The Latchmere, Battersea, SW11

Official site of The Latchmere - theatre503.com

Official site of The Latchmere - theatre503.com

I’ve not much to add to John’s review below. The mosaic flooring that remains would have been in an entranceway, which now leads to what John describes as the area with a public bar feel, but which I suspect may have been a billiards room originally. There’s a large TV on the wall here, and a doorway at the back leads to a small courtyard garden. If this was a billiards room, it seems appropriate that it is now effectively a sports bar area. Anyway, the pub also still has a bit of etched and cut glass in some screening above one of the erstwhile partitions between bars, and the floorboards may even be original. There are now some tall tables and stools at the front by the windows, some sofas on the left, as well as a fair number of normal tables and chairs. When I was in they had on Doom Bar, Hook Norton Old hooky, and Young’s Bitter (£3.20 a pint). The menu I saw featured the usual sort of pubco food, and a chalkboard on one of the walls advertised the “two meals for £7.99” offer. Most of the Victorian grandeur of this pub has now been lost, but it’s still an “OK” pub that is not really worth going far out of your way to visit, but fair enough for a pint if you’re nearby. I certainly wouldn’t object to having another pint in here.

Prominently situated on a busy road junction close to Battersea Park is The Latchmere, a large mid-Victorian corner pub that has been opened out in a fairly typical style. A long bar counter runs parallel to the street with additional areas at each end that would evidently have been separate bars in Victorian times. One of these areas is a dedicated area for diners, whilst the area at the other end has a public bar feel with, probably rare for the area, a dartboard and pool table. In keeping with its Victorian origins, there’s high ceilings and large tall windows, which are probably replacements for former etched Victorian glasswork. Separate entrances, one retaining an original floor mosaic, are further evidence of the pub’s Victorian roots and the overall interior is not too unpleasant by modern standards. Promotional drinks posters and 2 for 1 offers etc give the pub something of a slightly downmarket chain pub feel and we discover that the pub is part of the Smith and Jones brand operated by Barracuda. There’s a pub theatre upstairs. On my recent Sunday afternoon visit, the pub was desperately quiet, with little more than a few regulars watching the conclusion of the Scotland v Brazil match on one of the silent unobtrusive TV sets dotted around the interior. Beers on were Adnams Broadside, Youngs Bitter and Old Hooky. The Broadside – at a cheapish ( by London standards ) price of £ 3.20p – was excellent. I wouldn’t be averse to calling in here again if the opportunity presented itself.

As a pub, this place is completely forgettable – a large open interior with few features. Just one ale on (Pride) when I went and not much atmosphere either. The upstairs toilets were pretty nasty. This appears to be a pub aimed squarely at blokes wearing football tops and drinking lager who would call it a “top boozah!” – far from it, in reality. The pub does play host to a small theatre however, which is pretty cool (it’s why I was attendance), but overall a bit more care and attention is needed in here; especially with so many alternatives nearby. A missed opportunity.

Here is an internal view of the pub. Better than nothing. Sells real ale. Has a theatre upstairs. Not a bad place.