Free Houses Done Three Ways

I first mentioned the Hand and Marigold in Bermondsey last July. It is a handsome free house, and we've been a few times and like it.  If you want to know a bit more about it, I suggest you read this piece from the Southwark News which lays out the story of the pub's resurrection in excellent detail. 

The pub itself is handsome, well laid out inside and the staff in my experience are helpful. Glasses are oversized ensuring a full pint and the cask beer is well-chosen, and by and large has been in very good condition when we've visited. Perhaps it is the times we've chosen, but it hasn't been very busy when we call in, but us being a bit older (ahem) it tends to be during the day.  They are however extending it by opening a room downstairs, so hopefully it is doing fine. One observation is that twice we've called in winter and both times the pub has been pretty cold.  Maybe that's a money saving exercise, but it doesn't really do it for me.  I expect to be warm in the pub.

Bermondsey has its share of interesting pubs, and we are still coming to grips with them. It takes us about half an hour or forty-five minutes to walk to most parts of it, so we can get a bit of exercise too, which is good.   This we did a couple of Sundays ago, and it gave us the chance to check out another pub we'd heard of - Simon the Tanner. Its website describes itself as a "dinky destination for quality and relaxed vibes in Borough, Bermondsey and London Bridge." Well, it can't really be in all three, but I can see what they are driving at. CAMRA's review of it is slightly more down to earth "In a quiet road off busy Bermondsey Street, the Simon is a mid-terrace, modestly sized Grade II-listed pub. A former Shepherd Neame outlet, it is now a free house. The three regularly changing real ales are from small breweries, and there is sometimes also real cider."

It was around four o'clock when we popped in and the place was fairly quiet. The welcome was friendly, and I was offered tasters of the cask beers on offer, before settling on that rarest of beasts, a cask dark mild. On a fairly cold winter's day the pub was warm and cosy, though surprisingly empty given that Sunday lunches were available. Nonetheless, I liked it and I think we'll certainly be back which is recommendation enough when you think about it.

Leaving the pub, we headed back across Tower Bridge and one of our local pubs, the Sir Sydney Smith in Dock Street. This is a smashing little ex Truman's  pub with a good mixed clientele.  We remember the pub when we first hung about the place twenty odd years ago. Then you could have filmed Goodnight Sweetheart's pub scenes without changing much at all. It has since been sensitively modernised, but retains a very cosy and friendly feel with three cask beers. It, too, was pretty quiet, so perhaps the busyness of London pubs just doesn't extend to Sunday afternoons and early evenings?  Given that quietness, I skipped the Harvey's Best and we finished our weekend with imported Bavarian Helles in the shape of Hofmeister, which was no hardship.

So there you have it. Three free houses, all with different approaches and all worth visiting. I'll take that. You should too if you are in the area.

All are good bets for decent cask ale too which is always something to look for. The Sir Sydney Smith isn't at all far from Tower Hill Tube. I don't think other than snacks you can eat at the hand and Marigold, but you certainly can at the other two.

There are plenty of other decent pubs near these pubs too, which is always worth bearing in mind.