Week Forty Seven: The Nightingale

Week Thirty Forty Seven

  Another short week for you guys with only the one place visited and it was done at the last possible opportunity....8pm on the Sunday evening.  This was the closest I had been to failing in 2 years.  Dramatic.

  

Special guests include: Will Wright

Summary of The Nightingale

Name: The Nightingale

Type: Pub

Location: 97 Nightingale Lane, Balham, SW12 8NX

Website: http://www.thenightingalebalham.co.uk/contact

Date Visited: 30/11/14

Price: Standard

Rating: 3/5

Review

  It had been a quiet week following Padstow, resulting in keeping my head down and out of trouble.  Will Wright had just moved into his new flat in Clapham South so I went over late on Sunday evening to return his coat and see the new flat.  Two birds, one stone and all that....so bloody efficient.  After a nice tour of the place I was about to set off back home when Will asked me what the new place for the week had been.  Panic descended when I suddenly realised I hadn't been to one.  'Where's the nearest pub?' I asked like all well trained lads.  'The Nightingale, it's only a few metres away!' was the answer to calm my fears.  To be fair to Will, neither of us wanted to go but he happily obliged in a late Sunday night pint to ensure I didn't go solo.  Thanks pal!

The Nightingale. (picture not mine)

  We wondered down and headed in.  The place has been recently refurbished and shock horror, it's another Youngs establishment....that lot have splashing the cash recently.  They've done a pretty good job, it still has it's old traditional feel from the outside and its kept a lot of character inside.   When you go through the entrance its got that feel of a cosy old village pub.  However, once you go around the corner it opens up and feels a bit more Gastroey (is that a word?).  

The pub of two halves. Traditional on the right, vacant space to the left (picture not mine)

  After ordering our pints (on a Sunday?! You lads!) we headed out to the smoking/outdoor area and quickly came back inside.  This was not due to the temperature but actually due to the atmosphere....it was unfriendly and intimidating due to tables of smokers who were speaking in voices barely louder than whispers.  Once safely back inside we struggled to find a table but we eventually did (nice story).  That was the one thing that still remains with me, the place seems to be large and a vast amount of tables but in fact it barely has any tables at all.  They don't use their space efficiently.

In conclusion, a good little pub and one which is perfect to go to as your local nearest pub but not one to specifically visit or travel to as it's nothing special.  Decent pub though.

Special Shoutout
Winner: Lulu Harris

A few weeks prior to this week, Chopper and his mother (Lulu) kindly hosted a Halloween dinner party at The Hunt House B&B.  It was a truly stupendous evening which Lulu kindly hosted and did a cracking job.  The food was delicious and Lulu had done a fantastic job in decorating the place to theme too.  What more? She woke me up in the morning with a cup of coffee and dropped me off at the train station at the break of dawn to make sure I got my train back to London.  Top work indeed and many thanks again Lulu.  Photo courtesy of Luke.


Poem Advice

Find yourself in Clapham South,
And want a cheeky drink?
The Nightingales not bad,
Actually better than you think


Thanks again guys and keep the support coming folks.  It's all very much appreciated and next week sees a bar in London Bridge followed by a bar in Clapham Old Town. Tidy.

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