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The Florence, Herne Hill, SE24
SE24
SE24 0NG
Pub Type
Metropolitan Pub Co (Greene King)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
David Walton left this review about The Florence
Second venue in this crawl around Herne / Tulse Hill this evening. This was a rather plush venue with nice seating options, stools with backs at the counter all along the external windows (overlooking the park in my positioning), high tables (you had the circular or oblong option) with more traditional bar stools, dining tables with traditional dining chairs, leather banquettes around the internal walls. In other words this was effing seating heaven and literally had something for all seating fans. And I don’t mean a random mish mash of tables and chairs this was beautifully co-ordinated. It was busy and became busier during my 6.30-7.15 stay here and the initially quite loud but tasteful music eventually got drowned out by the well heeled of this part of South London plotting world domination. Plenty of keg options but cask was TT Landlord and their own labelled bitter - the Florence Bitter, OK but nothing special at a tad under 4% abv. Assume this is some GK brewed swill but nothing to demark it on the clip. In reality I would have given it a 5.5 as I feel I would return to a 6 but I can’t see myself returning here but it is slightly better than a 5. I would be disappointed if I didn’t find a better one this evening.
On 9th April 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 99 recommendations about 99 pubs]
Graham Coombs left this review about The Florence
Another much-refurbished pub, which in this case has gone for the posh dining room look with polished floors, dark woodwork and smart furnishings. There is a nice high ceiling but it is painted dark brown. I can't say I was over-impressed by having to wait for the barman to serve a pot of tea to the table in the corner, nor by the rather dodgy TT Landlord (the other cask option being the GK house ale). The surroundings are not unpleasant though.
On 14th July 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Florence
We called on a Sunday afternoon and enjoyed the live jazz band, three young lads from Greenwich Music College. Beer wise, we went for the Brixton Atlantic APA and one of their own beers on keg, which was the Craft Academy Ice Breaker. I thought my Craft Academy Ice Breaker was a very good beer and would call again for more good beer and some excellent jazz.
On 29th March 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Florence
Substantial pub overlooking Brockwell Park. Partially opened-out inside to leave an almost islanded bar, with additional seating / dining areas off to one side (one with a glazed enclosure housing the micro-brewery kit). Quite dark paintwork offset by generally light furniture. Three of four handpumps in each of the two banks in use, with Greene King IPA, LBF Beyond the Pale and the in-house Craft Academy Pale (£4.20).
On 1st January 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Florence
Large open plan pub with a central bar area, It all seemed a little impersonal to me. The background music was of good quality,a mix of female soul singers with a little Bob Marley thrown in. Four pumps on the bar with three operational, a house beer Florence Brew, GK IPA and Sambrooks Pumphouse Pale, I took a keg option but paid for it at £3.00 a half of Gipsy Hill Hep Cat. It was ok here but could do better.
On 9th April 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Florence
Major refurb since my last visit.Smarter.Busy on my visit but the brewery isn't operating yet.Tried 2 Bedlam beers on cask and keg and the keg pilsner was very good.Good outside space to the rear and very family friendly.
On 16th January 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about The Florence
Principally a big square room with a large island bar, although a second room leads to an outside area, but the big windows looking out onto Dulwich Road let in a lot of light. The seating is all round the exterior, with a mixture of tables and raised banquette seating and I imagine they can pack in a fair few drinkers of an evening.
On the bar, there's 4 handpumps, 2 of which serve up ales from the onsite brewery; on my visit the others offered Hackney Hopster and Hardy & Hansons Bitter. Keg taps far outnumber these; notable beers included a couple of Meantimes, a triple font for Budvar (Dark, Pilsner and a half & half mix) as well as a keg version of their own Beaver wheat beer.
The staff were on good form when I visited, friendly, chatty and looking after both beer and customers.
I liked it here and I'd quite happily return.
On 23rd June 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Florence
This large open plan pub opposite Brockwell Park has a nice tiled exterior hinting at the pub’s heritage, but the modern interior design means that any further signs of the past are hard to come by. The main area centres around an island servery and has bare floorboards and padded high benches around the edge of the room whilst low stools and tables take up the rest of the space. There is a mix of wallpapered walls and exposed brickwork, with some odd choices of decor, including a display case full of feathers which was positioned between two large front windows. There is also a huge Aga tucked away on the right hand side of the room, with a stack of board games perched on top, and a station style clock which hangs on the front wall opposite the bar. A second room of sorts can be found at the rear, although there is no partitioning from the main bar area. Here, some of the brewing vessels for the in-house Florence brewery can be seen, whilst more of those weird display cases were on show including one full of chicks. There is some standard seating in this space as well as table football and a TV screen suspended above a small stone fireplace. A partly covered outdoor patio area can be accessed from here as well.
Just the one Florence beer was available on my visit – Weasel Beer – alongside H&H Olde Trip, Sharp’s Junipurus and Head in a Hat Tommy. I gave the latter a try and thought it was an excellent pint. Keg offerings included Florence Sparkling Beaver, Noble Lager and various beers from the Meantime brewery. There was also a strong bottled beer line up in the fridges, although I didn’t notice any beer menus to help with selection. We had food here and found the portion sizes good and value for money.
I seem to have enjoyed this pub a lot more than some of the previous reviewers. Whilst I can appreciate that it has lost a lot of its traditional character and appeal, I thought it was doing a good job creating its own character without losing its sense of being a pub. An onsite brewery and well kept guest ales certainly helped and overall I really enjoyed our afternoon here and would certainly consider dropping in the next time I’m passing.
On 2nd June 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Florence
This pub has a cavernous interior, extending back quite some distance beyond the front island bar to the rear where there is a food servery and then a conservatory. Pretty much stripped out and minimalist inside, there are however some unusual features such as the Aga on a return wall (complete with board games and a flat iron on top), a station style clock suspended from the front wall and some chunky timber framed partitions towards the rear. A corner houses a bar football table and a sit down Pacman game from the early 80s I'd guess. As stated previously below, this is a brew pub, the copper vessels being visible behind a glass screen.
The island bar has at some time had the back removed to be replaced by a couple of glass shelves on shiny metal poles. The floor is boarded, seating is mostly at high tables with worn leather benches, there is a fair bit of exposed brickwork yet the pub's previous guise is revealed by the external brown tiling and upper Charrington's banded windows.
There is a foody feel with an upmarket menu, eg harissa lamb with bittersweet salad and mint yogurt, chargrilled chilli squid with chickpea salad. Kid's meals served too, seemingly a popular choice as the back of the pub was full of the "yummy mummy" set with their three wheeler buggies. Four handpumps, two pub brewed beers, Bonobo Beer, Dam Tasty Beaver Beer plus Truman's Swallow and Swift and Ruddles County. I opted for the Beaver Beer which with hindsight was a mistake being a wheat beer, I discovered this after asking the barman if it was going to clear.....oops!
The pub is certainly never going to find itself on any listing of unspoilt pub interiors and it wasn't really to my taste being rather more wine bar than pub but it is worth a visit for the novelty value and the chance to try the brewery beers.
On 25th May 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Florence
Light interior with real ale on sale, though cant remember what they were. Was a busy Sunday, as they were behind with the washing up.
On 19th July 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]