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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Just a quick pint, then I'm off
Submitted on Saturday, 6th November 2021
With picture contributions to 10780 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (11 more images)
Detail Pages
The Thirsty Bear, SE1
SE1
SE1 9LX
The Thirsty Bear
We are having issues with our phone line so if trying to get in touch please message us via Facebook or email and s… https://t.co/S7JuvXB2Iu
3:38 PM Nov 9th 2018 from Facebook
Reviews of The Thirsty Bear (Average Rating: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Thirsty Bear
Dating from the early 19th century, this pub looks like a rebuild from the 1930s which until 2012, was known as the Stamford Arms.
The interior has indeed been modernised, with what appears to be original wood panelling, now augmented with shades of grey paint, with a bare brick and scaffold bar back and large metal shades over it. To the rear, there’s table football and a dartboard; furniture is largely conventional, though some had tablet consoles on them for ordering beer and their own individual fizz founts. Customers seemed to be mainly male and possibly couples; I think that despite the lack of rainbow bunting, this may be a gay or at least gay-friendly pub, aimed at ‘gay bears’, which would explain the rather stocky and hirsute appearance of some and could of course explain the pub’s name. There was what appeared to be transgender wrestling on the TVs and drag cabaret is advertised, so I expect that the place is gay-friendly.
There were two real ales here, Five Points XPA and Pale at £2.90 a half, on good form and served by an efficient barman.
This isn’t a bad place as such, but there’s so much better to be had locally that I don’t see a reason to return.
On 18th October 2022
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2207 recommendations about 2164 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Thirsty Bear
Quite a dark L shaped bare boarded interior. 3 real ales. Didn’t visit upstairs.
On 26th October 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2933 recommendations about 2866 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Thirsty Bear
A split level boarded place with a central bar. The room returns around beyond the bar where there is a dartboard, a bar football table and a huge chalkboard covered in pointless statements. It is a curious place, many of the larger tables feature an interactive screen from which you can order drinks or even pay and pour your own fizz using a smartcard. I have encountered this gimmick once before somewhere in Chelsea some years ago. Naturally I eschewed this means of service and went to the bar where they had Ilkley Pale, Tribute and Thistly Cross cider on the three handpumps.
The interior is of little merit, some exposed brick columns and a bit of panelling on the walls. Another area is upstairs but I couldn't be bothered to look. TVs on brick piers were both off.
The toilet door signage is a bit risqué and would appeal to a sniggering schoolboy and the urinals are converted beer kegs. One to look into for a bit of novelty value but not to return to in my book.
On 22nd March 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1710 recommendations about 1683 pubs]
View more reviews of The Thirsty Bear (8)
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- Official site of The Thirsty Bear - thethirstybear.com
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- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Thirsty Bear - whatpub.com
City Thameslink, 0.79 miles, 15 min walk (show)
London Blackfriars, 2.19 miles, 42 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- Car Park : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- Darts : Yes last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- Function Room : Yes - From review - last updated 20 October 2010 by Dave McNally
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 19 July 2012 by hondo .
- Jukebox : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 26 October 2019 by hondo .
- Micropub : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- Pinball : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- Pool Table : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- Quiz Night : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 26 October 2019 by hondo .
- Real Cider : No last updated 08 October 2022 by Tris C
- WiFi : Yes last updated 26 October 2019 by hondo .
