17/09/16 - Southwark Pub Crawl

Distance - Less than a Mile
Pubs - 3 - The Market Porter, The Royal Oak, The George


Walking the Eastern Loop of the Jubilee Way has delivered me in Southwark, with the afternoon to myself.

There is much work to do in the area.  The CAMRA guide to London's Best Beer Pubs & Bars has Des De Moor pointing out around 20 items of interest.  I would check the 2017 Good Beer Guide, if it wasn't for Amazon's Tardiness.

The Market Porter, Stoney Street - Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter

Random BeerintheEvening Quote "a must-visit London pub with historic associations adjacent to gorgeous (but horrifically pricey) Borough Market"

Classic Market Pub

I've been here in the week before.  I couldn't even get on the pavement.  Midday on a Saturday is the time to come - the bolt on the door is pulled back and I am the first to enter.  I ask if this makes me an alcoholic and they remind me of their weekday opening hours.

Midday is perfectly acceptable

There's a wide choice of ever changing ales.  I always seem to go for Harvey's Sussex Bitter. Found it in fine fettle today - which I haven't always been able to say with much conviction.

Without the scrums at the bar, I am able to look at what I could've won in more detail, whilst serenaded by the best of Bowie.

I leave when "Dancing in the Street" comes on.

Weekday Workers - This is what the bar looks like in the Market Porter

The Royal Oak, Tabard Street, Harvey's Sussex Bitter

Random BeerintheEvening Quote - "What an absolutely wonderful place this is."

It wasn't straight there.  I visited the Shard Viewing platform first.  I could have had champagne and had my photo taken, but that would have been weird.

Once on terra firma, there is a short walk to this classic and unspoilt Victorian boozer.  Despite working in the area for 11 years, I may be losing my Royal Oak virginity.  This is why I love the CAMRA guide books.

Take a couple of photos outside - without realising the bar staff are watching over the net curtains. Here comes another tourist with his guidebook, they undoubtedly mutter.

Wish I could have pushed the Vauxhall out the way

The door in the picture is the one I enter.  Into the unfurnished bar.  Apparently the saloon has more soft furnishings.  I don't want to be that much of a tourist that I go mooching.

Unchanged Interior

All Wood

Instead, I sit on wood and take another very good pint of Harveys.  There's no music, which is not normally a complaint - but when the only other punter is a lady with breathing problems, it can be a bit claustrophobic.

Still, they are a friendly bunch and the bar man lends his inhaler and we are all ready for a good old chat.  The lady is very polite, asking nicely if "I am a tourist".

The rucksack, camera and guide book may give that away.

Chat floodgates open, I learn a lot about the area.

As I leave, two more come in.  With guide books.

The George, Borough High Street - Old Nutty Hen

Random BeerintheEvening Quote - "Packed out (more so out than in)"

Here's a conundrum.  If you are doing a pub crawl in the area, you have to visit the most unique one in the whole of London.

This was built in 1676, replacing the pub that was here in 1598.  Its the last of the galleried coaching houses of London.  Dickens wrote about it.  Shakespeare supped here.  Its a wonderfully evocative location.

And the beer is nearly always awful.

Still, in the name of research, I'll put myself out for you - blogfans.

Swear the Shard wasn't here last time I came

One of a Kind

To be fair on today's visit - an Autumn Green King variant on speckled hen was in pretty decent condition.

Nutty Hen.  Shite Name.  Decent Beer.

Sit outside with everyone else and let the history of the place flood over me.  Imagine what it would have been like when all three sides were remaining?  Still, one side gives us a good feel.

I cast aside my tourist shyness and go for a mooch.  Even ignoring the rules of only going on the gallery if I am a diner.

History Today

From the Galleried Tier

So that's it for today's Southwark visit.

I'll be back for the rest.  Over several visits.