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The Cat's Back, Wandsworth, SW18

Pub added by Rex Rattus
86-88 Point Pleasant
SW18
SW18 1NN
Phone: 02086173448

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Tris C left this review about The Cat's Back

This is a mid-19th century pub which I suspect was rebuilt in the 1930s, originally the Ye Olde House at Home later the Foresters, then Brush, the current name arriving in the ‘90s after a prodigal cat, the Harvey’s acquisition dating from 2012.
The interior is moodily lit, with herringbone parquet floor and at least one leaded stained-glass partition, along with a decent bar back and front. Furniture is conventional, décor amounting to knickknacks with odd anthropomorphic prints of animals dressed as royalty. There was a mixed local crowd, a good overall ambience and much more traditionally pubby than Harvey’s Royal Oak.
Disappointingly there were just two out of four pumps in use, one illegible in the gloom then something called Forward’s Choice at £2.60 a half and ok but nothing special.
This is a very decent pub, easily the best in the immediate vicinity, but I’m not a disciple of Harvey’s beers and my drink was as unadventurous as their mainstream lineup; the one unisex cubicle could prove problematic too.

On 20th February 2024 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Quinno _ left this review about The Cat's Back

Traditional backstreet Harvey's pub. A fat L shaped interior; the main bar as you enter with a narrow spur off right leading to an impressive semi curricular bottle green banquette. Red walls, wallpaper and white ceiling as well as a nice dark wood bar area with wood flyover and gold trim. A fire was on the go but the embers were dying, which was a shame. Beware of the toilets, a long slog upstairs through the curtains with no signage. Four pumps with three Harveys ales, the Old being off. Unfortunately the Armada died fairly quickly in the glass (NBSS 2). It's a decent little pub; maybe I got unlucky with my beer but you wouldn’t get a duff one in the Royal Oak… 6.5

On 6th January 2020 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5050 recommendations about 5033 pubs]


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Moby Duck left this review about The Cat's Back

My first return here since it became a Harvey's pub, It no longer has the quirkiness it once had but remains a pleasant pub with three beers on when I turned up,Old Ale, Kiss and IPA, there was a turned Sussex Best clip, this came on during my stay, I went for the IPA, a mistake as it was rather bland and a little tired. I still like this pub and although for me doesn't have the attraction it once did I would be happy to call by again.

On 4th March 2018 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1868 recommendations about 1841 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Aqualung . left this review about The Cat's Back

The Cats Back was a Watney's pub called the Brush (presumably with a landlord called Basil) but according to the more recent (mid nineties) copy of the SW London beer guide it was originally called the Forester's Arms but by that time had become a free house bearing the current name. The outside of it has some well preserved old green tiling but not surprisingly the main windows have been replaced with new Harvey etched ones.
Inside it's a fairly basic single room with a wooden floor. An upstairs function room is advertised. The toilets are downstairs which is unlikely to be an original feature in what looks like a Victorian pub.
The bar has four hand pumps which had Harvey's Best, Old, IPA & Christmas Ale. I went for the Best which was in good nick but at four quid like most London pubs is daylight robbery. I'm unlikely to revisit this pub not because there's anything wrong with it but because I see no reason to return to Wandsworth.

On 27th December 2016 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]


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john gray left this review about The Cat's Back

Tiny little traditional pub with seating at the rear but it looks onto flats and offices so not ideal.Friendly young bar staff.No Sussex best on but Ipa,Olympia,and my Armada which was okay but I had wanted to try Sussex best so was disappointed.I have wondered about the pub name but the sign above the door explains it.

On 6th August 2016 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]


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Nick Davies left this review about The Cat's Back

Nice little pub well worth seeking out, well described by others, the more so thanks to Harvey's beers in tip-top condition: IPA (aka Pale, Hadlow), Best; Olympia and another I forget when we called. It was very empty early evening making me wonder if it's in the right spot but judging by the number of estate agent's signs for both residential and commercial property in the new blocks all around they're hoping trade will build. Because it is a Harvey's pub I expect it will become a destination in it's own right amongst London's ale drinking classes. It also makes an excellent stop if you're doing the Thames Walk but watch out for weekday opening times.

Highly recommended.

On 18th April 2013 - rating: 8
[User has posted 567 recommendations about 559 pubs]


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Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Cat's Back

Harveys second London pub is rather hidden away, located on the Thames Path but set back a short distance from the river bank between Bell Lane Creek and Wandsworth Park. The rectangular bar is supplemented by a small rear seating area up two steps, an upstairs dining room (not visited) and several chairs out on the pavement. Traditional furniture, and lots of historical photographs on all the walls. Sussex, Armada, Tom Paine and Olympia (£3.30) available from the four handpumps. Overall, what should be a very pleasant watering hole has to be marked down a bit (on this occasion, at least) by having a particularly clueless barman on duty - let's hope next's better...

On 1st November 2012 - rating: 7
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


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Rex Rattus left this review about The Cat's Back

I paid my first visit to this pub the other night since it was taken over by Harvey’s Brewery, as their second London pub. It’s been tarted up a bit, and I have been told that all the bric-a-bric has gone to The Armoury down the road. The walls are now covered by loads of mainly black and white photographs, some of which are Lewes themed, but a fair number are of local scenes of Wandsworth, Balham, etc. There is also a copy of the photo of the late Queen Mother pulling a pint of Young’s Special at the Queen’s Head in Limehouse. It’s the first time I’ve seen it other than in a Young’s pub, but of course it doesn’t look out of place. The furniture’s all new – or at least new to this pub – and consists of normal tables and chairs. The place had the smell of being newly decorated. I’m told there is also now a small beer garden at the rear, as well as a function room upstairs, but I didn’t visit either of them. There are no TVs, fruit machines or others of their ilk, although there were some old songs being played. Rather worryingly, at least a couple of the PuG members present were able to identify songs by Perry Como, Doris Day, and Tony Bennett.
Being a Harvey’s pub you get Harvey’s ales in here, which is not a bad thing. Available last Tuesday evening were Lewes Castle Brown; Harvey’s Best; Olympia Golden; and a light mild called Knots of May. The latter was a low ABV (3%) ale that they were doing at a special price of £2 per pint. It would have been churlish not to sample a pint at that price, and it turned out to be a surprisingly good pint for such a low ABV ale. The Olympia Golden and Best were of course also superb ales. A had a quick glance at the menu, and saw that pub grub main courses were around £10 or so. This pub has not been spoiled by the refurb, remaining an excellent pub and being something of an oasis in the surrounding desert of modern developments. I will undoubtedly be back here before too long.

On 30th June 2012 - rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]


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Pub SignMan left this review about The Cat's Back

Hidden away between the fancy new apartment blocks and office units of the Riverside Quarter, this is an odd little local's pub that has done well to survive the gentrification process.
The interior is a bit hectic, with lots of unusual pictures and items on display, well documented in the reviews below. There are a few heavy-looking tables and chairs around the room as well as plenty of stools at the bar. Seating extends to benches outside the front door and an odd decking area to the rear.
My visit, early on a Saturday afternoon, may well have been poorly timed, as the pub was empty with the punters all sat outside, so it was hard to get a feel for the place. There were two ales on (Tintagel Gull Rock (£3.20) and Sambrook's Wandle) plus a cider and a fourth pump with a turned clip. The Gull Rock was very good and had there been a bit more atmosphere I would have stayed for another pint.
Difficult to rate based on my visit - I may well have to return when it's a bit livelier - but it seemed nice enough and well worth inclusion on any crawl of the area.

On 16th September 2010 - rating: 7
[User has posted 3102 recommendations about 3102 pubs]


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Rex Rattus left this review about The Cat's Back

The name of this pub does not refer to a part of the feline’s anatomy, but I believe instead celebrates the return of a much loved cat to the pub after a prolonged absence. The exterior of the pub is nothing special, although it is a beacon of welcome when one walks down Point Pleasant overshadowed by all the modern buildings that have been erected there. The petrol pump is an unusual, and possibly unique, outside decoration. Inside, the flooring is mainly parquet, with some rugs that have clearly seen a considerable amount of use over the years. There are half a dozen or so solid wooden tables, with normal plain wooden chairs, and settles that have also seen better days. There is plenty of bric-a-brac around the place, including what looks like a gold coloured life-size torso of a Greek God (Zeus perhaps?) on the gantry above the bar. There are masses of photographs and other artwork on the dark red painted walls; I spotted photographs of Terry Thomas and Audrey Hepburn in her iconic Holly Golightly guise in the corner where I was sitting. There were no one-armed bandits, or games machines and suchlike, although there was some latin American music being played, although not too loudly. A fireplace on the right looks like it gets used sometimes. An upstairs restaurant is advertised for evenings, but I didn’t venture there. The lunch menu is reasonable fare, and although they do sandwiches at reasonable prices, for some reason they are not mentioned on the menu.
There were two real ales on during my visit – Downton Quadhop, and Hepworth Dark Horse, with a Sambrook Wandle pump reversed, plus a draught cider whose name I failed to note. This pub has that lived in look that has been achieved by pubs like The Wenlock that gives them real character. It is definitely worth seeking out this excellent pub in an otherwise uninspiring area.

On 23rd March 2010 - rating: 9
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]

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