Vaulty Towers, SE1

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This is a very quirky, eccentric pub with a good location on Lower Marsh market, just a short walk from Waterloo station. The eye-catching, highly decorative exterior should give you an idea of what to expect on the inside, where a simple bare boarded room with striking blue walls has been decorated in a wildly bizarre manner. The servery is in the far-right corner and has a ramshackle counter made from reclaimed bits of wood, contrasting nicely with the smart bar back. Benches down one side of the room serve a mix of tables, including one with a fine polished stone top. On the other side of the room, chairs serve smaller round tables, including some in a cosy spot beneath a staircase. The stairs lead up to a tiny, single table, mezzanine space – almost a Juliet balcony – which looked like it could be a cool spot to bag if you’re in early enough. Everywhere you look, something unexpected can be found, whether that be a large papier-mâché head and hands above the front door, one of several models and grotesques found around the pub, the weird bottles and jars collected in the windows, a set of traffic lights by the bathrooms, the best part of a whole tree truck suspended from the ceiling, oil drums, paintings, huge plants and much more besides. A lounge-style soundtrack was playing in the background throughout our visit and a bloke seemed to be setting up to play some live music, and we noticed posters advertising life drawing classes.
Two handpulls on the bar promised some cask ale, but a turned clip and an unclipped pump meant that I ended up with a pint of Beavertown Gamma Ray on keg, with brews from the likes of Camden and Brixton breweries also spotted. There was a nice buzz to the place, which seemed to mainly attract a younger clientele.
Despite the lack of ale and the general chaos of the interior, I really warmed to this place and thought it was a fun addition to the local pub scene. It’s the kind of place that rewards multiple visits, thanks to there being so much to discover, and it seemed like it was doing a lot to engage the local community too. Hopefully they get some ale on the bar at times as well – I’d be happy to return again to give it another look.

On 18^th September 2023 - rating: 6
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