39-47 St Marychurch Street,
Rotherhithe,
London,
SE16 4JE
(020) 7237 4103
The ViewLondon Review
A spick and span pub that’s as cheap as chips and full of locals who might look threatening but are a friendly enough bunch to enjoy a pint with. If you support Millwall that is.
The Venue
On a street that’s surrounded by Rotherhithe’s many estates, The Ship looks like a old fashioned sanctuary from the outside. It’s surrounded by plants and benches, and promotes its family values and friendly atmosphere to entice new people to venture inside. They needn’t bother. The location means there isn’t enough foot traffic to allow for a variety of visitors, just the local blokes from the area - most of whom are old and just want a drink - so aren’t bothered about silly girlie things like plants.
Inside, there’s a large bar with plenty of pale leather sofas and sturdy wooden tables for large groups to sit and banter. The walls are the only feminine touch, with a purple-pink wallpaper pattern that strangely adds some warmth to an otherwise dull pub. The beer garden is a treat in the summer, as you can sip your pint next to a heater in a mass of leafy goodness to make you forget you’re in a dull area of London.
The Atmosphere
The atmosphere at The Ship can be amazing or dreadful - and that’s solely dependant on each person’s individual outlook. If you’re a local, or at least similar to one - a bored bloke looking for a laugh with his mates - then you’ll love the friendly banter, the brash but fun staff, and the familiarity of it all. It’s a warm enough environment for most to feel comfortable, but if you’re a yuppie toff and you wander inside, most will just assume you’re lost.
In the summer the beer garden obviously becomes lively and fun due to the British people’s excitement at the appearance of sun.
The Drink
There’s nothing out of the ordinary on the drinks list at The Ship. There’s no sign of wines, if you order a soft drink you might get an odd look, and the spirits are as basic as they come. The most popular drink - as expected - is a pint of lager. Most of the mainstream brands are covered, making sure basically everyone in the pub has their favourite pint in their hands. By selling it at extremely low prices, it can be very easy to have a few too many.
The Last Word
The Ship is a typical pub for locals who like no fuss and want to enjoy their beer in peace. So let them, and join in before the old man pub dies out completely.
The Ship has been reviewed by 1 users