After a long period when we thought it wiser not to hold our usual monthly pub nights or only hold a very low-key pub meeting, we have decided that the time has come to reinstate the
London Reconnections Monthly Meetup at the
Royal Oak in
Tabard Street.
A lot has happened in the past two years which should lead to plenty of discussion and there is a lot of catching up to do with news from acquaintances. Who knows? In addition, we may even have a transport-related discussion.
Regulars and ‘newbies’ are very welcome.
Time
We can pretty much guarantee that there will be fellow drinkers around by 7 pm. Some people try to arrive earlier, work and public transport permitting so there are generally some of us there by 6 pm.
Where to find us
We will be in The Royal Oak on Tabard Street. We usually have a room to ourselves upstairs but, at present, we don’t know if this will be the case on Thursday. If we are downstairs then we will try and leave some an obvious clue as to who we are. If we do not appear to be there then ask at the bar and they will direct you to the upstairs room.
A map shown at the bottom of this post.
Northern line Partial Closure
Because of the current Northern line partial closure,
Borough station is closed at present. The Bank branch of the Northern line is also closed south of Moorgate. This means that for most people it is probably
best to make your way to London Bridge station and walk or get a bus from there.
How to get to the pub from London Bridge station
The pub is about 700m walk from London Bridge main line station down easy-to-find backstreets. The route is largely traffic-free. Exit the station from the lower concourse, turn right and cross St Thomas St by the seemingly-permanent temporary crossing lights at the foot of the Shard. Continue straight on walking down the well-used pedestrian route to the side of Guy’s Hospital. The route is actually part of the hospital grounds hence the ‘no smoking’ notices everywhere. At the end after about 200m is a staggered junction. Cross the minor road at this junction and continue straight on down Crosby Road. At the end of Crosby Road you come to Long Lane. Use the pedestrian crossing to the left to deviate to cross the road and continue straight on down the narrow street of Southall Place which continues into Sterry St. At the end of this road look to your right and the pub should be clearly visible on a street corner opposite.
Via main roads or bus
If you would rather stick to the main roads as much as possible then either walk or take a bus down Borough High St. If taking a bus (21, 35, 133, 343, 733) it is probably easiest to alight at Union Street (stop H) and continue walking south towards Borough Tube station. You will come across the church of St George the Martyr (Little Dorrit’s church) on the same side of the road before you get to Borough station. You won’t miss it. Immediately before it is Tabard Street which is pedestrianised at this point. Follow Tabard St, cross Long Lane and continue along Tabard Street (now with traffic) to arrive at the Royal Oak.
Getting back to London Bridge station
If returning to London Bridge station from the pub then walk to the southern end of Sterry St and then start walking along it. After the first bend, look up and you will see the Shard in the distance. Head for the Shard in a straight a line as you can.
London Bridge station via Tabard and Borough High Streets
Alternatively, walk along Tabard St to Borough High St. Either turn right along Borough High St and walk or cross Borough High St and catch a bus to London Bridge.
Food
In the past, there has been an excellent choice of food with a selection of more traditional pub grub and also some more gastronomic delights for those with a refined palate. We presume that this is still the case.
Contact details
If you’re new to the meetup, you can always email us (eg
[email protected]) and we’ll give you a contact telephone number for the day.
