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The Hootananny, Brixton, SW2
SW2
SW2 1DF
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 3½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Hootananny
Probably rebuilt in the interwar years, this is an early 19th century pub, which as mentioned, was once the George Canning and a branch of Hobgoblin until 2007 when the current Jools Holland-free name arrived.
I did encounter the aforementioned bouncer at the time of my Wednesday visit at just gone 8.30pm, but not the ageism, probably because I still fit – just – the demographic at which this pub is aimed. With an even larger live music venue in use to the left-hand side, as mentioned, the interior is huge; the right-hand bar alone is substantial, with a flagstone floor, modern bar array, with a salmon pink matchboard front, which matched the Anaglypta to the dado then either cream walls or friezes depicting scenes of Grecian Bacchanalian revelry, also applied to columns. Furniture is either conventional stuff or green velour booth-style seating to the perimeter; to the rear there’s a raised area with bizarre zebra striped wallpaper and upholstery; well-used too, were the brace of pool tables. Customers were mainly mixed and outside, many enjoying the West Indian food dispensed from a shack.
There’s still no cask and a basic range of keg, me having forgotten what I ordered, but it was £3.80 a half, served by a vapid barmaid.
This place is a bit stark, but I suppose it may serve a valuable purpose as part of Brixton’s vibrant musical culture. However, the Effra Social bang next door, despite not being a purpose-built pub, offers a superior experience and decent cask.
On 14th June 2024
- rating: 3
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Hootananny
Big old scruffy sort of pub.Young crowd and the bouncer thought it funny I would like entry to the pub.Ageist bastard.Keg only but Blue Moon never disappoints.Nowt to recommend but it serves a purpose for this area.
On 9th December 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Hootananny
This pub used to be The George Canning many years ago, and is a massive edifice of a pub set back from Effra Road. It’s so large, that just the one bar on the right was in use on Saturday afternoon, with the other rooms seemingly being used for storage. But live music is advertised, so the larger rooms on the left are probably opened up for that. The room in use contained a pool table, and a massive pull down screen, showing the Arsenal game when we dropped in. There were a good number of people in, mainly family groups as far as I could see.
What it didn’t have was any handpumps, so our visit was a fairly short one. I don’t expect to pay a return visit.
On 15th December 2013
- rating: 3
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]