The Ivy House in Nunhead - a community pub with real ales, craft beers and gigs

[RubyToogood]

*editor's note: the pub has now thankfully reopened, but the thread was started when it looked like it was closing for good:

Yes, the rumours are true.
This Sunday (April 22nd 2012) will be our last day of trading.

The gorgeous, lovely people at Enterprise Inns have finally managed to sell The Ivy House and are kicking us out in a stylish and classy last-minute way. On Monday one of South London's most iconic venues will be boarded up.
As far as we know it's been sold to developers and will never re-open as a pub again.
http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?6,871916

This is awful - it's such a great venue and there's nowhere else like it. It ought to be a listed building for the sake of the back room really.

 

[editor]

Who owned the place at the end?

 

[RubyToogood]

Enterprise Inns apparently - have a read of that thread as it's quite interesting and contains an appearance from the former landlord of the Sun and Doves.

In actual fact, there is an application under way for it to be listed, and the speculation is that this is what prompted the sale.

 

[Bungle73]

I used to live round the corner from that in Borland Road. I remember when there was a street party in the road outside for the Silver Jubiliee it started raining and we all went inside. I was 4 at the time.

 

[RubyToogood]

There is now a campaign to save it: https://www.facebook.com/groups/211251488989675/

 

[mark dodds]

The Ivy House has has a lot of ups and downs. It's still all going on now.

 

[drachir]

Tear down our nightclubs, put up flats
Burn down our pubs and put up flats
All rows of neat new tracts
Why'd you want to live here if there's nothing but housing?

 

[not-bono-ever]

http://www.ivyhousenunhead.com/

"
March 6, 2013 at 8:23 pm: We have agreed terms to buy the pub!
Great news! We have agreed the terms on which we will buy the Ivy House. Solicitors have now been instructed and things are progressing well. In the coming weeks we’ll be launching our community share issue and there will be loads of chances to find out about the project and how to get involved and/or invest in the Ivy House. We’re going to need your help to get the doors of the pub open again so please watch this space and keep the support coming."


A communuity pub - not exacly in my manor, but fucking good news!

 

[DJWrongspeed]

That's extraordinary ! given all the issues surrounding pubs in london it's heartening to see public benefit come good.

 

[omnibus22]

I used to live round the corner from that in Borland Road. I remember when there was a street party in the road outside for the Silver Jubiliee it started raining and we all went inside. I was 4 at the time.

Here's a photo of that very party posted on one of the Facebook pages connected with the Ivy House. There's a couple more there too. Bungle73, I'm part of the current Ivy House effort and would love to hear more about that party and any memories you have of the pub generally to add to our growing collection (when did you move from Borland Rd?). I've met the Fentimans, who ran the place in the early seventies, and they had plenty of great memories about the pub's pub-rock heyday. They left in 1976. In fact anyone with memories of The Ivy House/Newlands, Stuart Arms from 1990s back to the 1930s when it was built (no earlier than 1934 we have discovered), please drop me a line...or even before then if anyone knows anyone who may remember as far back as the previous Newlands Tavern! Think I might start a separate thread actually.

 

[omnibus22]

Like the new thread heading. Amused me how the first post written under the old heading, and which refers to the pub's demise last April, has now unwittingly taken on a new anti-community pub stance!

 

[Bungle73]

Actually, that's about all I remember; I was only about 4 at the time. That and that I lost my drink, but that's a whole other story.

I remember we kids got given goodie bags, but that's all.

Apart from that I never went in there, and moved in 1998.

I remember there being an armed "siege" or something...or at least a bloke with gun....some time in the '90s. We had the armed police outside out house. And also in the early '80s my brother had a massive fire in the boot of his car, and someone from the pub brought a fire extinguisher, but it didn't work! That's as far as my memory goes I'm afraid.

Your link isn't working btw.

 

[omnibus22]

Ah yes...perhaps you have to be a Facebook member, or a friend of that particular page (I think though it's set to open - will ask the guy who set it up). It's set up as Savethe Ivyhouse...not to be confused with the savetheivyhouse Facebook group! If you do get in, scroll down a bit and you'll get to the photos.

Many thanks for the snippets of memories - all is valuable! (I have also lost my drink in the pub - rather than on the street outside - but under different circumstances I should think)

 

[William of Walworth]

Like the new thread heading. Amused me how the first post written under the old heading, and which refers to the pub's demise last April, has now unwittingly taken on a new anti-community pub stance!

Yes, I was confused by that as well I have to say. But good luck to them

 

[fractionMan]

Good luck! We just managed a community buyout with the bell in bath

 

[William of Walworth]

Let's hope those successes at the Ivy House the Bell reinforce a growing trend ...

 

[Bungle73]

Piece about it on the BBC News website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-22016830

 

[DJWrongspeed]

There's an open meeting this sunday 10.30am Ivyhouse

I think this is to explain the plans and talk over the share issue.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Ivy House reopened yesterday!

Planning to pop down for a pint later...report to come

http://www.ivyhousenunhead.com

 

[RubyToogood]

Every time this thread gets bumped it weirds me out! I'm like "wtf? I never started a thread with that name?" And I would like to point out that I don't think that the Ivyhouse being a community pub is awful at all as my OP suggests, it's great, and I really hope they can make it work! I would love to sing on that stage again.

Could the kindly editor possibly change the thread title to just "The Ivyhouse" or something please?

 

[editor]

Every time this thread gets bumped it weirds me out! I'm like "wtf? I never started a thread with that name?" And I would like to point out that I don't think that the Ivyhouse being a community pub is awful at all as my OP suggests, it's great, and I really hope they can make it work! I would love to sing on that stage again.

Could the kindly editor possibly change the thread title to just "The Ivyhouse" or something please?

I've added a note and a quote from the original article to the OP. Is that better?

 

[RubyToogood]

Ta! x

 

[Brixton Hatter]

My first visit to the Ivy House pub and I'm pleased to say it's a very fine boozer. It reopened yesterday after a long fight by residents to resist property developers and make it community-owned. 371 local people have put £142,600 into the pub in shares to take ownership - the pub itself cost £810,000 but a variety of loans from charitable trusts have made this possible.

It's very spacious with three bars, which includes a main performance room with stage which used to host the likes of Dr Feelgood, Joe Strummer and Ian Dury. With wood panelling everywhere, original floorboards, lots of old pub signs etc, it's no wonder why this interior is Grade II listed. There's a sunny garden which, although slighty unfinished at the moment, will I'm sure prove to be a hit with local drinkers. About 10-15 real ales on tap (many local/london), a couple of ciders and they're doing food as well. I had a pint of Brockley Brewery Pale Ale, which was a fantastic refresher after a hot cycle ride, followed by a London Glider cider, which is apparently made from unwanted apples from London back gardens. A good cross-section of old & new locals were in the pub, and plenty of families showed they're very kid-friendly.

Community owned businesses are the way forward in my opinion - pubs, football clubs, local shops etc - please visit this great pub and show your support if you're in the area. They deserve it.

Just goes to show what can be done when locals get together - Canterbury Arms, Brixton anyone?

editor

 

[Brixton Hatter]

a few more pics

A warm welcome

A selection of bands which used to play the pub

The back room has lots of tables, serves food and has wifi connection.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Visited again yesterday afternoon. A new cider on tap. 18 real ales on offer. They've had a really good week according to the landlord and bar staff. Do visit this pub if you can

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Yeah it's a really nice pub, well worth a visit. Great beer, a nice (albeit work in progress) beer garden, and the back room looks like it will be great for music once they get it going.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Visited again yesterday afternoon. A new cider on tap. 18 real ales on offer. They've had a really good week according to the landlord and bar staff. Do visit this pub if you can

18 real ales

I will visit soon.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Popped in yesterday, lovely place. Next sunday seems like the big opening with music all afternoon/evening. The function rooms is grand and it really would have been a travesty if it had been lost. Lovely pint of Darkstar Hophead. I recommend it although it's really somewhere you cycle to if you're not local.

 

[editor]

I've just added a feature here: A trip to the Ivy House pub in Nunhead, London’s first co-operatively owned pub

It's a fantastic pub with some great ales. I'll be DJing there with some of the Hamlet crew on 10th July.

http://www.urban75.org/blog/a-trip-...nhead-londons-first-co-operatively-owned-pub/

 

[oryx]

Good article & some nice pictures. We went there to see Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick - must be a couple of years ago now. Must go back before long as we're not that far away.

I hope more threatened pubs end up doing the same thing.