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Detail Pages
Flowers of the Forest, Lambeth, SE1
SE1
SE1 7QX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 3½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about Flowers of the Forest
This pub’s origin lies at the start of the 19th century when this was the Oxford Arms, but I suspect it was rebuilt in the 1930s, the name arriving in the mid-‘90s as a tribute to the original and nearby Flowers of the Forest, demolished a few years earlier. What you can’ t fail to notice on approach, is the mid-20th century once illuminated Take Courage lettering, the old Courage sign bracket but more importantly, the wonderful red and gold Courage box sign; I remember these in abundance from my childhood when you’d see them all over London, their distinctive night-time red glow a welcome indication to the presence of a pub, but now almost all gone; I cannot remember the last time I saw one and sadly this wasn’t even illuminated.
Inside and it’s a very plain opened-out and deflowered affair, with boarded floor, pale grey field panelling to the dado then white walls to a white ceiling with some modern lighting; an all-dominating pool table is to the left-hand side. There’s a games machine, no décor, furniture is traditional and customers weren’t Irish, certainly not the young and studenty types – possibly from nearby Morley College – dominating the beer garden.
No real ale resulted in a half of Stella (£2.55) served by a landlady who was friendly to locals, less so to the uninitiated but she did at least bid me farewell.
I suppose this pub is just about ok, but it could be so much better, being the least inspiring of the pubs constituting my four-hole crawl; the lack of a decent cask ale ensures that I won’t return, but it’s worth a look if only for that lovely sign.
On 3rd June 2023
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1991 recommendations about 1957 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Flowers of the Forest
Basic community pub with some hanging baskets enlivening the exterior but little in the way of decor once inside the irregularly-shaped interior of the opened-out bar area. Plain wooden furniture inside and a few benches out on the pavement. Also has a bigger-than-expected rear patio beer garden. Several silent TV screens, but music on a decent-sounding system (albeit of the MOR variety). As a notionally Irish pub, there is no real ale but as a small mercy keg Courage Best (£3.50) is an alternative to the inevitable John Smith's Smooth.
On 8th October 2015
- rating: 5
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Flowers of the Forest
I suppose visiting an Irish (or Irish themed) pub on St Patrick's Day weekend is not the best time or place for a quiet pint. It was full of reasonably drunk people (nothing wrong with that) all having a great time, so I didn't see the pub as it really is most of the time. But the one-room pub is fairly ordinary - standard tables and chairs, replacement boarded floor, pool table, a bit of horse racing themed decor - and that's about it.
There is no real ale here - keg Courage Best seemed to be the best bet as far as I'm concerned. This one really isn't worth bothering with if you're an ale lover.
On 18th March 2013
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Johnstone left this review about Flowers of the Forest
'irish' themed place, if i want to know how many kilometers it is to dublin i'd buy a map. Used to be called the Oxford arms and i rather wish it still was.
On 18th June 2011
- rating: 1
[User has posted 98 recommendations about 98 pubs]