The Sheaf, SE1

Tris C left this review about The Sheaf

Housed in the basement of the former Hop Exchange (1867), this had been known as a bar called The Dive since 1949, taken over by William and Rebecca Willeter around 1954, later to become the legendary Becky’s Dive Bar, an early proponent of real ale from around the 1960s, forcibly closed down in 1975 due to unsafe and unsanitary conditions. This had been known in later years as the Wheatsheaf, but the name was abbreviated in 2013, so as not to cause confusion with the neighbouring pub of the same name.
Down a short flight of steps and you enter a large open space with a very low, white brick barrel vaulted ceiling and bare brick walls. The floor is covered with pale grey vinyl, which gives it something of an institutional feel; the bar is off in a corner. The walls are covered with dozens of black and white framed photos of customers from the bar’s former venue; further décor comprises ugly exposed aircon units. Lighting comes in the form of overly bright spotlights shining in the face and wire framed sconces; the ceiling is swathed with white fairy lights, which gives the feel of drinking in a planetarium, but with a load of TVs showing the footie, whilst dull mood music played at a low volume. Off to the side, there's an alcove with two dartboards, used by very enthusiastic players. Furniture comprises studded oxblood banquettes to the walls, with bench tables and normal stools. Furniture in the centre is all tall, stools with tubular steel legs. Customers were all blokes, many effing and jeffing with abundance.
Those who sang the praises of this establishment’s ale range will now be sorely disappointed, with four pumps all unused, then a reversed Young’s London Original clip and Hophead at a reasonable £4.95 a pint and a bit tired, though I may have lucked out, as just the one real ale is listed on the bar’s website, served by a rather fed-up barmaid; can’t say I blame her.
I only really came here out of curiosity due to its mid-20th century history, but aside from parallel darts, as BF says, this is now just good for televised sport but little else, being dull, characterless and with a feeble beer selection.

On 19^th January 2022 - rating: 3
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