Pimlico Closed Pubs

There aren't too many pubs left in the Pimlico area for me to chronicle on this blog. Though one thing to note is the particular lack of pubs in the western area of Pimlico. From The White Ferry down to The Marquis of Westminster, through to the Gallery, there is a clear division of the North and East side having pubs, to the South and West having no pubs (Well maybe one). A lot have closed over the years and some of the pubs that have closed are clearly still recognisable when walking around the streets.

On the map below the Pimlico area is in a shade of pink and surrounded by a red line. The green line displays the North and East split against the South and West. The pint glasses depict an open pub whilst the red stars show closed pubs which are still recognisable as a pub and I had gone on to describe below. There have been more pubs than this listed in the Pimlico area however, all the other pubs have been destroyed.

1. The Greyhound (51 Hugh St, SW1V 4HP)
This is a recent closure. This pub had closed in 1999 and been left vacant. In 2011 the pub was re-opened but an independent, but sadly in Summer 2016 it closed once again and this time it won't be re-opening as a pub but instead as a restaurant called 'Omar's Place'. When this pub was open I did occasionally pop in. They always had a sharps ale on, along with seasonal selections. It certainly felt more a backstreet boozer than one which was more open to the office crowds nearby. They had their regulars but it felt the food side never took off. I'm not too sure as to why the closure, it could be related to costs or just the owner wanted some more time to themselves as running a pub is time consuming.

The building very much looks like a pub and the owners certainly spent a large sum on getting the appearance up to standard. The Greyhound is etched into the glass window and they even have the lamp on the corner. It will be interesting to see if the new owners keep the windows or do anything with the appearance, as it does cry out 'pub'.


2. The Clarendon (52 Cambridge St, SW1V 4QQ)
I only visited this place once as a pub, and it was very Gastro and busy. We swung by here after having a few at Cask Pub and kitchen and managed to get a sofa and a lager. It's since changed to a restaurant where the chefs take your order then cook your food, then again to its current incarnation a cafe.

The Clarendon would have been a very large pub, and this large style seems to be the norm for the majority of the closed pubs in Pimlico. I can only assume that either the top floors were not owned by the pub or the Clarendon was perhaps an Inn. Right at the top of the building you can see the name of establishment written.

3. Denbigh Arms (3 Denbigh Pl, SW1V 2HB)
This pub was built in 1850 and much like the Clarendon is a large pub standing high above the other houses. I believe it was originally a Watney pub, and the venue closed in 1998. This has turned into a private dwelling but still stands out from the houses around it, giving off the suggestion it wasn't originally a house.

4. The Dolphin (114 Denbigh St, SW1V 2EX)
This is a place that was long closed as pub before I started legally drinking in them (2001). The building stands out on the road as unlike the other pubs its not a grand building but only three storeys. The pub sign 'The Dolphin' can be clearly and visibly seen just under the 2nd floor, and on the ground floor the two doors on either side still have Saloon Bar on their windows.

5. The Devonshire Arms (46 Moreton St, SW1V 2PB)
This pub is just tucked off the main road and among a row of local shops. It was a backstreet local but closed around 1998. It again is a large building, taller than its surroundings, and this ex-pub has a clearly visible name on the brickwork saying 'The Devonshire Arms'. It is now trading as s Pizza Express though you can still clearly conceive this building being a pub. Even as a Pizza Express you can see they've hung their sign where the pub sign originally hung,

6. Balmoral Castle (Churchhill Gardens Rd, SW1V 3AJ)
This is a slender pub that was on the Churchill Garden Estate. The pub was originally opened in 1855 and the Churchill Garden estate was built around it after the war. The pub closed in 2004 as the leasee handed back their lease to the Council who owned the building. The council failed to lease out or do anything with the building. By 2006 the building required repairs but the council rather than repair the building or make any decision on it decided to stick up scaffolding around it. The pub and its signs still stand, abandoned, whilst the council continue to pay for the scaffolding to prevent the building from collapsing. Unfortunately they've recently put some additional wood boarding covering the bottom floor so its not possible to get a good look at the outside of the pub as you used to be able to.

Beers to note - February 2017

I'm a bit late in posting this as I had the in-laws over for two weeks which meant I haven't had time to write up. In February I managed to sample 51 different beers. Some were good (Which will be listed below) whilst others were not to my taste. One beer in particular that I had bought and was expecting good things from but which turned out to be the first beer in ages I was unable to complete and pour away was Flat White from ABC. I honestly tried to drink the beer but it was just tasting like coffee and wasn't enjoyable, and I struggled, even with it only being 330ml from a can. Thankfully I enjoyed the below beers a bit more, but we all have different tastes so I've no doubt others will have found the Flat White right up their street.


Brugse Zot (De Halve Maan) - 6.0% | Bottle 330ml
After a hard days work this was a nice beer to tuck into. It was a nice straw colour and have a fruity aroma and taste. At 6.0% though I'm leaving the other bottle for another time.




Bengal Lancer (Fullers) - 5.0% | Cask Pint
Lancer is one of my favourite Fullers ale. It's not too hoppy and has a nice malt flavour coming through. Although I believe its no longer a seasonal, I normally only see it on cask in the winter period. The bottle version though is readily available in London and comes in at a higher 5.3% ABV.






Davy's Old Wallops (Charles Wells) - 4.2% | Cask Pint
This was in my December beers to note and it's back here again. The beer was once again in fine form and easy to sup. It was made all the more enjoyable by the basement setting and the metal pewter it was served in.

Malt Brown (Harveys) - 4.8% | Keg Pint
My first Harveys keg beer and I was very impressed. This brown ale had the right sweeteness balance to it and went down a treat. I didn't realise it was coming in at 4.8% but I certainly think you could have a few of these in a night.







Chimay Blue Grande Reserve (Bieres de Chimay) - 9.0% | Bottle 330ml
I do like the Chimay beers and this was certainly a good one. Yes you can feel the percentage but it's not a burning or over powering taste. This one was so enjoyable I actually had another after, which I would suggest is not a good choice if the wife is expecting you home by a certain time.



Hertford Castle (McMullens) - 5.0% | Bottle 500ml
This is the first McMullen's beer I've had in a while that I could drink all night. I like McMullen's but have gone off their beer as the taste is just not right. This bottle version of Hertford Castle though was spot on. It was a nice sweet Pale Ale. I hope I can come across this on Cask soon.





Scrum Down (Sambrook's) - 4.0% | Cask Pint
A very decent Irish red ale from Sambrook's. It may be seasonal for the rugby but it had a nice sweetness to it with no bitterness. The only thing letting it down was the head retention but that could be more pub specific than brew related.






Little Tenderness (The Little Beer Corporation) - 5.4% | Keg Pint
First time I've come across this brewery. Beer had a roasted dark malty beer taste to it even though an amber. Slightly Smokey as well. Nice and different.











Barbarossa (Ilkley) - 5.0% | Keg Half Pint
Another red ale in the list. This one used Australian and New Zealand hops, but for me there wasn't a massive hop hit (Which is a good thing) and everything was nicely balanced.

London Pub Tour 26 - Belgravia: Nags Head, Wilton Arms, Star Tavern and Gloucester

During a quiet day at work I opted to have a lunch time tipple and so made my way up to Belgravia. My first stop is a pub that I admire for both its quirkiness and all the memorabilia adorning the walls. This pub is the Nags Head (SW1X 8ED) which is an independent pub and also has the name of the owner Kevin Moran on the outside. Every time I've popped in the landlord has been there, and during non-busy periods he sits and and strikes up conversation with the customers. The pub is on a residential mews, though I understand most houses are for investment and not lived in. As an independent pub the owner has their choice of beer and he likes to stock Adnams, which is why outside of Guinness and Carlsberg the other beers are all Adnams (Jack Brand Dry Hopped Lager, Broadside, Lighthouse, Ghost Ship and Bitter).

The pub has a downstairs bar area, which is why some hand pumps have more than one beer badge attached, because the tap for that beer is downstairs. I didn't pop downstairs on this visit but there is a large flag attached to the ceiling with lots of posters and art work on the walls. Downstairs has more tables though is slightly harder to get served in. The ground floor bar is not that large and there are only a few tables against the walls with some bench seating on the wall side and small stalls on the other. There bar itself is very low, and the bar staff are actually lower down behind the bar. For those wishing to sit at the bar there are some very tiny, low down stalls.

As stated in my opening paragraph, the pub is filled with memorabilia all over and it is a mix of sports, celebrities that previously visited, war, planes, film and more. On the war upon entering there is a 3D viewing machine, which is one of those old seaside photographing flicking machines showing some old school erotic material. The pub is strictly no mobiles and encourages conversation. there are hooks all over for people to hang their coats and bags so that people don't take up seats with their items. I could spend many an hour browsing through the items and photographs in this pub.

Whilst I checked out some of the books and photographs I drank a pint of Broadside. Slightly steep at £5 but this is an expensive and touristy part of town. I haven't had Broadside in ages and it tasted miles better than I remembered and went down a treat. I followed this up with a pint of the Dry Hopped lager at £5.50, which wasn't as good as the Broadside but still went down well.

Whilst I was this far up in Belgravia I thought it best to pop a few doors down to The Wilton Arms (SW1X 8ED) which is a Shepherd's Neame. Both this and the previous pub have flower boxes which brighten up the area during the spring and summer. When entering the Wilton Arms you are side on to the rectangle bar. There are tables with seating following all around the outside wall, with some in self-contained booths (separated by bookcases or glass screens). There were quite a few people in the pub but they were all sat down eating. Just past the bar are some steps down to a small lower area where there are additional tables. The whole pub is carpeted and has red vinyl ceiling, harking back to pubs of old.

There were three hand pumps but only two were on offering up either Masterbrew or Spitfire. On tap there was Guinness, Oranjeboom, Ashai, Fosters, Symmonds cider and San Miguel. I went for my trusted lager of Ashai at £5.50 which unfortunately tasted different. I'm not sure whether this was due to the dry hopped lager I'd just had previously, but the pint wasn't that enjoyable. After putting the pint away I made my way back to work.

After work I was still in the mood for a few more drinks so I headed back towards Belgravia and to the Star Tavern (SW1X 8HT) a Fuller's pub on a cobbled mews. The Star Tavern is famous for being the pub where the great train robbery was supposedly planned. Now days as a Fuller's it more aimed at an upmarket crowd from the businesses nearby. Walking up the steps and through the door, the small bar is to your right. The bar is a square (mini horse shoe) with a little space down each side, with bar stools. Directly opposite to the bar is the dinning area with about 10 tables. There is also a private dinning area upstairs. This isn't a large pub and was already very busy with an after work party so was down to standing room in the dinning area, though the bar stalls on either side of the bar were free, so I grabbed myself one.

The pub had 5 hand pumps but only 4 were on, offering up Pride, ESB, Oliver's Island and a guest ale from Windsor brewery, Canberra. On tap there was the usual showing of Fuller's own beers such a Frontier, Wild River and Fuller's IPA, along with mainstream beers such as Amstel, Guinness and Peroni. I went for a pint of the guest ale, Canberra, which was a dark bitter that wasn't offensive or pretending to be anything it wasn't, just like the pub. I had a look at some of the portraits on the walls whilst drinking my Canberra. I didn't stay for another as I had one last pub to knock off on my list, The Gloucester (SW1X 9QR).

The Gloucester is a Taylor Walker pub located along the busy Sloane Street which houses many upmarket shops. There are two entrances into the pub. The first, and most used, is the entrance out onto Sloane Street with the second being through the rear of the pub into Harriet Walk. When entering from Sloane Street the front door is between two bay windows. The bay sits just to your left, but you are advised to walk the whole length of the bar as some beers are only on taps towards the rear. I sadly didn't do this so failed to notice Titanic Vanilla and chocolate stout was available. The other ales on offer were 1730, London Glory and IPA. Lager wise they offered up Stella, Peroni, Blue Moon and amstel, along with Guiness and Aspall Cider. I ordered a pint of Blue Moon which was served with the obligatory orange slice.

The front of the bar was full so I made my way to the dinning seating at the rear that was available for drinkers to us. The front of the pub is quite restricted in size due to stairs leading up to the toilets and a small dinning area, and the supporting walls of the pub. There are some small booth sections on the side, and there are bar stalls along the bar, but the majority of seating is either the rear or the two bay windows. There was a group of workers from Harrods having an after work celebratory drink, but the remainder of the pub were tourists.

The rear seating/dinning area was carpet covered whilst the rest of the pub was a wood floor. The pub stretches back quite far and the bar runs for the majority of this, though I think trying to get service at the far end is less likely then towards the front. Overall the pub upon walking in fills cramped due to position of the bar and the supporting walls. With this pint I called it a night and made my way to the tube station.

London Pub Tour 25 - Stockwell: Phoenix and Feeleys

On this pub tour I had a pub in mind that I wanted to go to which I hadn't been to before. Once again I was going slightly out of the way to go to a Harveys. This Harvey's is The Phoneix (SW9 9AR) which was a 10min walk from Stockwell station.

The pub stands on the corner of the main road, and as I arrived some light snow was beginning to fall. I entered through the corner door and immediately noticed how empty the pub was. This gave me a chance to look round and explore. The bar is on the back wall facing out onto the main road. It stretches round a corner into a small area with some tables. The main bar area had one large table directly in front of the bar with smaller tables against the outside walls. There were rugs placed under some of there tables and the odd poof placed around. There was a more comfy seating area through the arch were there was an open fire place and on the walls were some stag and deer heads.

I went to the bar and only two of the four hands pumps were on, offering up Old Ale and Sussex Best. On tap there was Blue Moon, Amstel, Birra Moretti, Heineken and Guinness. I also noticed out of the corner of my eye two Harvey keg beers on tap these were Malt Brown and Gold Bier. I had heard Harvey's had created some keg beers so I thought I best try them. I went for the Malt Brown first, which took a while to pour as it was quite active, but came out looking good. This was a lovely sweet brown ale with an excellent toffee taste. Whilst drinking I noticed they offered Growlers to take home and also a reward card scheme.

So next up was the Gold Bier. I had to wait for them to change the keg on this one, then it poured nicely, none of the issues like with the Malt Brown. The Gold Bier was refreshing and light but certainly wasn't snow/sleet weather, and it definitely wasn't as good as the Malt Brown. Both the keg beers cost £4.10 for a pint which is very reasonable for London prices. Before leaving I bought two cans of Harvey's Sussex Best (Yes, cans!) as I wanted to send this on to a friend abroad, as he was missing his Harvey's.

I left the Phoenix and the snow had stopped falling. I made my way northwards along Union Road to a pub that I'd passed many times but never considered going in. Feeleys (SW8 2RF) is an independent traditional Irish pub. It's set back from the road with some cars parked in the driveway in front. As you enter you will notice the pub feels smaller inside than expected but this is mainly due to the walls/layout and lack of lighting. The bar is a large horseshoe that goes through the three divided sections of the pub. On the bar were some disused hand pumps, along with a selection of standard mainstream beers (Not much choice so I can list them all: Guinness, Guinness Extra Cold, 1664, Strongbow, John Smith and Fosters). I  opted for a pint of 1664 at £3.90, as I wasn't in the mood for a Guinness.

Photo by Ewan Munro

The bar had a wood floor all the way around. The standard sofa seating was against the walls with small tables and some additional chairs available. Some bar stalls, which were in use, at the bar. I remained in the main bar where the entrance is, as the next section had a large group of ladies and some kids. There was a friendly dog wondering around, though not sure if it was a pub dog or a customers. Everyone seemed to know each other as them came and went. An old man came in and asked two of the guys on stalls at the bar if they knew who we were. They said nope, and I chipped in with some friendly banter, but got no response. And this is where the pub majorly fails for me. It's fine having a locals or regulars pub, but before anyone becomes one they must enter as a stranger for the first time. I'm very open to going into pubs as an outsider and don't expect to be welcomed with open arms and make new friends or even get into conversations with regulars. That this regular seen some new faces and started asking if people knew who we were is a sign of a pub that is not welcoming and will struggle with time. After this a lady came in selling fake DVDs and the customers started browsing through them. I finished my pint off quickly and left.

Sadly Feeleys was disappointing, not because of beer selection, as I'm certain this would make a nice place to watch the 6 nations with the TV screens, the Guinness and hopefully a crowd, but because of the whole outsider or new person fear. Thankfully the Harvey's pub was great and I'm glad I was there for two. I certainly want to revisit the Harvey's and hopefully they will have the other two hand pumps in action with some more fine Harvey's ale.