The Pickwick, Charlton, SE7

The Pickwick is a sizeable corner pub on the main Woolwich Road through Charlton. The pub, like many in the area, has an opened out interior designed seemingly to maximise the number of punters that can be squeezed in on a match day. I arrived here with a big crowd of AFC Bournemouth fans celebrating winning the league title following a match at the Valley, and we were afforded a warm welcome from the staff and locals alike. The pub has a U-shaped layout running around a servery which is positioned in the centre of the rear wall and has a dark wood counter and simple bar back upon which hangs a fine painting of the pub. There is carpeting throughout and some sturdy looking bench seating runs around the perimeter supplemented by numerous high stools. To one side there is a stage, presumably used for live music, although there is a dartboard above, so perhaps it's just for those enjoying their arrows. Another dartboard can be found to the rear left and there is a pool table in the rear right corner plus numerous TV screens showing muted Sky Sports News. A limited bar team coped admirably in the face of what I suspect was a busier than usual match day crowd - the walk here from the Valley takes you past several other pubs, all of which were full and directing drinkers down here. It came as no great surprise to find four handpulls but no ale, but we were all in such high spirits that we didn't really care what we were drinking, so several pints of lager went down without much complaint. This is a fairly featureless place that offers basic refreshment in basic surrounds. The lure of pool, darts or Sky TV might make this place worth a visit for some, but even by the low standards set by other local boozers, this place fails to shine.

In an area of relatively poor pubs, one could be forgiven for giving the Pickwick a wide berth. The rather cavernous interior has been knocked into 1 large room with high ceilings propped up by a couple of large pillars but little in the way of aesthetic value. Whilst it is very much a rough and ready local's pub, it has always been very accommodating to our small group and, when the other pubs are packed, the Pickwick is a welcome relief from the crowds. The Big Screen & well positioned plasmas are ideal for catching up with the post match results and stories. A pool table dominates one end (they appear to run a pretty successful pool team) and there is a raised darts area in one corner plus the usual run of quiz and fruit machines dotted about. The drinks are fairly mainstream and, sadly, the only mention of a Real Ale is on the Courage Best mirror although it must be said, this is not a great area for Ale drinkers to start with. To be honest, apart from its welcoming nature, there isn't a lot here to lure one off the beaten path but the fact that the place has welcomed us where some of the other local pubs have let us down is a very big personal plus point.

Although this pub has been knocked through to make it one room it still retains a 1970s boozer feel which is right up my street. I think that it even has rooms upstairs that the local workmen stay in during the week. I thought that the landlady was nice enough and although there are four unused hand pumps there is a decent standard draught selection and my pint of Guinness was spot on. I spotted a TV, a plasma screen and a projector screen for the showing of Sky Sports and there is also a pool table and a nicely laid out dartboard on a small stage area at the front of the pub. I liked it in here and would gladly return.