If there has ever been a reason to head southwards of the river, The Hope with its Wandsworth Common locale, funky décor and extensive range of beers on tap (Fruli, Peroni, Staropramen and Deuchars to name a very select few) just might be it. Especially when the sun is shining!
Last Saturday I arranged birthday drinks at this, my local, never once tempting fate by praying for good weather. It’s London after all. Nine out of ten times the heavens are bound to open – gushing rain. It wasn’t until midday I realised - blow me down – that the sun was streaming through a cloudless, bright blue sky.
I pulled out a long-forgotten summer outfit, black vest top and Urban Outfitters Luxe-range tulip skirt (thankfully I’d treated myself to a birthday wax and pedi) and headed for their refurbished beer garden overlooking the Common. Groups of people were picnicking, playing drunken games of ‘backyard cricket’ (thanks to the take-away drinks – in plastic cups – and prepared picnic baskets of food, wine and utensils on offer from the bar) and generally relishing the surprising sunshine.
Back at the pub we feasted on the delights of their gastropub (for half the price!) menu. Their Casterbridge beef burger with bacon and Monteray Jack cheese (£7.90) soaked up the copious amounts of Leffe most of the boys were drinking, while their extensive range of salads tantalised the taste buds of the ‘vodka soda with fresh lime’-drinking girls.
Friendly wait staff exude laid-back cool while still managing efficient service… to be honest, I felt like I was back in a pub in Sydney. I thank my lucky stars that The Hope is only a hop, skip and a jump away from our place… all the better crawl home afterwards.
The Hope
1 Bellevue Road, London SW17 7EG
tel: 020 8672 8717
closest station: Wandsworth Common
1 comment:
Love your blog; would love to be 25 again and in London (again)!
Lisa
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