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Detail Pages
The George, SE1
SE1
SE1 1NH
Pub Type
Greene KingReviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The George
One of those must-visit pubs - a tourist trap, certainly, but well worth a visit to see one of few remaining galleried coaching inns. Retains a lot of character, particularly if viewed with the modern Heeltap building behind you. Two bars downstairs and another at first floor level for those using the main dining area (which, like the downstairs seating areas, extends across several small rooms). Modern patio tables fill most of the courtyard. Usually has six real ales available on handpump, mostly Greene King offerings (including the 'house' George Inn Ale) plus a guest or two (e.g. Betty Stogs and Hackney Stout on my latest visit).
On 6th March 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The George
Dating from 1676 but now towered over by the distinctly 21st century Shard, this is the last remaining galleried coaching inn in London. Only the south side remains but the pub and its outbuildings would once have formed three sides of the expansive courtyard. There are a series of horizontally connected rooms, all bearing names such as the Winchester room and Talbot bar but the one nearest to the High St named the Parliament Bar is the oldest and most authentic. In here there are a couple of fireplaces, one large inglenook style now containing a wood burner. Black beams and horizontal wood panelling, bench seating and the odd cubby hole plus a reassuringly wonky old wooden floor. Unfortunately there is no service in here although a rarely used bar area is adjacent, this contains an old disused beer engine visible through the glass. Service is further along in another area where there are a range of GK ales on offer including a rebadged George Ale at 4% (Morlands?) but there was one guest on yesterday in the form of Belhaven Robert Burns.
Lots of outdoor seating in the courtyard.
It is certainly geared up for tourists and visitors, scrolled menus were on the tables with mains from £8.95 to £15.95 but it is a rare example of old England and as such is a must see, even if only for a swift half.
On 27th January 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
BobOs . left this review about The George
I'll leave the long, laborious descriptions to those who came before me. Suffice to say that the outside, what remains, is certainly impressive and I was looking forward to seeing inside after visiting last year to find it closed for refurbishment. Inside, alas, I was less impressed by some of its features such as the joints in the plywood encasing steel beams and dressed up to look like 'olde worlde' timber beams. The ales were good but unsurprisingly expensive and the service was, well, adequate.
On 5th October 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 370 recommendations about 355 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The George
Close by London Bridge Station is The George Inn, a well known pub on the tourist circuit that features in all the tourist guide books and which needs little introduction.
As we turn off Borough High Street and into the large courtyard, we see a sign telling us that the pub was “immortalised by Charles Dickens in Little Dorritt”. We also see a sign referring to the pub as “London’s last remaining 16th century galleried coaching inn” although we are quickly brought down to earth by a message underneath reminding us in true ‘Spoons style to “please note your table number when ordering food at the bar.”
The present building dates back to 1676 and replaced an earlier inn destroyed by fire. The pub sign depicts St George fighting the dragon, reflecting the fact that the pub was originally called The George and Dragon.
The present pub only occupies the right hand side of the courtyard, but originally it used to extend round three sides. Sadly, much of the building was demolished in 1889 to aid construction of the railway. Imagine for a moment The New Inn in Gloucester with a much larger central courtyard and you get some idea of what The George Inn would have undoubtedly looked like all those years ago.
The first bar that you see on the right hand side is the oldest part of the pub. This is a smallish and darkish room lit by lanterns and features fireplaces, stoves, horizontal wood panelling, fixed wall benches and low ceilings. On the far wall is an old Parliament clock. Note also the old serving counter with vertical sash windows through which you can still see a set of Victorian cash register style beer engines. Sadly, these are no longer used, although I do recollect that they were when I first visited the pub in the mid to late 1970’s. The pub is listed in CAMRA’s National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors.
Further down the courtyard with a separate entrance is the main bar, which features a number of adjoining rooms running down the south side of the courtyard. These rooms generally have more comfortable, but largely traditional, seating and furnishings. Of particular note here on the cream coloured walls by the bar counter is a framed life policy in the name of a certain Charles Dickens presented to the pub in 1948 by Sun Alliance.
It is clear that this main bar and the adjoining rooms are now regarded as the main focus of the pub, leaving the previously described old bar as seemingly little more than a curiosity for tourists and visitors. On my recent December early evening visit, the old bar was open for use, but there was no service and the sash windows remained steadfastly shut throughout. Unfortunately on a cold and drizzly evening, this meant that customers using this room had to brave the rain, albeit for only a few seconds while they made their way down the courtyard to the main bar to be served. Given the number of tourists who specifically seek out this pub – and there was no shortage of them on my visit – I think this is a pretty poor show.
Upstairs, in the galleried part of the building, is a restaurant and various rooms that can be booked for functions. The large courtyard outside has the usual picnic style tables and is popular in the summer months.
The premises are owned by The National Trust and the current leaseholders are Greene King. On my visit, as well as the normal range of GK beers, Nethergate’s Umbel Ale was on as a guest, as was the pub’s own George Inn Ale, which, needless to say, was the one most of the overseas visitors went for.
If you haven’t been here before, you’ll probably want to if the opportunity arises and I’m not about to discourage you from so doing.
On 6th January 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
BobOs . left this review about The George
Visited again yesterday as part of my "What the Dickens?" crawl only to find it closed for a refurb - bummer. I should have read Rex's comment below before setting off. Oh well, I'll have another crack at it next month!
On 5th August 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 370 recommendations about 355 pubs]
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Rex Rattus left this review about The George
Currently closed for refurbishment, although I doubt they can do much to this Grade 1 listed building. Due to re-open on 17 August.
On 2nd August 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
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Rex Rattus left this review about George Inn
Previous reviewers have described this pub typically comprehensively and I won’t repeat what they’ve said. I would add that I believe that this is the only Grade I listed pub in London; Dickens would undoubtedly have drank here (Dickens drank in just about every pub in this area that was open at the time!) but more unusually it is claimed that Shakespeare gave a performance in the yard. But that may well be an old wives’ tale, but I’m sure that he would have known the place. What is true is that the wood panelling in the old bar – the first door on the right as you approach the pub – is some of the oldest in London, and possibly dates from its 17th Century rebuild.
I guess Greene King manage the pub on behalf of the National Trust now, as only GK ales (IPA, Abbot, OSH, Royal London, and Fireside) were available on my visit. The George Inn is certainly worth a visit for the ambience and history of an ancient coaching inn, but I doubt whether I’ll make this a regular stop, as I’m not a fan of Greene King ales.
On 29th October 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about George Inn
This classic historic coaching inn is as much derided for its service and beers as it is praised for its heritage and architectural importance. There is much to be said on both sides. There is no doubt that it a wonderful building and one can only wonder in awe at what the place would have looked like when it spread around the remainder of the courtyard before being cynically ripped down by the Great Northern Railway Company who wanted the space for a depot. Thankfully, what’s left is now owned by the National Trust and is very much a protected species although there are some modern alterations inside that have lessened the impact.
The smallish main bar in the centre of the pub is very basic with bare floors, stripped furnishngs, off yellow walls, a couple of pews but it’s mainly stools at ledges drinking in here. I recall not long ago when the bar was still shiny new wood that looked so ot of place but it is fortunately now a bit more weathered and in keeping with the rest of the room. To one side an original Life Policy sold to Charles Dickens and bearing his signature that was given to the pub in 1948 by Sun Alliance is one of the few artifacts on display that are worth noting,
There are a further 3 rooms leading through the pub, the first a small snug, then a larger room with equally basic but solid furnishings, old cabinets and an open staircase that leads to various function rooms on the floors above. The final room has a kitchen bar although the selection of bar meals (£7-£11) wasn’t very large if the blackboard was anything to go by (and I didn’t note any menus anywhere suggesting anything else was available). There is a formal restaurant upstairs which I did eat in about 20 years ago which was fine then but I can’t really comment on what it is like now.
The pub’s most interesting and probably the most authentic feature is the Old Bar, which is only accessible (to the public) via the courtyard and isn’t always open. This is a dark lantern lit room with old threadbare furnishings, fires and stoves and an old clock peering down from the far wall. A dart board cabinet can be found in one corner although I didn’t check whether there is actually a dart board in it. You can almost sense Dickens sitting in the corner mulling over a newspaper but it’s more likely to be a pair suited businessmen with open laptops or a bunch of rucksacked tourists.
A small bar adjoins the Old Bar with 2 service hatches, one for the Old Bar itself and the other facing servicing the courtyard which is always a popular spot warm days. There are occasionally plays, morris dancers and other quirky forms of enetertainment put on for special occasions to keep the tourist cameras clicking.
The beers are all from the Greene King range, 6 hand pumps with IPA, Speckled Hen, Abbott, Royal London, George Inn Ale and the last pump unused for my recent visit. It should be noted that the George Inn Ale is actually Morland Original under an alias rather than a specially brewed beer for the pub. The quality is inconsistent but was surprisingly good for my recent visit and the staff were also far more cheerful than the morose Europeans that I have encountered here in the past.
There is no doubt that the George is a classic pub that is a nust visit part of London’s pub life and for me, the overall plusses outweigh the minuses. Being a sucker for such buildings I find a visit hard to resist when I’m in the area although the negative aspects mentioned elsewehere are certainly valid.
On 6th August 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about George Inn
Set in a magnificent galleried building, just off of the main Borough Road near London Bridge Station, this pub promises much but appears to have fallen into the complacency trap typical of popular tourist destination pubs.
The interior is impressive enough, with a main bar set along a fairly narrow central room which leads to a wine bar and the George Room, seemingly used for dining, at one end and a second bar (the 'Old Bar') at the other. There is plenty of seating in each of the various rooms, although it's not uncommon to find that only the main bar is open.
However, the real star of the show here is the courtyard, which quite rightly fills up quickly in the summer months. From here you can appreciate the amazing galleries in all their glory and the afternoon drinker can chose whether to sit in the sun or shade thanks to the way the shadows fall across the yard.
Unfortunately the praise pretty much ends there. The beer range is from Greene King, with IPA, Royal London, Old Speckled Hen and George Inn Ale (£3.20) on the pumps. I tried the latter, which is presumably a re-branded version of another GK beer, and it was satisfactory, but certainly nothing to write home about, especially in this area renowned for excellent ale. Service was poor, with customers being seen out of turn and the two bar staff having a heated argument whilst serving, with one of them complaining about having to work in the heat with a hangover.
I think one visit is sufficient and that a return would only be merited if it was to show someone else the building. There will always be a good number of people who will want to visit this pub, so I will happily leave them to it.
On 13th July 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about George Inn
As can be seen from the pictures of this pub it is a lovely old building with large courtyard that one wouldn't expect in Central London. It was very busy during my visit and the small bar was unable to cope with the hoards of people waiting to be served.
I spotted five Greene King ales along with a standard draught selection and Peroni that is found in most GK pubs. The staf were rushed off their feet and this came across in the service, but I'll let them off as it was the City Christmas party night.
It is worth checking out the many rooms in this place, but now that I have been I doubt that I'll return as there are better pubs in the area.
On 10th January 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5254 recommendations about 5222 pubs]