The George Inn may be tucked away behind an alley on London’s Southbank, but it is by no means a hidden gem. The 17th century boozer has long been embedded in London lore, beloved by ‘Top Ten’ pub lists for its impressive galleries and connection to Charles Dickens, who references the George in Little Dorrit. When I visited on a frosty January weeknight, neither the chill nor the threat of work in the morning kept patrons away. It’s not uncommon to find a packed front room of a London bar, but what took me by surprise was the crowd’s depth. My friend and I moved through room after room, then floor after floor in the warren-like building, only locating a free table once we’d reached the very top.
Were the temperature a few degrees warmer, we might have braved the galleries, which overlook the courtyard and are surely a prime people-watching spot in the summer. During our visit, the yard was desolate, dominated only by the silent Shard looming overhead. These galleries also earn the George the distinction of being the only galleried inn left in London, after most others were destroyed during WWII. A common architectural feature in the Elizabethan era, the galleries of the George were possibly used for viewing theatre productions that were held in the courtyard below. The courtyard was later used as a train depot for the Great Northern Railway until the inn was sold to the National Trust in 1937.
When the bar is full and the weather too brisk for al fresco drinking, those desperate enough for a seat can shell out £17 for a burger and sit in the restaurant, which is accessible via the galleries. The food on offer is standard Greene King fare, though the restaurant is as cosy and quaint as the rest of the pub. The building succeeds in transporting patrons back to days of old, when each of its many rooms would have served different purposes, such as the Parliament Bar, where customers awaited long-distance coaches, or the Middle Bar, where Dickens took his coffee. On a Tuesday night, with the bar brimming with young City workers and their G&Ts, it felt like a hostel being taken over by sixth formers on a school trip. Sometimes, it can be tempting to refer to a historic pub’s “glory days”, but at the George, the term would be misapplied. With the pub as popular as it’s ever been; its glory days are at hand.
Overall, the George’s history and buzzing atmosphere make it a worthy stop when you’re looking for a drink on the Southbank, though I wouldn’t go out of my way for a visit. Its charms fail to help the inn transcend its Greene King label, making it feel like a familiar product wrapped up in a unique package. And while its historical claims are intriguing, it’s not hard to find a pub with history and character in England’s vibrant capital.
Beer selection: 3.5/7
Food selection: 3.5/7
Ambience: 5/7
Aesthetic: 5/7
IPQ: 4.5/7
Overall: 61.42