The Brockley Barge - JD Wetherspoon

What a pleasant find on a Thursday evening stroll! Hardly a hidden gem, the Barge sits proudly at the junction of the B218 and Foxberry street. The bold exterior and quaint sign beckoned us in. ‘Rest weary traveller, you’re home!’ Upon entering we were welcomed by a familiar voice. Christian Bale’s ‘Bruce Wayne,’ was engaged, mid tussle with Liam Neeson’s ‘Ra’s al ghul,’ in the climactic scene of Christopher Nolan’s 2005 superhero romp ‘Batman Begins.’ The volume was at a tasteful level, fitting the tame and amiable atmosphere of the Thursday night punters. Unlike Mr. Wayne’s on screen antics, I faced no conflict at all, getting my hands on a pint of Stella and a Guinness at the bar (mercifully!) the staff were attentive and friendly and service was quick. The Garden furthered the convivial atmosphere of the main room, supported by warm intimate lighting and the odd natural feature (hanging basket.) Overall I enjoyed my visit to the Brockley Barge. I’m not a local, I’m not sure I’ll visit again. That’s no reflection of my willingness to return, just and honest assessment of circumstance. Cruel as it may seem. To conclude I’d like to emphasise that the charm of the Brockley Barge comes more from it’s staff and clientele than the fixtures and furnishings deigned upon by one of mr J.D Wetherspoon’s back office ‘corporate ambience optimisers.’ Forgive me for reaching for a rather apt line from Mr. Wayne himself. ‘It's not who I am underneath (in reference to the interior of the pub)... but what I *do* (the actions of the staff)... that defines me.’

I really appreciated the staff here — they are neat, professional, and work very fast. I had a small issue with a double payment on the app, and the team sorted it out quickly and efficiently. The pub is clean and well-maintained, including the toilets. The food was good, and I especially liked the meal deals that include a drink — it’s excellent value for money and helps you save a lot. A big thanks to the hard-working team for making this visit comfortable!

Brockley Barge is a decent Wetherspoons. I came here around 11:30 on a Saturday prior to moving to a different pub to watch the football. We ordered a pint of Guinness, a glass of wine, a small breakfast and an apple crumble. Service was ok - the pub was quite quiet and the drinks came out quickly. However the Apple crumble and ice cream was delayed in its service, meaning the ice cream had melted and the crumble was on the cooler side once received. The interior was as you would expect of a wetherspoons in zone 2 on a Saturday lunchtime. There was a good number of regulars populating the inside if the pub, and a steady stream of irregulars taking and leaving the outdoor tables in the 50 minutes we spent there. Decent pub, its a spoons what more is there to say.

I felt a gentle pull to visit The Brockley Barge, a place woven with memories of my father. It welcomed me with warmth — a friendly, open atmosphere where families and friends shared laughter, conversation, and time together. The kind of space where connection feels natural and unforced. The staff and service carried a calm, positive energy that seemed to settle into the room itself, adding to the sense of belonging and ease. Same time again next year — a quiet promise, held with love. ❤️

🚇 Brockley 🍺 £2.94 Carlsberg The Brockley Barge is located in Brockley, in the borough of Lewisham, in southeast London. The nearest station is Brockley which is close by. Built in 1868 as the Breakspears Arms, the pub closed in 1994 after gaining a reputation for disorder. It was also controversially known for operating separate ‘black’ and ‘white’ bars. Wetherspoons acquired the pub and reopened it in October 2000 under its current name, which recalls the barges that once operated on the Croydon Canal. Opened in 1809, the canal was replaced by a railway in 1836, following much of the same route. This large, one-bar pub is instantly recognisable as a Spoons. The servery runs along the right side, with an open-plan front area filled with poser tables. A row of pillars and partial walls in the centre marks the location of the original servery. Decor includes pale green walls, prints of local historic figures, plenty of standard seating, and the signature jazzy carpet. A small beer garden sits at the rear, there are a few benches at the front as well. The beer lineup was a who’s who of familiar keg favourites, and an impressive range of cask ales that have earned the pub a spot in the Good Beer Guide for 10 consecutive years. I opted for a Carlsberg—my pint was excellent, and the price was under three quid! The food menu is extensive, offering a wide selection of comfort food options. Fish and chips with a pint costs £11.91. I arrived around 2:30 p.m. on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon in April. The pub was busy throughout, with a mix of local punters of all ages. The liveliest spot was at the front of the pub, where most people were watching the horse racing on the big screen above the door. The service was efficient, and the lady collecting glasses was friendly and chatty. First of all, it was nice to visit a Spoons that was originally a pub—I haven’t done that in a while. Secondly, hats off to Wetherspoons for transforming this place from a nuthouse into a true community local; that takes some serious hard graft. Overall, I enjoyed my time here, a proper Wetherspoons experience. 📅 12th April 2025 More London pub info on socials @londonpubmap 🍻

Not a bad spoons, but loses points on the musty smelly carpet which desperately needs a wash. As you walk in there’s a smell and feel of old, grimy, musty beer filled carpet and old alcoholics sit in there all day. It’s a little depressing. Sitting outside in the sun can be nice however and has a holiday feel to it. The breakfast is decent, classic spoons so not the best quality but cheap. They forgot some of my order so I had to ask for it and they got it wrong.

Thought it was gonna be a really amazing Wetherspoons when I first saw it,as it's got loads of kerb appeal.I was disappointed to find on the inside that it was just a noisy drinkers pub.The staff were friendly and quick to serve us.I've ticked it off my spoons list and if like me you love Wetherspoons then go and visit if you're in the area.

A very friendly bunch in this spoons, welcoming to visitors. I went in for one and ended up staying for two hours. The real ales were of a very good quality and no drama to try before I bought. I was chatting with a bartender, and they told the manager, (Caesar) who was very interested in listening to my quest to visit all the J.D. Wetherspoons. Will try and return.

My local place to wind down with some friends. It's always a hive, full of locals and always busy. They have booths so it's perfect for a small gathering, and you can add the tables for larger parties. There's a nice area to sit outside, although this is the smoking area. It's good in the summertime when you're having a pint or two with some mates, and maybe some food too. If you don't mind the smoke then it's great. The staff are very friendly, and always happy to help. They could be a bit faster when serving customers, as I have waited a long time before. Other than that, they are courteous and friendly. Great place to go to for a local pub, which the bustle of the locals.

It's Weatherspoon Pub. This tells a lot what's you can find there - however the Barge seems to be keeping the higher mark in comparison with other venues from the chain. I visited this place on Sunday afternoon to enjoy a sunday roast. As with any Weatherspoon venue you order the food by going to the bar and telling the bar person about the table number and selecting the item from the menu. However, I found the service at the bar a bit slow and disinterested. My person dealing with the order had some problem with her employee card and went somewhere without telling me what's going on for 10 minutes. It was extremely confusing and to be honest frustrating. Why? Read the next paragraph... So because of the bar table situation (you have to remember the table number), if you are eating on your own there is a big chance that your table will be taken by someone else while you're making the order. You should either mark your territory somehow (bring a book!) or "you are gonna have a bad day". I had the latter because I had to wait for the bar person to take my order for more than 10 minutes. Shortly after finally making the order food arrived quickly and it's always the Weatherspoon secret how they make pretty simple British food feel really filling, satisfying and comforting. To make it up I ordered a fudge cake dessert which could be easily shared between 3-4 people. All in all, 3 stars because of the food ordering problems. (I went there second time and albeit faster, the quality of customer care still wasn't up to scratch).

Ahhhhh my beautiful local Wetherspoons. What would one do without it?! They have curry thursdays (£5.99 for curry and a drink). The clientele are generally old men and skint students having a spoons breakfast delicious. There is a nice beer garden however, and drinks are pretty cheap. It is literally down the road from me but I hardly ever go,perhaps I should utilise it more for pre drinks and in the summer. The bar staff are very friendly and the vibe is a bit dingy, but endearing never the less!

The Brockley Barge is an honorable example of Wetherspoons at its best: decent range of ales, good-for-the-low-prices-you're-paying food and polite, quick service. The kitchen stays open until 10pm and the bar until 1am on Friday and Saturday and midnight on all other days. There's also free wifi to be had. The student/old men clientele and lack of events e.g. live music, means that the Barge is not what I'd class as a 'destination bar' in Brockley. But as a spot to grab a cheap, quick meal, or indeed, relatively cheap but good drinks served late, it can't be beaten.

Ah the barge. One of my more preferred Spoons, The Brockley Barg is right by Brockley Overground. It's a refuge for those who have just got off the boat and are in desperate need of a pint. It's quite a big barge for the area with plenty of outdoor seating, both out the front and in a make-shift patio out the back. Covered areas for the smokers, but no heaters as I recall. Standard spoon selection and the staff are hit and miss. But oh it's good. When the Mrs and I got off the plane from our jaunts in Berlin, we got stuck on the tube system straight away. I had a genius idea to get off a couple stops early for a roast. And oh it was good. Crap British food after a whole week of cheese sandwiches and scrambled egg in Berlin. Lush.

Well, it's a Wetherspoons pub, so you can't set your expectations too high, but there's an outside bit for the smokers and the weather-hardy, and the beer is cheap and plentiful. Sunday lunch attracts the GOldsmiths students and the penny-pinchers; the food is cheap and by God it looks it. I've never indulged. I did try one of their burgers once but it wasn't a happy experience. Quiz night used to be fun though I haven't been in ages. Tends to attract a mixed crowd of old soaks and younger types; changes at the weekend to include a few more families.

Hey I love this place. Its where I go to meet up with all my old friends who I ain't seen in a long time. They all drink here being as its there local. Cheap drinks good atmosphere. Nice place to go to get the night started before moving on to whatever you got planned for the rest of the night. Its 1 min from the train station which makes travelling easy after a good drink.