Wednesday 29 February 2012

Oakaly Doakaly!

Back in 2010, when I was wandering around my home patch of Kennington in South London investigating the beer, I noted the old Mansion House pub on Kennington Park Road. Talk was Oakham had taken it and it was to be named OAKA.

Well, almost two years on, and the first Oakham pub in London is imminent. The old pub has been taken back to facade so flats can be built over the bar, and last week a banner appeared on the hoarding...

Oakham's website doesn't seem to have been updated for a while, so there's no info on there. I don't know exactly when 'soon' is, or whether the pub will still be called OAKA. I do know that a pub like this is great news for Kennington. It'll bring new business into the area - the pub itself is right on top of Kennington tube and on several bus routes - and hopefully encourage some of the lazy pubs on Kennington Cross to up their game. I'll be interested to see how it affects the Antic pub next door. The Old Red Lion appears to have upped their game in terms of beer - I saw Dark Star stuff being delivered there a month or so back.

I've asked Oakham for more info, which I'll share on here.

7 comments:

rabidbarfly said...

Just Spoakham(see what I did there)to someone at Oakham on a completely unrelated matter but asked them about it. They seem to think that the realistic opening date will be sometime in May.

Bailey said...

Great news. Oakham are one of those breweries whose beers we're always delighted to see on in a pub -- like hitting the jackpot.

Sid Boggle said...

Cheers Glyn.

Dubbel said...

Brilliant news... finally!

Pub Diaries said...

"I saw Dark Star stuff being delivered there a month or so back"... have you been stalking the drayman again?

The new one from the Jolly Butchers is coming to Brixton Road soon also

Sid Boggle said...

I blocked the cellar entry with my mum's wheelchair... ;-)

Ah, things really do seem to be looking up. I also heard talk that Brewdog's next London bar would be in Sarf London.

trainman said...

Got to have a nosey inside yesterday, Mansion House to open Thurs 07Mar. 10 handpumps, bank of 5 permanents, JHB, Bishops Farewell, Inferno, Citra, Scarlet Macaw, other bank will vary but included Green Devil IPA & Attila.
Prices may seem steep at £3.85 JHB, £4.10(?) Bishops Farewell, but the likes of Attila (7.5%) at £4.50 may not be too ott.
Pan-Asian cuisine menu looks good.
Not a traditional pub, but the pumps look good, so good luck.

Range at Red Lion, next door, was pretty good too.