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Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
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Detail Pages
White Ferry House, Pimlico, SW1
SW1
SW1V 4LD
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about White Ferry House
A nice old pointy pub in the vee of two streets, with some wonderful features as described previously. The bar back is especially splendid, although a little detracted from by occasional modern incursions, like the silly lightbulbs. The biggest problem with the pub is the large hostel upstairs, and there was a steady flow of hostel types checking in and otherwise cluttering the place up. Still at least it is surviving relatively unspoiled and hopefully might get restored rather than gutted. On handpump were Wandle Ale and Seacider, with the small row of craft fonts being slightly more interesting than average. Food is burgers only.
On 6th April 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about White Ferry House
This place dates from the late 19th century, situated in the still socially mixed Pimlico. On approach, the upmarket beer patio gin umbrellas give the impression that this is going to be some upmarket gastropub, but actually it isn’t. It’s a hostel upstairs, with a young, clearly transient rather glum customer base – sparsely populated mid-Saturday evening – coupled with some older cackling more local types, typically smoking outside (obs).
The interior is on CAMRA’s inventory for having an interior of regional importance and also grade II-listed. The main draw here is an attractive bar back in the left bar with its fine etched mirrors and ornate fireplace; the remainder seems quite modern: floor, lighting and so on. The right bar also features good etched windows but an open kitchen, devoted to the pub staple that is the burger; one bloke seemed to be eating his own food from a Tupperware bowl. Other fittings seem modern with a dark blue/grey colour scheme to the dado, mushroom paint to the picture rail, then white remainder and to the ceiling also.
There was a cider and two ales on, Wandle and Big Hug Brewing’s Juicy Pale at a very agreeable of £4.40 and a reasonable pint it was too.
The previous reviewer sums proceedings up perfectly in that it too reminds me of the Phoenix and that this place also gets a ‘4’ for the heritage bits and real ale, but not much else; the other pub visited was the Constitution where fun is part of the curriculum, if not decent ale.
On 3rd October 2021
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Komakino . left this review about White Ferry House
Still mostly as mentioned previously, retaining its separate bar rooms, along with three different entrances and it looks the business from outside. However, it's in essence a glorified hostel, and those in attendance on my brief visit were all on laptops, making the screens tuned into BBC News 24 pretty much redundant. Two ales at least - Sharp's Atlantic and Sambrook Wandle, with an un-noted cider on a further handpump (shame on me). The Wandle was inoffensive enough, but the prevailing atmosphere, summed up by the disinterested barmaid, reminded me much of Marylebone/Lisson Grove's Phoenix. There is a potentially cracking real ale pub here - and they could still keep the hostel bit upstairs that obviously ticks them over (70+ rooms for God-knows how much each night). They get a '4' for the Heritage bits and the real ale only.
On 25th November 2018
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1074 recommendations about 1074 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about White Ferry House
Attractive tapered building, which looks from outside like it has probably been 'done up' inside (but thankfully it hasn't). The two bars remain separate, and the furniture and decor is traditional. Offers cheap accommodation, so can be quite busy in the saloon bar with people checking in and out. Two handpumps in each bar, offering Courage Best and Bombardier (normally £3.20, but £2.90 during the happy hour, and served in the right glass).
On 6th April 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about White Ferry House
The White Ferry House is a Victorian pub that retains separate saloon and public bars. The Public bar is located in the right hand side and houses a pool table and plasma screen that was showing a women’s semi-final in the Australian Open via Sky Sports. This was muted as the jukebox was blasting out some random songs from ELO’s Mr Blue Sky to some reggae beats. The music was good, but a little loud for my liking so I decided to move into the saloon bar where there is another plasma screen that was showing muted rolling news. I didn’t think it possible but unfortunately the music in here was even louder than the in the public bar.
The bar is stocked with standard draught alongside Amstel and the two hand pumps were drawing London Pride and Courage Best. I found the pricing structure to be on a par with other pubs in the area, but there is happy hour(s) every day from 16:00 until 19:00 except Sunday when it is from midday until 15:00. During these periods the cost of a pint drops to £2.80, which is very good for these parts. Food is advertised outside, but inside all I saw was a winter soup and pizza that is available to eat in or take-away for £7.
This pub doubles up as a hostel and there were a few guests arriving during my visit on Thursday afternoon. The sign on the door to the hostel reads ‘gents toilet and accommodation’. I needed a leak and discovered that they are in fact separate!
The barmaid was very friendly and worthy of mention, but I thought that the pub itself was fairly unremarkable. There are better pubs in the area so I doubt I’ll find myself in here again anytime soon.
On 2nd February 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The White Ferry
Only Courage Best on, which was not brilliant even if it was only £2.30 a pint. This pub still has separate Public and Saloon Bars, with many original Victorian features still in place, including a very impressive bar back. There's a pool table in the public bar – undoubtedly not Victorian! This is a very comfortable pub. The music being played was not too loud, but it was not improved by having to compete with the tinny radio with the racing on. I quite like this pub, but I would like it a lot more if they did a decent ale – I suppose there isn't the market among the locals for a better choice.
On 11th March 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]