The Ship, Borough, SE1

Official site of The Ship - www.theshipsouthwark.co.uk

Official site of The Ship - www.theshipsouthwark.co.uk

Busy street corner pub embellished by some fine green tilework facing the thoroughfare.Attractive, nostalgic decor and a spacious beer garden to the side,hidden from the road by a Yorkshire boarding screen. Unfortunately all three cask beers had run out on our Saturday mid day visit,so keg from Gipsy Hill and Madri sufficed.

A corner pub no longer leased by Fullers, however despite five handpumps the solitary cask beer on was London Pride along with a couple of craft on keg amongst the normal stuff. Pretty quiet when I was there though it was quite early in the day, not a pub I'd particularly seek out.

Dating in some form from 1790, this is situated in a none-too-enticing area, though nicer than the E & C, a former Charrington’s house, as evinced by the sign bracket, though its trademark green banded glazing with red lettering is absent. Or never present. It’s well covered below, so I doubt it has changed though the interior – which looks very 1930s – is well covered on the website, which even shows the TVs on, despite the pub being cleared for the photographer; at least there was one person watching the football on my visit, from two TVs blasting out the commentary, the games machine, thankfully something of a rarity in Fuller’s pubs, flashing away too. Customers were probably a mix of traditional locals, less traditional incomers and perhaps some office workers. The Fuller’s range was on offer, so it was a half of Dark Star APA at a very reasonable £4.80 a pint, the friendly and professional barman giving me a top-up, unprompted; fine pint it was too. This is actually a really great pub, but the games machine and especially the highly intrusive TVs, really knocked the stuffing out of my experience. However, it’s still far better than the Duke of York down the road.

A surprisingly traditional Fullers pub which has swerved the excesses of their refurb department, probably helped by its positioning as a halfway house between Borough and the E&C. Entrances at both ends of a long narrow room which has 3/4 length wood panelling, Wedgwood green uppers, varnished wood floor and nautical paraphernalia – an inter-war feel, as noted elsewhere. The main entrance exterior has lovely green tiling, square leaded windows and some nice hanging baskets. I spotted a dart board, again a bit rare round these parts and attests to it being a local, rather than an office workers, haunt. Five pumps at the bar with Pride, ESB, Seafarers, Red Fox (fair) and Dark Star Revelation (excellent shape). There was a nice relaxed atmosphere and it was an enjoyable stop – one to know about if you’re in the area.