The King’s Arms, London Bridge
Tucked in a narrow backstreet in the shadow of Guy’s Hospital, London Bridge Station and The Shard it definitely is the sort of place that once you cross the threshold you don’t wish to leave.
For those traditional pub purist out there you’ll be hard pushed to find a proper boozer this stellar so close to any mainline train station across the city. Put plainly the Kings Arms is an absolute classic and this pub enthusiast often runs out of superlatives to describe it.
It reminds of pubs, on the very few occasions I was in them, back in the late 1980s (some people will find it hard to believe that pre-1995 children legally weren’t allowed in pubs) and everything from the gorgeous carpet, brass fittings, mushroom stools, compact bar and high ceilings just feels traditional.
On my last visit I managed to grab a seat by the fireplace, framed with pictures of beanos (group trips to the coast) from the last century, and embraced the lingering smell of wet dogs which was surprisingly comforting.
There is always a good mix of punters which is what I like to see - Friday office staff having a crafty lunchtime pint, a family of German tourists eating next to me and blokes just having a beer and a chat. The mood was casual and everything felt relaxed.
The frontage is well maintained, and resplendent in a piercing green that gives the facade a refined elegance that attracts even the most nonchalant passer by’s attention from the street.
This area is blessed with many quality pubs and is a credit to the South London pub game. It’s great for a lads crawl, after work drinks or a bit of sightseeing and exploring with your better half.
London has evolved at breakneck speed in the last twenty years. It’s architecture, demographics and culture have changed arguable faster than any other time in its hbistory in the last twenty years. In parts of Southwark & Lambeth what has remained in perpetuity are fine traditional public houses that are likely no different to crossing the threshold than a hundred years ago, Not many other parts of London can lay claim to this retention of our heritage.
This is a pub where the finer things in life often taken for granted such as ordering a drink, nods to fellow punters chatting on stools, banal pleasantries with the barkeep, before taking a seat at the fireside nursing a pint are a simple but treasured pleasure.
