The Ship & Whale, Rotherhithe, SE16

This decent sized Shep’s pub, set amongst a load of dockside developments but with no view of the water itself, was a regular haunt of mine back in the mid-00’s, when it had a lively local’s pub feel to it. So I was a bit surprised to return after 15 or so years, only to discover it has been given a bit of a gastro makeover, with pretty much every table sporting a ‘Reserved’ sign. You enter to a large front seating area with smart floorboards, so low wood panelling on the walls, contrasted with dark painted upper sections and with a nice tiled fireplace in one corner under a large mirror. There’s a drinking ledge to the front, some pews down the left-hand wall and some well-made tables and chairs through the centre, leaving enough space for a collection of sofas and armchairs over to the right. Having observed that every table was reserved but unoccupied, I decided to just plonk myself down at one anyway, which prompted a friendly barmaid to pop over and explain that I was welcome to sit there until the customers (all of whom had reserved a table for the quiz, rather than for food incidentally) turned up. The windowsills were adorned with some nice potted plants and I spotted a TV screen in the front right corner, although this was switched off in favour of a quirky soundtrack playing quietly in the background. A few mirrors and old photos line the walls, including in a small red walled space to the rear which has a couple more tables and leads through to the toilets. Continuing down the left side of the pub, you pass the servery to your right, opposite which are some limited pew and chair seating options. The bar has a nice dark wood panel counter and attractive traditional bar back. Carrying on, there is a rear seating area with a few more tables and a door out to a well-appointed garden with some higher-end garden furniture and a few giant umbrellas for shelter. Just the two cask ales on the bar and this being a Shepherd Neame house, it was no great surprise to find that these were their Spitfire and Whitstable Bay brews. I took a pint of the latter at the reasonable price of £4.30, and thought it was in reasonably good condition. The barman managed to take my order, serve me my pint and take my payment without uttering a single word – well done sir. Despite being a semi-regular here some time ago, I never really fully took to the place and only really enjoyed it when it was packed and they were showing some football or had some other event on. Visiting on a quiet mid-week evening, I found the place rather stale and bland, not helped by the dull beer selection and gastro paintjob – perhaps I should’ve stayed for the quiz!

Official site of The Ship & Whale - www.shipandwhale.co.uk

Official site of The Ship & Whale - www.shipandwhale.co.uk

A survivor in the 1980s dockside regeneration area. Run by Sheps, it looks fairly attractive from the outside but inside has been opened out and feels rather rattly and lacks atmosphere. Not without some charm though, the varnished board floor is actually rather good in context whilst the red walls and bottle green ceiling is a decent combination but the lack of light makes it feel a bit gloomy. Some old black and white pics of the old dock adorn the walls. Six pumps with just two ales on, Whitstable Pale and a musty Spitfire (NBSS 2, just), served up by smiling, demure barmaid. Lots of reserved takes on a Sunday afternoon, drinkers are confined to either the garden or the fairly pleasant window bench. Couldn’t really warm to this one, unfortunately. 5.5

A Shepherd Neame pub located close to the river Thames walkway. A smart interior as described below with a beer garden at the rear. Real ale and food served.