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Jolly Gardeners, Putney, SW15

Pub added by elizabeth mcgraw
61-63 Lacy Road
SW15
SW15 1NT
Phone: 02087892539

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Pub Type

Castle (Mitchells & Butlers)

Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Tris C left this review about Jolly Gardeners

I’m not sure if there’s an earlier antecedent, but this building dates from the 1930s, situated in what apparently is a St. Albans-esque backstreet.
You arrive to be confronted with a row of little heated huts for outside drinking, then enter a room which at least seems to have an original bar counter, though with an ugly scaffold bar back, then one or more 1930s’ fireplaces. The colour scheme revolves around smoky blue, duck egg blue and pea green, then a bare boarded floor, décor in the form of rowing paraphernalia or pitchforks screwed to a wall, lit in part from mixed light fittings, including ugly dangly filament things, all to an Elton John soundtrack on arrival. Customers were young professional types, though far more genteel and better behaved than their brethren at other SW15 hostelries visited and unsurprisingly utterly disinterested in the golf, broadcast in silence to at least one TV.
Cask amounted to an unused pump, reversed Landlord clip then Gloompride (no thanks), my unrecorded choice – probably yet more Beaver Oil – at an obscene £3.85 a half, served by a friendly barman.
This is quite a nice pub but golf – silent or otherwise – maketh not for an incentive to return, likewise the cask choice and high prices.

On 12th February 2024 - rating: 5
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Will Larter left this review about Jolly Gardeners

A very attractive 1930s back street local, in one of those strange London back streets that looks as though it grew up in St Albans, has somehow found itself in London and is still feeling lost. The front garden is surrounded by a barricade of smoking shelters, but I found my way to the door to find one long open room with very stylish fireplaces at either end (there's a clue there). Gardening implements are displayed on the right hand wall, and a set of oars on the left (there's an association with a rowing club, apparently). There are four hand pumps, with a choice of London Pride and Doom Bar, with Landlord "coming soon". The Pride was ok, and altogether this would be a pleasant venue to discover if you stepped out of your front door in St Albans one Sunday morning and found yourself in Putney.

Date of visit: 3rd November 2021

On 24th March 2022 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3699 recommendations about 3440 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Jolly Gardeners

Quite a plain façade, but the 'U'-shaped bar has been refurbished with more than a hint of gastro-pub style. Quite a relaxed atmosphere when I visited, with some people playing Connect 4 and other board games. Also has some patio seating out front. Two of four handpumps on, offering Doom Bar and Sambrooks Lavender Hill (£4.20).

On 23rd July 2014 - rating: 6
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rex Rattus left this review about The Jolly Gardeners

I’ve not much to add to Maldenman’s review. It’s certainly not the backstreet pub that I remember from nearly 30 years ago. The quiz night was certainly very well attended and was undoubtedly the most raucous one that I had encountered. Still, I’ve no objection to people having a good time, but it’s not the sort of pub that I would make a beeline for – at least not on quiz nights. Maybe it’s a different place at lunchtimes. But I really enjoyed the pint of Brewdog Alpha Dog, and at £3.25 a pint not exorbitant for this part of town Main meals were in the £7 - £10 range, and a Sunday roast at £8.50 was advertised.

On 5th August 2010 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]


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Malden man left this review about The Jolly Gardeners

This is a seemingly fairly upmarket back street pub in an affluent area. One largish space around a central bar, dark stained wood floors, plenty of sofas plus more traditional seating, odd large pictures of a gardener plus a row of watering cans laid out on the nearby river wall. The extensive chalkboard menu suggests it may be a bit foody, but the prices seemed about the norm for this part of the world. No one was eating however, as our visit coincided with the pub's Tuesday quiz night. The pub was packed, without a seat available, with the majority of the clientele being mid-late 20's, early 30's.
The bar had four ales on, and we soon realised there was some sort of mini festival going on. The helpful barmaid handed us leaflets with a list of 10 on, last night's choice were Brew Dog Alpha Dog, Black Sheep Golden Sheep, and Wychwood Wychcraft. The other pump had Pride, I suppose this is a house regular although what normally appears on the other three pumps I don't know. The festival finishes on 7th August. The fonts contained three ciders, Addlestones, Aspells and one called Hogan. There was also one carrying a North American craft beer called Blue Moon.
Unable to find a seat and not being part of the quiz, we moved outside to the garden/terrace to the front, however we were soon asked to return inside as this area has to close at 10pm, presumably to appease the neighbours.
Back inside the quiz soon wrapped up, only to be replaced by fairly loud and intrusive music, shouty voices etc, not helped by the hard furnishings. It seems to be a pub for the younger set, in the evenings in any case, perhaps the afternoon clientele are different. This does however lead on to the four handpumps and beer festival. A look around revealed few people drinking the real ales, most on wine or continental lagers, so where does the throughpull come from? There were however lots of different beer mats around the bar. Perhaps we just hit the pub on the wrong evening.

On 4th August 2010 - rating: 5
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about The Jolly Gardeners

I walked in here and was hit by a very friendly greeting from the barmaid and a strong smell of incense. The strange chill out music and the lack of other people had me wondering whether I had fallen unconscious.

Only the Deuchars was on with premium lagers and Frulli and my pint of lager was a little dubious to say the least. There is an array of different seating from high stools to sofas along with a nice fireplace. There is also covered and uncovered seating outside the front of the pub.

This is not a bad pub, but it's nothing to write home about.

On 24th September 2008 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


train man left this review about The Jolly Gardeners

A much more homely careworn feel than its near neighbour Coat & Badge, dark wood floors & mixed tables/seating, dodgy 70s-looking curtains to the rear & open brickwork to the left give an odd imbalance to first impression. Pride & Deuchars (yawn)but also unusual Smiles Mistrals.

On 22nd January 2008 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]