The Blue Maid, Borough, SE1

Tris C left this review about The Blue Maid

Perhaps this pub takes its name from a female pupil from a long defunct Bluecoat school as it seems that this was originally just called the Blue Maid as there are references to the name in the immediate vicinity in the early 18th century, the pub presumably rebuilt in the 19th when it was Eyed-up sometime in or after 1842.
Closed in 2020, the pub reopened last Monday (7th), original name reinstated and with a substantial makeover, the previous reviews no longer apply. It’s part of the same chain as the Earl of Essex (N1), Duke of St. Albans (NW5) and Axe (N16), their trademark being a huge, slatted beer board (see photo), no pump clips or fisheyes allowed. The interior is relatively narrow but goes back a fair way to a raised snug. The floor is new bare boarded, natural wood wainscoting to white walls and Anaglypta ceiling; window reveals to the front are painted a sympathetic navy blue, where you can see a new Blue Maid mirror. The bar back along with said board is modern, the bar front possibly of some vintage. Furniture is dark wood contemporary, tall to a peripheral drinking ledge, décor thin aside from a few trendy prints.
I counted 18 options advertised including a cider – ‘real’ or not unknown – and margarita for those looking to supercharge their blood pressure, fourteen ‘craft’ keg options featuring Verdant Pulp DIPA at 8% then just three cask offerings which I could have predicted from visits to the three pubs mentioned above: Five Points Best, Howling Hops Dark Mild, £2.50 the half and not bad then Burning Sky Plateau, £2.50 a half and a bit green, both served by very friendly bartenders. Customers were few, though of course the place has just reopened, so it was young trendies, then an infuriating trio of jabbering Scandi-noir types at the neighbouring table, behaviour perhaps precipitated by not paying thirty quid a pint like back home, their Swedish meatball routine forcing me to change tables, though either way, the acoustics here are terrible.
Obviously this place is an improvement on the former incarnation and makes for a good addition to the Borough drinking scene, but a short walk to the Hand & Marigold delivered greater rewards. Nevertheless, this pub would make for a good SE1 crawl inclusion along with the above, Simon the Tanner, Market Porter, Lord Palmerston, Gladstone and Royal Oak, but the place desperately needs some sound deadening material. So does the Earl of Essex.

On 15^th April 2025 - rating: 6
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