Rose & Crown, Southwark, SE1

This pub dates back to the 16th century, with the current incarnation dating from 1887, in an area subjected to heavy bombing, the pub being the only survivor in a quiet backstreet, a place which if you didn’t know about it, you’d only discover by accident; certainly I didn’t know of its existence until 24 hours earlier. The previous reviews apply: this is a very traditional little place on two levels, with much brown wood to an attractive bar array, full-height match board to the walls painted milk chocolate brown, then white above the picture rail. Furniture is traditional, lighting is mixed and there was a TV needlessly showing the news with the sound off, aural entertainment coming from the stereo with Tina Charles belting out I Love To Love, sounding like a tortured mouse. Customers were a bit studenty, but that’s the way with pubs round these parts. Staff presided over one unused pump, two reversed then Shep’s Oast Dodger, new to me and a reasonable £2.75 a half, though too cold but ok once warmed up. This is a very charming little pub; a greater choice of ale would get the score up, but I’d certainly come here again.

Official site of Rose & Crown - www.roseandcrownse1.co.uk

Official site of Rose & Crown - www.roseandcrownse1.co.uk

Hidden away down the old back street of Southwark, this is a cosy, traditional boozer of the sort that is becoming harder to find in the city centre. The pub has a simple L-shaped layout that clearly signposts a former multiple room layout, not least by virtue of there being no less than four entrances (two of which are now blocked up). Both remaining doors lead into the same bar boarded front bar area with some full length tongue and groove panelled walls and a lovely dark wood bar counter with a pleasing curved front section under an attractive old fashioned gantry and white tile bar back. High tables and stools offer basic seating along the front wall, with a single regular tables to the left, under a wall covered with nice old black and white photos and a blackboard listing various food options. The large fairy-light bordered windows to the front and right have modern etched glass panes with the pub’s name and the Shepherd Neame Brewery logo picked out. The room extends down the right hand side into a raised rear space with more wood panelling, a few more tables and chairs and a long button backed banquette under another collection of black and white photos. A couple of TV screens were on, showing subtitled news coverage whilst a series of dreadful modern pop tunes played loudly through a pub with just three customers. A surprisingly large patio garden with lots of benches can be found out the back – ideal for local office workers to get some fresh air. There are four handpulls on the bar, but only Shepherd Neame Spitfire was available, with a Whitstable Bay pump clip turned and the other pumps unclipped. The barmaid checked that I wanted the Spitfire ale and not the kegged lager of the same name (not always a given in Shep’s pubs, as I’ve found to my cost in the past) and poured a reasonable pint which I quite enjoyed despite not really being a fan of the beer. I found it quite difficult to judge this pub on such a quiet mid-week afternoon visit, but it struck me as a very nice traditional pub that suffers from a limited ale range. It’s good to see pubs like this still trading though and whilst it didn’t quite work for me, I’m pleased that I finally got round to visiting. It’s worth bearing in mind that the pub has limited weekend opening, with an early finish on a Saturday and full closure on Sundays, so don’t do as I did and turn up here at the wrong part of the week!

A great looking Shepherd Neame pub on a backstreet corner, a real survivor, all adjoining buildings were bombed in WWII, evidence of this in the rendered raking shore to one side and the very large (for central London) rear garden. There are tales of the pub dating from the 16th century but I cannot buy that, the building style is distinctly Victorian, perhaps parts of it are older. Slightly split level ground floor area inside, a compact bar to the front with some carved wood, boarded floor and high tables in this area. The return of the L-shaped room has more regular seating. There are full height panelled walls, lots of framed stuff including pearly kings and queens, river scenes, abstract art and old local scenes. Three remaining doors, two in use, hint at this small pub's once layout of three tiny rooms. Some etched glass remains also. Iggy Pop was the soundtrack while curiously the TVs showed some old film with subtitles. Sheps beers, Spitfire plus Spitfire Gold, Early Bird and Whitstable Bay turned around. This is a fine pub indeed, a superb building, highly recommended. I can take or leave SN beers generally, if this place had an eclectic selection it would be right up there with the best.