Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Random news of the day with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Gregorian, Bermondsey, SE16
SE16
SE16 4SQ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Gregorian
A short walk from Bermondsey tube, this has a very old history dating all the way back to the mid-16th century, the current incarnation being an inter-war years pub, rebuilt in the brewers’ Tudor style, still run by Antic.
There’s some Courage lettering to the fascia, then it’s into a big rambling place. On the right is a snug dedicated to watching sport; to the left, there’s a private hire snug. Thereafter, it’s a big room with a worn – probably original – herringbone parquet floor, slightly brewers’ Tudor interior only marginally Anticfied, deeply coffered ceiling to the main room, wood panelling – probably original – framed Georgian prints, patterned plates above the picture rail and a grand crystal chandelier; tables were conventional, whilst chairs had tubular steel legs, said tables home to numbered bottles containing dead flowers. To the right, there’s a charming little snug with various knickknacks; customers were a younger, trendy crowd, the pub well attended on my Thursday evening visit.
There were just two ales on offer, which was a bit of a disappointment as I could have done with a Plum Porter refill, with just Tribute then Volden Pale at a reasonable £2.40 a half, served by a friendly barmaid and on good form.
This is a pretty decent pub, making for a good double with the very fine Old Justice, a couple of minutes’ walk north of here.
On 28th April 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Gregorian
A couple of us gathered here when emerging from Bermodsey tube station before heading off to visit several of the breweries on the mile and I would concur with PSM below that Antic seem to be making a decent fist of this one.
Granted we were in soon after its lunchtime opening and virtually the only ones in, so there were no service issues, and were able to stroll around the pleasant mult-room layout well described by PSM below.
All six pumps in operation on this Saturday lunchtime and alongside the same Volden Session, Adnams Ghost Ship and St Austell Tribute mentioned below there were two of my favourite beers in the form of Oakham Citra and Titanic Plum Porter and a cider on the last pump.
The Plum porter was in fine form and this proved to be a very good launching point for what turned out to be an excellent drinking day.
On 18th June 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Gregorian
Located just down the road from Bermondsey tube station, this is a huge Brewer's Tudor pub, formerly known as the Gregorian Arms, but now arm-less under the stewardship of the reliable Antic pub chain. The pub is set a fair way back from the main road, which means there is room for a large pavement seating area out the front, including a sizeable overspill space over an adjacent road, which was packed with people on a warm, post-work summer's evening. entering into the pub, you find a multiple room interior with plenty of interesting period features and all the usual oddities you come to associate with this chain. The front room houses the main bar and has nice parquet flooring, old-school floral wallpaper and some limited banquette and chair seating options. The servery, set along the rear wall, has a pleasing traditional counter and bar back that has presumably been salvaged from the pub's previous incarnation. To the left, there's a nice partitioning screen with a doorway leading through into a similarly furnished side room with more of the same seating as in the main bar. Moving past the servery, you enter the rear room which is the largest and has tatty banquette seating around the perimeter and metal framed chairs elsewhere. decor in here is similar to the bar area with the exception of some smart wood panels in places. A row of wall mounted plates runs around the room just below ceiling level and there are various deer skulls and old portraits knocking about in typical Antic style. A nice fireplace on the back wall has a boar's head above and a stuffed bird to one side. I spotted at least one TV screen which remained switched off in favour of what I would describe as a jazz-funk soundtrack. There is an open kitchen to the left and a quick glance at the menu showed most meals were available for £10.50. One final room, a side lounge, can be found through a door to the left, where sofas seem to be the order of the day, and a quick trip to the gents unearthed some great tiling along the passageway leading there.
Six handpulls dispensed Volden Session, Adnams Ghost Ship, St Austell Tribute and Bath Gem with two pumps not utilised. The Ghost Ship was £4.00 for a pint and despite the hot weather, was served in fine condition, allowing it to slip down nicely as I cooled down in the rear lounge.
This felt like a worthy Antic project, with them having breathed life back into the sort of large roadside pub that is rapidly heading for extinction across the capital. They've created a pleasant multiple room pub which merits a bit of exploration and paired this with well kept beer, resulting in a pub that I'm sure will reward repeat visits.
On 29th November 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Gregorian
I'm not sure this is an Antic pub now, although there are some quirky features, a massive Boar's head over the fireplace and some collections of entomology on the walls, most other things about this large pub seemed quite normal,in fact rather dull, including the naff music and beer selection,Butcombe Bitter,Bombardier,Pride, Adnams Ghostship and unfortunately a turned St Austell Proper Job clip. The Adnams beer was indeed dull. I didn't particularly enjoy this pub.
On 30th April 2017
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Gregorian
Not been in for about eight years, but glad to see the place doing good business on a Monday evening. Imposing façade with more than a hint of Brewer's Tudor, with a large interior featuring the bar at the front, smaller rooms on either side of the entrance, the main seating area to the rear and another little lounge space tucked away right round the back. Given a bit of the Antic treatment since my previous visit, but not excessively so, and there is still plenty of the earlier character remaining. An optimistic eight handpumps on the counter, but only three of these were actually on this time, with Pride, Butcombe Bitter and a nice pint of Proper Job (£3.70) on offer.
On 1st August 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Gregorian
Busy,four roomed pub.Eclectic Antic interior as you would expect.Couple of dull cask beers on so I tried Theakstons-peculiar ipa on keg.Not bad
On 26th March 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Gregorian
The latest addition to the Antic brand sees The Gregorian (an original pub) converted to the sort of pub for which Antic is notorious. Another view is that they've injected some life into this one. Anyway, all floor coverings have been removed, revealing the original bare boards that have clearly seen much wear over the years - particularly the back room with herringbone parquet that has suffered considerable mistreatment over time. There are four distinct rooms. The room as you enter has the bar counter and little else in the way of furnishings; there are separate rooms to the right and left; and to the back is the large room with parquet flooring. There's a fairly large seating area at the front, which is set back a fair way from the main road.
As usual Antic have gone for the cheap look - actually not just a cheap look - it really is cheap, with mainly formica topped tables and cheap looking chairs. There's the usual array of odd decor, including framed display cases containing butterflies, various bookshelves, a stuffed bird (albatross?) about to take flight, and some mounted skulls of some small antelope like creatures. Typically bizarre.
I didn't see a menu, but the ale selection was "OK", with Adnam's Fat Sprat, Tribute, Caledonian Lipsmacker Lemon Ale, and Butcombe Bitter (£1.70 a half) on. There were at least a couple of handpumps not in use. The ale prices are always competetive in Antic pubs - the £1.70 for a half of Butcombe Bitter in here compares very favourably with the £2.40 I paid for a half of Landlord earlier in the day. And I have hopes that the ale selection might improve. This is another worthy, and interesting, addition to the Antic stable.
On 19th July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Gregorian
This place wasn’t the busiest pub in the area on my recent weekday afternoon visit, but it was the one that I received the friendliest welcome from the governor. The crowd that was in attendance seemed decent enough and the horse racing on the three plasma screens was enthusiastically watched. This racing was on terrestrial television and although I did not note any Sky Sports signs I would be surprised if this pub didn’t show the football. There is a pool table to the right of the island bar and to the left is some quieter seating with no electrical or sporting distractions. I was served a decent pint of Guinness, but there was no real ale as one hand pump was unused and the two Courage Best and one Bombardier were all off. There is some seating at the front of the pub, but the passing road is very busy.
Friday nights host karaoke and disco from 21:00 until midnight, Saturdays there is live music from 21:00 until midnight and on Sundays there is traditional Irish music from 18:00 until 21:00.
I wouldn’t make this a destination pub, but if I was passing I would pop back in for another Guinness.
On 10th July 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5249 recommendations about 5217 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Gregorian Arms
Large old fashioned pub with an island bar and plenty of wood panelling. Outside seating area. Bombadier and Spitfire on tap on my visit. 2 minutes from Bermondsey tube Station
On 18th February 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]