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Detail Pages
The Cavern, Raynes Park, SW20
SW20
SW20 0AY
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Cavern
The Cavern looked nothing like I had imagined it as I approached on our Saturday evening visit. In fact, the whole of Raynes Park seemed dead. The last time I was here, I'd visited the Raynes Park Tavern (still going) and the Edward Rayne (now closed) and I recall the area being quite lively.
The pretty exterior of the Cavern belies the noisy nature of the interior when live music is on. We arrived just as a Deep Purple/Rainbow tribute act was about to start. The place was packed with loads of ageing rockers. But there was a good atmosphere.
This pub has made its way into the Good Beer Guide, by way of its choice of 3 ales. Sharp's Doom Bar & Wimbledon Common are the regular ales. The guest beer for our visit was Ossett White Rat. My Common was in good condition and was much welcomed after a lengthy journey here via the closed Wimbledon Brewery Tap.
There is plenty of music memorabilia and posters to admire on the walls. However, I think I would have preferred to have visited on a much quieter day, without the noise (I'm not a particular fan of extremely loud music) and the crowds.
On 23rd March 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Cavern
This music themed pub was launched by the former owners of the now defunct Cartoon Club in Croydon and seems to have become a fairly established place among Raynes Park’s not exactly thriving pub scene. The name pays homage to the Liverpool cellar bar that spawned the Beatles rather than being anything descriptive of the place itself.
The building appears to be interwar when much of the surrounding area was built up and it can be seen that it was originally 2 separate premises among a small parade of shops. A slanted glazed canopy has been attached to the façade to offer protection for the pavement seating. Internally the building is a single room bar with tiled floor and modern brick bar. There is a slight slope down the middle where the building was divided. A couple of raised sections bookend the room with one doubling up asa stage for the regular live music sessions. One of the more bizarre attractions is an old red telephone box situated next to the entrance. At the rear is a separate pool room. The most noticeable featuresa re the collection of music memorabelia that includes photos and displays including a selection of album covers and concert tickets underneath the laminated table tops.
The ale selection isn’t too exciting with London Pride and Doom Bar being the usual options with a third pump unused. Prices are very reasonable and quality is always decent enough.
The area doesn’t really have much in a pub capacity to lure the discerning drinker but the Cavern does represent a decent option and when there is a live music session (which is generally the reasons for my visits), the place is more than adequate for a few pints.
On 27th May 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Cavern
Even though this is one of my local pubs, it’s a year or so since I’ve been in here. This pub was converted from a couple of shops 20 or so years ago, but it doesn’t have the constrained and characterless interiors that some conversions display. The bar counter is straight in front of you, with a couple of raised to the sides of the pub. The overriding theme here is classic rock and pop, with photographs of some of the greats covering every inch of the walls. I spotted Bob Marley and Gene Vincent, but most were of the Beatles and the Stones. They’ve now got two ales on – Pride and Doom Bar, with the latter being in excellent nick. There were no sparklers in use either, so I guess it has improved somewhat since the previous reviewer’s experience. This a decent enough little pub, not a classic must visit place, but definitely worthy of a vist if you’re in Raynes Park for some reason.
On 23rd November 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Cavern
This is a music themed shop conversion with stacks of photos of musicians, concert flyers, platinum discs etc all over the walls. The Beatles feature prominently but by no means exclusively. The tables have musician's pics, gig tickets, lyric sheets and so forth under laminated tops. As you might expect there is an eclectic juke box; a blues band was advertised for this Saturday night too.
A single room with the bar ahead on entering, quarry tiled floor, two raised areas each side. Exposed brick walls, brick faced bar with glass bottle ends built in, green ceiling. The seating is mainly banquettes and small stools but there is one high table in the middle of the floor. There are two TVs high up on each end wall, both were muted and showing Sky News. There is some covered outdoor seating to the frontage.
There is one handpump, dispensing the usual local token real ale, ie Pride, strangely via a sparkler, which I hadn't noticed until I started to wonder why my pint looked like a cream soda. On querying this the barman informed me knowledgeably that it was because customers like a large head on the beer. Unconvinced I asked him to top up my pint which in fairness he did readily.
As a pub, it is mediocre, however music fans may like to drop by for the memorabilia.
On 31st August 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Cavern
As the name suggests there is a Beatles theme throughout this pub along with other music memorabilia. I think that it has been done really well and the two barmaids that served me were extremely friendly, but unfortunately the music was far too loud for my liking. I actually liked the songs and I thought that the choices on the jukebox were very good and I can understand the excessive volume on a weekend night or for a party, but not on a Tuesday night when there are only four customers.
I didn’t spot any hand pumps, but there was a standard draught selection along with Staropramen and the Guinness was good.
I would go to this pub again if out with some mates, but I wouldn’t pop in midweek for a quiet pint.
On 10th February 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5252 recommendations about 5220 pubs]