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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by David Walton
Submitted on Thursday, 6th February 2025
With picture contributions to 996 other pubs
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Detail Pages
The Woodpecker, Battersea High Street, SW11
SW11
SW11 3HX
Served areas
Reviews of The Woodpecker (Average Rating: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Woodpecker
Now part of the Rhythm & Booze chain, this pub dates back in some form to at least 1861 when it was the Woodman. I believe the name changed, as a homage to this pub. This pub then underwent a change of name and in a bid to stamp its imprimatur, called itself the Original Woodman which I recall from early 1993; think the Originals/New Originals scene from Spinal Tap and you shouldn’t go too far wrong. The place became a French jazz wine bar from 2003 to 2022, the current incarnation arriving in 2024.
With a glass and wrought iron pot shelf, the bar and front array, though simple, may be of some vintage, with an attractive threequarters height bottle green Anaglypta then white paint to a white ceiling colour scheme, complete with crystal chandeliers with glass bobeches. Otherwise, there’s a graphite carpet with white specks which would look more at home in an office, job lot furniture, raised area for the open mic and karaoke nights with glitterball/disco lights array. The right-hand side of the pub is dominated by a pool table and dartboard for the delectation of the noisy lads; there’s also a jukebox and games machine. Customers are mixed age old-school locals, a far cry from the middle-class incomers at the Woodman, many turning up around 9.00pm on my Friday visit, perhaps in expectation of the impending karaoke.
There’s no cask here, just a basic fizz array, with a half of Moretti coming in at a very steep £3.60, served by a very friendly and welcoming barmaid.
Live entertainment – if that’s your thing – and barmaid aside, there’s little going for this place; the flawed Woodman next door is a lot better, the Fox & Hounds still the only seriously credible pub in SW11.
On 23rd February 2025
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]
David Walton left this review about Rhythm & Booze
Spotted this venue was open (apparently for about 6 weeks on chatting to the barman - venue used to be a restaurant). Sort of a U shaped venue with one side truncated with bar immediately in front of entrance. Carpeted throughout with a mish mash of tables and chairs. Colour scheme is sort of a military green and black with lots of jazz and drinking pictures / enabled signs on the walls.
No cask, just 9 very dominant keg taps on the right hand side of the bar. Nothing very adventurous, Cruz, Moretti and Amstel being the mainstream lagers. Add Murphy’s as the Guinness alternative stout, neck Oil, Inch’s cider, Brooklyn Stonewall Inn IPa, Sambrook’s Valhalla Red Ale and Rebellion IPA from Marlow and you get the picture.
Music was much more to my taste here and at a sensible volume. The venue has live music, there is a small stage in the right hand front corner. Leaflets for the Battersea Jazz festival in July so clearly pushing venue as a music location. I liked the pub and it is in a quiet location (in spite of the address).
On 24th June 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 631 recommendations about 631 pubs]
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- Facebook page of The Woodpecker - www.facebook.com
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Woodpecker - whatpub.com
Clapham Junction, 0.74 miles, 14 min walk (show)
Imperial Wharf, 1.49 miles, 28 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 20 February 2025 by Tris C
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Car Park : No last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Darts : Yes last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Hot Food : No last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Jukebox : Yes last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Karaoke : Yes - Fridays. - last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Live Music : Yes - Open mic, Wednesdays 20.00. - last updated 20 February 2025 by Tris C
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Micropub : No last updated 20 February 2025 by Tris C
- Pinball : No last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Pool Table : Yes last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Quiz Night : No last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Real Ale : No last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- Real Cider : No last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
- WiFi : No last updated 22 February 2025 by Tris C
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