Whelans, Rotherhithe, SE16

Dating from the mid-19th century and now probably an Edwardian rebuild, this was originally the Jolly Waggoners, a Charrington’s house now seemingly serving the surrounding sprawling estate, with a derelict scrapyard to the south. On ascending the small paved front patio, the first thing you notice are the downmarket occluded lower windows and uninviting closed door on a warm evening. Above, you can see multicoloured flashing lights with young heads bobbing about, all to a very loud soundtrack with karaoke, possibly held in the garden. The customers that I saw were very sweary older locals in the patio, then some young chavvy types in sports’ clobber in the beer garden. This was about as far as I was going to entertain this pub; maybe it holds undiscovered pleasures, though I doubt it; the Danny Dyer lookalike giving the camera a V-sign on their Facebook page says much.

Basic Irish-style pub featuring a rectangular bar with the counter along one side and a pool table at the back. Plainly furnished and decorated. Neither of the handpumps (one of which had a reversed Doom Bar clip) was working, unfortunately, so made do with a John Smith's (£1.50, half) before moving swiftly on.

Randomness Guide to London - Whelan's entry

Randomness Guide to London - Whelan's entry