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Detail Pages
The Mawbey Arms, South Lambeth, SW8
SW8
SW8 2TT
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Mawbey Arms
I managed to pay a return visit here the other day. It's essentially unchanged since my first visit some four years ago, and is comprehensively described by Pubsignman in his review from a few days ago. The overwhelming feature for me is the mass of Chelsea memorabilia everywhere. As long as you're OK with that sort of thing, then this pub is the sort of relaxing backstreet local that's a pleasure to find. Unfortunately, the ale on when I visited was from the ranks of the usual suspects - Doom Bar and Young's Bitter. Nonetheless the Young's was in good nick, and this pub is definitely worth the effort of finding.
On 23rd February 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Mawbey Arms
Wandering around the surrounding estates in the dark, trying to locate this charming back street boozer wasn't the greatest experience, but I'm glad I persevered as this pub is worth making a bit of an effort to seek out. The layout sees an opened up, U-shaped room winding around the prominent servery. Some unusual and rather comfy upholstered chairs have been lined up along the front wall, serving a couple of small tables with a few standard chairs in attendance. Down the right hand side of the room, a drinking ledge covered in beer towels runs down the wall with a vast collection of Chelsea FC memorabilia hung above and a dartboard at the far end. This is a fairly basic area, yet it seemed to be more popular with the locals than the left hand side, which has bench and standard seating, a lit stone fireplace and another dartboard. The pub seems to be popular with arrows fans, as they run several teams and the locals were engrossed in a televised darts match being shown on a couple of screens around the room. The colour scheme is predominantly white, with some grey sections beneath the dado rail that runs around the left side of the pub. Whilst this might sound a little bland, it highlighted the spotless state of the pub, which the owners clearly take great pride in. There is an outdoor drinking area to the rear right which was hard to see through the windows in the dark, but there seemed to be a decent amount of picnic bench seating available. The locals all seemed like a friendly bunch and having picked a seat close to the front door, I was somewhat surprised when several of them bade me goodnight on their way out.
There were just two ales available when I arrived - Young's Ordinary and Hardy and Hanson Rocking Rudolph - with a turned pump clip on a third handpull. I ordered the Rocking Rudolph and immediately regretted picking a Christmas beer midway through January, assuming it had probably been on for a long time. Thankfully it was in excellent condition and I enjoyed supping it whilst secretly snooping on the group of locals wrapped up in a card game on the table next to me.
I really enjoyed my visit to this understated pub which offered a warm welcome and good beer in clean and pleasant surroundings. This place does all the simple things very well and whilst it's unlikely I will find myself in the vicinity again, I'd be more than happy to make a return visit.
On 7th February 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Mawbey Arms
A friendly back street local, increasingly rare nowadays. A single room around a central light coloured angular bar. The bar has a few ceramic tiles and terracotta figures stuck to it. Carpeted and comfortable with traditional bench seating at small tables, plus a few bar stools. Large lanterns hang from chains fixed to the high ceiling. The bar and the area to the side of it is where the chatty bunch of regulars seem to congregate, most concentrating on the horse racing showing on the TV. There is a dartboard in the other side of the pub with a selection of trophies on a shelf above. The brick fireplace has a large picture in an elaborate frame, but most of the decor consists of Chelsea FC stuff.
Three handpumps, two in use, serving Youngs Bitter and Waggledance. The Bitter was in very good condition and still at a fair £2.80.
Certainly a well looked after pub which I'd definitely visit again if in the area.
On 25th July 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Mawbey Arms
There were a couple of real ales on during my midweek lunchtime visit – Young’s Bitter and (Marston’s?) Resolution. The resolution was excellent, and at £2.80 a pint pretty reasonably priced (for London anyway). They don’t do food at lunchtimes. I’m not sure about other times, but I would suspect not. The Chelsea affiliation remains, as mentioned by previous posters, manifested by numerous team photos and suchlike on the walls and over the bar. There was a large flatscreen TV, but switched off when I was in, and presumably it’s only switched on when there is something worth watching – luckily Loose Women seems to be deemed to fall outside that criteria! There were a couple of dartboards, which looked as if they were well used, especially with the mass of trophies on display above one of them. There was a one-armed bandit flashing away by one of the walls, and some music being played not too loudly when I came in, but when the CD or whatever finished after a few minutes the ensuing silence was only interrupted by one of the handful of locals having a word with the landlady, or the workings of the cash register.
As you would expect in what is evidently a locals’ backstreet pub, furnishings were normal tables, and normal chairs with a sort of red velvelette covering, plus a few high stools at the bar. Floor covering is a mainly red carpet. There’s also a small outside covered area for smokers. The light wood bar counter looks as if it was the result of an inter-war refit. These are the typical furnishings of the sort of pub that we saw on many street corners 30 or 40 years ago. I felt very comfortable in here. A previous poster mentions that this is a late Victorian pub from the 1890s, but unfortunately there are no original interior features remaining from its Victorian past.
This is one of the dying breed of unpretentious backstreet boozers that I like so very much. I would be very happy to pay a return visit to this clean, comfortable and welcoming pub.
On 31st January 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Mawbey Arms
Nice corner pub. Outside seating area, had a large tv. Chelsea fans welcome. Real ale on sale, not sure about food.
On 12th February 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
frances drummond left this review about The Mawbey Arms
this is a very nice and freindly pub tony and kelly are also very nice
On 14th November 2007
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 4 recommendations about 4 pubs]