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The Greencoat Boy, SW1

2 Greencoat Place
SW1
SW1P 1PJ

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Pub Type

Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)

Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Will Larter left this review about The Greencoat Boy

A typical Greene King back street corner pub, which seems to have undergone some sort of refurbishment. Where woodwork (bar, screens, banisters) may have needed repainting, they have simply distressed the surface and left it like that. As my notes made at the time say, "Yuk!". They may think this looks modern, like wearing ripped jeans, or makes them feel down-with-the-kids, or cutting edge, or whatever they were trying to achieve, but to me it looks like they're not bothered what it looks like and don't care what their prospective customers might think about it. So, I've been here now (it's in my copy of a book, written in the late 1970s and reissued in 1996: London's Inns & Taverns by John Wittich, that I've been using as a guide) and now I don't have to visit this pub again.

On the bar were two hand pumps, one with GK IPA (with a label draped over it saying "back soon"), the other with Abbot. My half of this once great beer was pretty poor, but I think at least some of its off flavour may have been due to a slightly smelly glass. The pub's name recalls the green coats that were worn by children attending a charity school in the area, and the original facade featured some interesting paintings (now gone) of rowers on the Thames.

On 4th February 2022 - rating: 4
[User has posted 3699 recommendations about 3440 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about The Greencoat Boy

This would seem to be match the previous reviews, but given the large number of rainbow flags inside and out, the pub, like Cary Grant “…just went gay all of a sudden!”.
A modern floor, stripped wood with black walls and ceiling, tall furniture, topped with menus in metal baskets, except in a small, raised ballustered area, where furniture is normal but still decorated with laminated menus. Lighting comes from flush downlighters in the ceiling, hipster filament things and spun steel shades over the bar, with its modern bar back. There were two TVs showing PowerPoint slideshows of the pub’s wares, noisy muzak playing over proceedings. Décor comprises hanging ferns and a pink fluorescent sign reading ‘Good Vibes’ – where exactly?
Ales: GK IPA, Abbot and GK Birra Colada, so it was yet another half of Neck Oil for £3.30.
This isn’t a great pub, even by the low standards of Victoria and with the lack of any drinkable independent ale, I’ll not be back.

On 18th November 2021 - rating: 3
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


E TA left this review about The Greencoat Boy

As described, it’s a single bar GK town pub, though there is a basement bar which opens occasionally. The most interesting architectural feature is an ornate fireplace which has been marred by inclusion of a modern insert. There is a TV screen which was off. Staff are sloppy and immature, and there is no real atmosphere. Food is the standard GK mass produced fodder selected from a fixed laminated menu. Ales were GK IPA, Abbott and Greencoat Boy’s Best Bitter (3.9ABV), whatever that was. It’s a functional pub but by no means the best in the area.

On 30th May 2019 - rating: 5
[User has posted 3272 recommendations about 3237 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


custodian 42 left this review about The Greencoat Boy

GK pub with no real ale of any strength. This could be a good pub with some decent ale, alas in its current guise I will not be returning.

On 8th March 2017 - rating: 5
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Greencoat Boy

Quite a nice looking pub, with some outside seating which can be quite pleasant on a summer weekend when you haven't got so much traffic roaring past. Inside, the 'L'-shaped bar is a bit smaller than you might expect so if busy the best bet (if available) is to sit in the raised area in one corner. However, there is also a basement bar (which I have never visited). Pride, Doom Bar and Bombardier (£3.54) available on handpump, with Westons Traditional Scrumpy off and Adnams Explorer 'coming soon'. One of the better Taylor Walker pubs in the area.

On 16th June 2013 - rating: 6
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rex Rattus left this review about The Greencoat Boy

There were five ales on during my visit – Broadside; Spitfire; GKIPA; Bombardier; and Young’s London Gold (£2.90 a pint). The menu advertises “Great British Pub Food”. I didn’t eat there so can’t say whether it’s great or not, but it certainly qualifies as pub grub, with a typical main meal of steak & ale pie, plus mash and veg, coming in at £7.59. That’s par for the area.
According to the menu it’s a Taylor Walker pub, but it looks no different to a Punch pub to me. It’s mainly bare-boarded, with seating mainly tall tables and stools with a few normal tables and chairs. The ceiling is painted a russet red/brown colour, and also has brown painted false beams. Wall decor consists of a few prints of old London scenes – Trafalgar Square, Victoria Station and the like – plus the usual faux chalkboard adverts. There was at least one TV on, but muted, and the inevitable pop music was being played. There is also a downstairs bar, but this was roped off during my midweek lunchtime visit. For me this was a fairly run-of-the-mill pubco pub. I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit again.

On 21st October 2010 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about The Greencoat Boy

This place is a pretty run of the mill London boozer that was serving up Pride, Bombardier and Ordinary alongside a standard draught selection. There was another ale which was off, but I couldn't see what the clip said.

I found the two barmen to be friendly making the atmosphere very relaxed. There is no TV, but the background music was at a good level playing some old 70s songs.

There is a basement bar that offers more seating and can be hired out for functions, but this was closed during my visit.

I would have no problem in returning here.

On 15th July 2009 - rating: 7
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


ROB Camra left this review about The Greencoat Boy

One of my regular haunts when working in London. I often call in here for one on my way from the Home Office to some of the circa 723 pubs in the area selling Pride. It's a pleasant, fairly standard city centre boozer usually stocking a safe beer selection including a good pint of Youngs Ordinary. It's nothing special, but for some reason I like it.

On 11th March 2009 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3216 recommendations about 3127 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Philip Carter left this review about The Greencoat Boy

Good place to go, but hard to get to. Don't try crossing the road on the corner directly opposite, the speed of the traffic coming around the the wide corner will give you no chance to make it. Apart from that, very nice dark wood interior, sells real ale and has seating outside, though you may get choking fumes with your pint.

On 9th January 2007 - rating: 6
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]