The Northcote, SW11

Very busy and noisy pub.Good selection of beer 3 on handpump.My pint of Sambrookes Red rye was very good.I will call again.

I’ve had a pint in the Northcote on the last couple of Friday afternoons when this pub has been popular with the after work crowd. On both occasions I was promptly served a short measure that set me back just under £4. There is a standard and premium draught selection and the three hand pumps were drawing Youngs’ Ordinary, Sharps’ Doom Bar and Croydon based Cronx Brewery’s Kotchin. There is a gastro menu that is available from midday until 15:00 and 18:00 until 22:00. The bar is located on the right hand wall and there is limited standing room around it. The furniture is packed in to the left and front of the pub which allows little room for manoeuvring. There are a couple of plasma screens and the one to the right of the bar was showing muted Wimbledon tennis. The toilets are located upstairs where there is a ‘Club Room’ with its own bar that is available for hire. I find this pub to be very uncomfortable and a bit up itself, much like some of the clientele who seem to struggle with basic courtesy. Being in a prominent position on the corner of Northcote Road it is a good meeting point, but I wouldn’t stay for more than a pint.

The Northcote is one of those pubs that try so hard to be hip that it almost becomes off-putting. The single room, street corner pub is just a few minutes walk from Clapham Junction station. The servery runs along most of the back wall with a wooden floored area directly opposite which has been filled with several high tables and stools. In the middle of the room some low partitioning walls and shelves filled with various unrelated objects help to break up the large space. There is a carpeted area beyond which has mainly got a lot of standard tables and chairs. One of the corner windows has some etched glass remaining in it and there are cafe style folding doors at the front which give access to a small number of pavement tables. The front wall also has a large fireplace, above which hangs a picture of the Duke of Wellington getting a custard pie in his face which probably makes sense to someone. Music was playing loudly throughout my midweek evening visit and the place was full of young trendy types, so I sat in the dark corner near the end of the bar where a few old board games were stacked up on the window sill. Four ales were available at the bar in the shape of Sharp’s Doom Bar, Sambrook’s Junction and Adnam’s Ghost Ship (£3.65) and Broadside. The Ghost Ship is usually a favourite of mine but it was certainly off form here, although still drinkable. Food seems to be readily available, although I don’t remember seeing anyone eating. Daily specials were listed on a board behind the bar. This place turned out to be marginally better than I expected when I first walked in and with a little more care taken over their beer, I think it would be worthy of more regular investigation. It’s still annoyingly trendy but there is just about enough going on here to distract from that and make it a viable alternative should you fancy a change from some of the areas better pubs.