The Farmhouse, SE9

Concur with all that Rex writes below, another 6 years on from the last review. It looks exactly the same as I imagined from Rex’s review. In making the effort to get here I had no idea whether the venue would be open but it was actually a pretty vibrant early evening establishment, especially for a Monday evening. Definitely a locals pub and a very friendly locals pub at that. I started off in the public bar, a million percent that this is the same carpet that Rex would have walked on. Definitely no refurbishment here over that time. Dartboard and TV here and definitely a venue that will be well attended by footy fans in the Euro’s starting this week. Pool table in the saloon bar side with another dart board. Music was a bit over loud though on this side. Parquet floor here and the well worn wood panel walls do indeed make this place look like a time warp. I really liked the (art deco?) feature of a circular window in the saloon bar. On the public bar side of the counter that was shared between the bars, just taps for Fosters and Carling. I had a pint of Guinness guessing what would be available on the other side. I definitely didn’t bother asking what the cask options were! As it turned out a bunch of other standard lagers the other side. Not even a John Smiths here, leave along any craft beer options! Cruzcampo about as exotic it gets here. This feels like an important community asset. Other than ideal beer choices it was a pleasure to spend some time here and to have visited the venue. The banter from the chaps sitting on stools in the public bar was a joy to witness. This is real life unfolding in the magic that is a locals pub. I doubt I will return but when I look back and remember the pubs I really enjoyed, beer aside, I will definitely remember this place. Only a 5 because of the beer but sometimes places can’t just be scored and encapsulated on a simple rating scale.

This pub was built in 1956 to serve the surrounding estate, but the exterior looks nothing like your typical estate pub. For a start, there's a large grassed area in front of it, and the design of it suggests a barn-like structure with its high-vaulted sloping roof and rough wood panelling on the sides at each end. Clearly its name, and design, were intended to invoke the countryside. Inside the layout is fairly tyipical of a post-war pub. On the right you have what was the saloon bar, which has a parquet floor; and on the left the carpeted public bar, which contains a dartboard. Sandwiched between the two was a jug and bottle bar, which has now been incorporated into the public bar. It's very unusual to see a pub these days that still has two completely separate rooms. Throughout the pub the walls have wood panelling to three quarter height, and with fluted trimmings. The bar counters are all original, with simple matchboard fronts; each room has a wood-framed large porthole window; and some of the simple frosted glazing in the doors and windows still survives, although much has been lost to breakage over the years. Furnishings are simple normal tables and chairs - there's nothing gastro or pretentious in here. Unfortunately there's no real ale - I had a pint of some Greene King keg hoppy beer (they probably describe it as "craft") for £3.70. It wasn't bad, but a decent ale would be a massive plus. I didn't see any sign of food during my weekday lunchtime visit; it just didn't seem that sort of place. There was a very friendly bunch of locals in, who, together with the landlady, told me what they knew of the history of the pub. I found this a very friendly and welcoming pub. It's worth visiting this pub if you want to step back 60 years or so to see what a pub of that time looked like, but probably not worth it just for the beer.