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Great Southern, SE19
SE19
SE19 1QH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about Great Southern
This is a large landmark pub, formerly the Gipsy Hill Tavern, handily situated next to the train station. The pub’s interior has been knocked through to create a large front room with two notional sides, although ultimately, it’s all very open plan. The room has an impressive, seemingly retrofitted patterned tile floor, very reminiscent of those you sometimes see in old branches of the O’Neills chain. The walls are a mix of timber clad and full height panelling at the front and rear, with bare brick walls on either side. The bar runs down the right-hand wall, with a modest, low counter and smart modern bar back which incorporates a few arched windows, suggesting the servery may have moved to this position when the pub was knocked through. Large Chesterfield sofas to the left looked like the comfiest seating option, positioned in front of a smart brick fireplace with a huge potted plant on the hearth, which probably tells you that the fire never gets used. There’s a large plain mirror above and some suitcases nailed to the surrounding wall space along with an old Gipsy Hill station sign, in an attempt to give the pub a vague railway theme. Tables and chairs fill the rest of the space, which is decorated with more traditional pictures and a couple of corporate style blackboards. There were also several TV screens throughout, showing a live Premier League fixture with a cool soundtrack playing in the background. The pub extends further back to the rear right, into what appears to be a dining area, although no-one was eating when I visited on a late Sunday afternoon. A sizeable garden can be found to the rear, with loads of picnic bench eating and plenty of shelter. For anyone dropping in ahead of their train journey, a departure board has been mounted above the servery, keeping punters appraised of the infrequent service through the neighbouring station.
There are three handpulls on the bar here, but sadly they were all out of action, following a busy weekend, so I tried Gipsy Hill Bandit, straight from the brewery at the end of the road. This was a decent enough pint, served to me by a disinterested barman.
This is quite a smartly presented pub with some traditional elements retained despite the butchered internal layout. It’s a shame there was no cask ale available on my visit – definitely a question mark around how likely you’d be to find some here – but on the whole, I though this was a nice place that would act as an ideal stop-off point for anyone just off, or waiting to board, the train.
On 12th September 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Gipsy Hill Tavern
Unfortunately closed with the windows whitewashed over on my early April visit, there was a notice in the window stating there is an application for minor change of use, my request to mark the pub as closed was not actioned for some reason, but who knows , it may well be back open by now.
On 27th May 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Gipsy Hill Tavern
A lovely looking clearly old building in a prominent site next to Gipsy Hill station. Externally it looks in need of a bit of care, the pub sign is especially worn, inside was warm and tidy however. Central bar with the room wrapping around, the fire was lit and the football was on TV. I didn't spot the separate room to the rear as my stay was particularly brief, the handpumps have been removed and there is obviously now no real stuff to drink. So I took a quick look around and left without buying a beer. No rating consequently.
On 4th December 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Gipsy Hill Tavern
The Gipsy Hill Tavern is a large imposing pub that is close to Gipsy Hill train station.
Once inside there is an inverted U shaped room with the bar facing inwards,the floor is tiled,the seating normal tables and chairs and a few tall ones and a leather settee with puff stools,there was a real fire on the go the left,there is a small raised area to the front right.
There was a TV to the rear left showing the Everton v Southampton game.
There were no real ales on the bar,so i had a drink of Heineken Lager which went down well.
This is a decent pub just a shame that it now lacks any real ales.
Pub visited 16/4/2016
On 22nd May 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Gipsy Hill Tavern
I’ve mixed feelings about this pub. With only 15 minutes before my train, I reckoned a swift half of London Pride was called for. It turned out to be about the rankest beer I’ve had for some, but the barrel was changed and my dodgy half pint was replaced with a full pint. Now that is an excellent response to a returned glass of beer. Obviously I missed my train though, but no way was I not going to finish my pint. The other ale on was GKIPA, dispensed from one of those new “pseudo keg font” handpumps. There’s a separate room at the back with serried rows of chairs facing a large screen. It seems that this room is used for watching major sporting events, as well as doubling up as a cinema every other Thursday when it becomes the “Film for a Fiver” venue. At the back is a raised area, with tables and chairs on it when I was in, but is apparently used for live music occasionally. There was a log fire ablaze when I was in there, with some sofas surrounding it. It had the strangest flooring I’ve seen for a long time – patterned blocks of 16 tiles, each surrounded by wooden boards. The main room of the pub is very large, with plenty of open space, and I found it a bit barren.
The welcome and service was friendly, and in my opinion the bad beer episode was dealt with in an exemplary manner, but for some reason I didn’t think that it was a very comfortable pub. I’d probably give it another go if I was in the area, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit again.
On 28th November 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 Gipsy Hill Tavern
This pub is nice enough with a plasma screen that was showing football and I also heard some table tennis being played in the back room. There is a fire in the bar area with some sofas placed around it that would be good as the weather turns for winter. I was glad to find some covered seating in the nice sized beer garden out the back as it was raining heavily, although there were some die hards sitting in the pouring rain which confused me a little.
Pride was the only ale offering and there is only a standard draught selection, but my Guinness was on good form.
The only real let down of this pub was the rude barman, but apart from him I enjoyed my stay and I would return.
On 11th November 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5243 recommendations about 5211 pubs]