The Lord Nelson is a good example of why you shouldn't judge a book by its (rather offputting) cover.

The Venue
The Lord Nelson is the kind of place you’d take one look at and speed up your walking pace to get past as quickly as possible. You see, it is quite possibly one of the ugliest estate pubs in Southwark. A dull brick building with no character, surrounded by a low brick wall within which a few outdoor tables and chairs reside. It’s pretty bleak. Inside, however, it’s surprisingly warm and cosy with a small, traditional setting of lots of dark woods, tables, chairs, large bar and an assortment of colourful ornaments, including a couple of stuffed squirrels… Don’t ask.

The Atmosphere
Far from being your average estate pub, the Lord Nelson is the kind of place that people walk on by for years before venturing in and realising it’s actually a decent spot and sharing that secret with their mates. As such, it has a rather loyal following of regulars who work and live in the area. And they’re a surprisingly friendly bunch - from the punters to the staff - certainly not what the bleak setting would suggest.

The Drink
As well as your bog standard draught pumps (Guinness, anyone) they have upped their game on the real ale and cider front with Sambrook's Wandle and Thatcher’s Gold respectively. They also have regularly rotating guest ales to keep their in-the-know regulars happy. And thanks to the bleak appeal of the pub, the prices are very competitive in an area filled with popular watering holes.

The Last Word
The Lord Nelson may have a horrible setting and ugly exterior but it’s really made an effort within. Just ask the squirrels…

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (1) image gallery (2)