The Old Nuns Head, Nunhead, SE15

This looks like an inter war pub that has been given something of an upmarket makeover, although thankfully they haven’t gone overboard. It’s bare-boarded now, with the multi-room structure of the past now opened up to form quite a large drinking area, although there is some separation in the front bar area achieved by large arches. Furnishings are almost entirely “normal” tables and chairs, although there a couple of sofas, and a large number of the chairs were re-cycled small, simple, wooden school chairs with the wooden pouch on the back for the student sitting behind to keep his or her books etc. I’ve seen these in a few pubs recently – enough for it to be trend. The original wood panelling on the walls remains, which allows it to retain something of a traditional pub feel. There are a few picnic benches in the front, as well as a small courtyard at the back with a few more benches plus an abstract mural on one of the walls. Near where I sat in the main bar area there was a fireplace, with alcoves beside it containing split logs – presumably as decoration in the summer, but perhaps they are put to more practical use in the winter. The ales on were Adnam’s Bitter, Deuchars IPA, and Black Sheep Golden Sheep (£3.30 a pint), with another pump with the clip reversed. They do lunch from 12.00 – 4.00, and a separate dinner menu from 6.00 onwards. I had a pretty decent chicken, bacon and brie wrap and a few leaves for £4.50 (or the more minimalist 4.5 as the menu styled the prices for some reason). Not really basic pub grub – the burger, etc, was £9.50 (sorry, 9.5). It was desperately quiet when I was in there at Wednesday lunchtime (I was the only customer), although a small group of three or four arrived just as I was leaving. I hope it gets more custom in the weekends or evenings. This struck me as yet another fairly good pub, without being anything special. But there was a table with leaflets and the like on it – including London Drinker, which is a definite plus. I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to visit again, although I expect that I would have this as my local if I lived here, especially as the other two pubs within a stone’s throw are nowhere near as good.

Randomness Guide to London - Old Nun's Head entry

Randomness Guide to London - Old Nun's Head entry