The Jolly Farmers, Ladywell, SE13

Located to the South of Lewisham town centre, this is a basic local’s boozer set in a deep but narrow premises that’s reminiscent of a shop conversion. The pub has a bare boarded interior with low wood panels on the walls beneath plain upper sections. The servery is sited midway down the left-hand wall and has an angular tongue and groove panelled counter, a bare brick bar back and some attractive, small, coloured glass lamps hung above it. Fixed bench seating with very old-fashioned upholstery skirts the perimeter of the room with lots of low stools in support, including under the front windows, which bear the pub’s name. The benches are broken up by a series of partitioning screens, each with brightly coloured stained glass or frosted panes, and these are surprisingly effective in breaking up the space. High shelves run around the room and have been used to assemble displays for random bits including earthenware pots, a retro bread bin and various boxes for old, long forgotten products. The walls have been decorated with breweriana, some modern posters and a few old photos, and I noticed a dartboard on the side wall near the entrance. A few slot machines blinked away to the rear of the room and there was a TV screen showing muted rolling news whilst a load of weird jazzy dance tunes played in the background. A promising row of four handpulls failed to deliver any ale, as they were all unclipped, leaving a couple of Beavertown beers on keg as the most interesting draught options. I took a pint of the Neck Oil for £5.10, which was served to me by a friendly barmaid and drank well enough considering I’m not a big fan of this beer. Locals came and went throughout my visit, and I got the impression that this was a bit of a down to earth working man’s pub. I wasn’t really expecting too much from this place and was a bit disappointed to find there were no cask ales available, but I still enjoyed my time here regardless. I found it to be an unpretentious, welcoming boozer with a nicely presented interior cheery service and comfortable seating. It certainly won’t appeal to everyone, but I like spending time in pubs like this and hope it continues to survive and serve its regulars well. Date of visit – 28th July 2023

This pub had on Doom Bar, Courage Best (£3 a pint), and Brockley Brewery Golden (£1.75 a half). I obviously went for the latter, which was in good nick. There was no sign of any food when I was in on Friday afternoon. This is a fairly small no-nonsence locals’ pub. It has a classic “brewer’s rustic” interior, with faux wood beams on the ceilings and walls, plus rough plastered walls. Furnishings are entirely normal tables and chairs, with a bit of banquette seating and small round metal framed tables. The bar counter is on the left hand side as you enter, with a bit of seating in front of it near the windows, and stretching back beyond the counter. It’s actually a bit bigger than it looks from the outside. I did spot a nice distiller’s mirror on the wall, but otherwise the wall décor seemed to consist of advertisements for forthcoming sporting events and World Cup related stuff, as well as drink products. A TV was showing the cricket – but muted, with some pop music playing. The best feature for me is the several leaded light glazed panels around the place. There were old tins, sewing machines, and similar bric a brac on shelves on the upper part of the walls. Clearly someone has made an effort to make this place as attractive as possible. But nevertheless it remains a basic locals’ pub, and there’s most definitely nothing wrong with that. Three ales on, with one from a local microbrewery is also a big plus.

Randomness Guide to London - Jolly Farmers entry

Randomness Guide to London - Jolly Farmers entry