If you’ve been to a Wetherspoons pub, you’ve been to The Surrey Docks: patterned carpets, large booths, staff with those keys on curly wires for opening tills, locals with a scary look in the eye, and unread books on bookshelves.

The Venue
The Surrey Docks is an expansive Wetherspoons venue with the patterned carpets seemingly rolling out for miles into the darkness. There are some nice looking leather sofas dotted along the windows, which seem to be the pub’s way of saying that if you want to try and enjoy yourself here, this area is your best bet because the rest of the place is shrouded in the negative, dirty glow of the wall lamps.

The Atmosphere
The Surrey Docks is busy throughout the day. Who knows what it is but Wetherspoons certainly have some sort of secret ingredient, which manages to draw them in through rain, sleet and snow. It must be the real ale – OK, the cheap real ale.

The service here is efficient and friendly - one might even hope for banter. However, due to the enormity of the venue expect to witness one of the larger collections of desperate Deptford locals, some of whom are worthy of their own Channel 4 documentary. You can see the confusion in their faces as they try to work out how it all went wrong.

The Drink
A comprehensive range of beers can be found at the bar including the nicely hoppy Marston’s Pedigree, the sweet and almost chocolatey Harviestouns Old Engine Oil, and Heligan Honey - a delightful amber ale that incorporates the finest West Country honey.

The Last Word
If it’s reliability you seek in Deptford (which would be a sensible position to take), The Surrey Docks should be your choice. And if trouble rears its ugly head, there’s plenty of room to hide.

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