb nick. If you're sick of converted shops, offices, banks and cinemas then this one is well worth a look, I really liked it. It is GBG (2014) listed.

Very imposing 'spoons housed in a proper pub building with a huge beer garden looking down Denmark Hill. Nothing very exciting about the interior, though. Lots of duplicates from the two banks of six handpumps, with Ruddles, Abbot, Broadside, Hobgoblin, Adnams Ghost Ship and Brentwood Best (excellent value at £2.15) available when I visited.

A large attractive Wetherspoons that is outside of their usual mould, being as it is in a large post-war building set in substantial grounds with a large grassed-over outdoor drinking area. The interior is the usual JDW-by-numbers and quite dimly-lit with a lot of dark wood fittings. Service was swift if somewhat harassed. A decent selection of five guest ales; my initial selection of Ponmanu was well-past its best but was replaced (though noticeably not taken off) by a very good Lambeth Walk. I ate here and the food ticked the usual JDW boxes, no issues from me with the nosh presented. Unusually for JDW the toilets were very basic and poorly-maintained. An interesting mix of clientèle; the young lass dressed in a naughty nurse uniform would certainly have attracted a request for ID in other parts of the country; perhaps Jimmy Saville’s ghost is alive and well in Denmark Hill. Overall not a bad JDW but has room for improvement.