Gorringe Park, Tootingback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Traditional Youngs local near to Tooting mainline station. The pub was open early yesterday morning to show the Welsh rugby. After waiting for the barman/landlord to return from the shop, I finally got served. Young's Bitter or Special were the only ale choices. The front bar is decorated with a red colour scheme and was also kitted out for Halloween. I didn't get to see the rear bar. Live music & Sunday lunch were advertised. Nothing particularly special, just a bog standard London boozer.
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This pub will always have a place in my heart - used to live round the corner in my early 20s and come here with a big bunch of mates almost every Sunday to drink off our hangovers from the night before in the back room. This is when Michael ran the place. Had some hilarious and brilliant times here, plus is nextdoor to the best curry house in London (Samrats). Yeah it's a bit crap, but definitely in a good way. The Gorringe - I salute you.
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The Gorringe used to be a bit rough a few years back, but the landlord that took it over a couple of years ago has done wonders with it. This is still a traditional wood-panelled 'local', which is great, but now it is also clean, well-run, and surprisingly friendly and welcoming.
We've lived in walking distance of this pub for many years, and it once was somewhere to avoid. My wife and I noticed a bit of a change so we thought we'd give it a try as somewhere to have a quick glass on the way home after work. I think it only took a couple of visits before we were being included in conversations with people, and we're still amazed at how quickly we've been accepted and welcomed by this highly diverse crowd. It sounds corny, but this really is a place with that Cheers factor: "where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came".
It is very hard for a pub to shake off a bad reputation, but in the Gorringe's case that rep is definitely ancient history. Give it a try, a real one, and be prepared to have a chat with people on both sides of the bar. You'll be very pleasantly surprised.
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I think the customers in this pub are very clicky, I have been in there a couple of times and felt very awkward.
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Not really into Youngs beers - why don't they allow guest ales in their pubs? - but a pleasant local boozer and I will be back to try the keenly priced sunday roast.
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This is in a great location if only the chavs would leave it alone and got new owners!
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Get rid of the people that run this pub & the clientele and this has the potential to be a good pub. Avoid in the meantime.
Sprue - 27 May 2008 16:45 |
little bit scary!but fun none the less. Went in here when they had Karaoke on. me and my boyfriend stayed purely for the humour. Wonderful drunk singing!yeah, i'd probably go again during the week.
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Little to add to my previous review in Feb 2005 - which was the first comment on this pub - it's still a good honest traditional local on the main road close to Tooting B R station.
Seems to have had a bit of a clean recently - carpet looked very new, but this is still a proper pub, thankfully, worth visiting if in the area
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The Gorringe was my local for the last two years and I am missing it greatly.
You can't beat it for local colour. Many a time I found myself being plied drinks for hours by a total stranger who is willing to listen to my non-sensical babblings all night.
We went to the free barbeque last summer and turned up with a jar of burger relish from the local LIDL's only to find that they already had jars, pure class.
The karoake is great, ranging from musical style serenades from the local actor Tom or incoherent yelling from most of the others.
You can get fresh rolls every day, me mate swears by them, and a good range of draught and bottled Youngs Ales. The "Old Nick" is rocket fuel.
Long live the Park
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I went in here on a Bank Holiday Sunday night with my missus, my brother and his missus. I live nearby, and am quite keen to be able to find a pub that my wife and I can frequent without getting on public transport. The dearth of decent pubs in Tooting is well documented, with only The Selkirk and The Trafalgar Arms being passable.
Like the reviewer below says, we went in the front door and got a bit of a shock. Lots of rough looking people, which I don't mind, but the ladies were a bit uncomfortable. We went into the back bar, which was quieter, but there were still a couple of freak shows having a pint (on their own, of course). The carpet is filthy, the place is odd, but I liked it. The landlord (Mike) was very welcoming because:
a) we're Irish
b) we are not over 60 and hideously ugly like most of the people in there, and would like us to return
c) he was really drunk
Anyway, we ended up getting bought drinks by this very friendly (and drunk) man. I will return if I am with mates, but I doubt my wife would like to drink there again.
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A very local pub for very local people... I recommend going in the side door, as going in the front usually means walking past people whose faces you would usually see on the front of the News of the World with ASBO written above them... I assume this is the haunt for those who have been banned from the nearby Railway Bell... If you are of a delicate nature then do not drink here, but if you are prepared to go a few times and can stand your ground then I'm sure after a while you will become accepted. It's worth it in the end as well, as the beer is well priced, and very well kept. I hope they never find out who I am as I'm sure I'm in for a 'sortin'.
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JohnBonser is spot on with his description of this great little local. It's the only pub I've been to in Tooting with a real community feel. The staff and locals are friendly and the ales well-kept. They have big screen sports and darts in the lively front bar whilst the back bar is more-laid back and suitable for a quiet(er) drink with the missus. Highly recommended.
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Well, I'm a bit surprised to have the honour of being the first person to post a comment on this pub, but here goes.
It is a smallish 2 bar traditional Youngs pub on a street corner on the main London Road not too far from Tooting B R Station. Plenty of buses pass by.
The Saloon Bar has traditional wood pannelling and a comfortable cosy feel to it. The Public Bar is slightly larger and, although somewhat more basic, is still friendly and welcoming.
This is one of Youngs remaining classic old - style community locals and it features on the CAMRA Regional Inventory of pubs with Outstanding Interiors.
Highly recommended. Given the location and accessibility by public transport, there is no excuse for not going there!
Use it - or lose it !
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