The Rockingham Arms (JD Wetherspoon), Elephant & Castle, SE1

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Tris C left this review about The Rockingham Arms (JD Wetherspoon)

Opened on 1st November 2000, this is another pub with a Wetherspoon’s upcycled name, the original incarnation dating from the late 18th century, demolished in the 1950s to make way for what was originally built as the Ministry of Health’s grade II-listed (and Civic Trust Award-winning) Alexander Fleming House, making this the only pub in a building designed by an architect whose name was appropriated by Ian Fleming for a Bond villain: the name’s Goldfinger. Ernő Goldfinger.
Aside from the all-pervasive smell of vomit, the unusually plain interior is probably unchanged since previous reviews, with the floor tiling exhibiting dried sticky spills, contrasting with a mass of soggy tissue paper and crisps strewn about the place; the partially finished drinks and empty glasses came as no surprise, likewise the urinals which were all out of order. What would however appear to have changed come my Saturday night visit, was the rough types who have largely decamped, to be replaced by endless tattooed students, alumni of the various surrounding educational institutions, many being ID’d at the door, one nipper looking like she was no more than 12 years old and, no doubt attracted by the scantily clad female talent on offer (can I say this?), a band of cackling old local geezers eyeing up the ladies.
Aside from the usual suspects, there were three from Sambrook’s: Tomahawk, Lavender Hill and Junction at just £1.15 a half, the latter two sampled and on good form, served by confused staff.
This is a very poor ‘spoons and if I were unlucky enough to find myself in this godforsaken area and utterly desperate for a drink, the E & C is a better option.

On 20^th June 2023 - rating: 3
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