The Hope

Abandoned, underused and out of commission buildings around London must be crossing their fingers that the Antic crew walk past and notice their potential because the company behind what is beginning to seem like every single new London pub opening have just done it again. And they do have a habit of getting it right, whatever you think of this monopoly of theirs. The latest space to get the shabby chic makeover (do people still say that?) is The Hope, a peculiar shaped venue just opposite Rye Lane on Melon Road.

Decorated in dangly light bulbs, Warhol-style stacked tin cans (chopped tomatoes) and plenty of bric-a-brac, the pub feels lived in and whole, helped by the fact that a mixed range of Peckhamites are drinking here. It’s not the ‘read about it on a rubbish blog somewhere’ Frank’s crowd, it’s the ‘work in the local chemist, live round the corner, sometimes go to the huge Burger King over the road for a Whopper, so what?’ crowd. Which is nice.

That peculiar space mentioned earlier is the star of the place; there’s a distinct M.C. Escher thing going on as the rooms wind around each other, with a main bar sunken down in the middle of it all. Gaze out of the windows and all you’ll see is legs and feet on the pavement outside, you’ll ask yourself ‘how did I get this low?’ and then you’ll go to the bathroom and you’ll probably see some gravity defying graphic art illusion stuff that could only have been done by a Dutch master of impossible constructions.

Food is served from a pop-up kitchen, with different street food outfits taking the reigns. We hear that the pub may or may not decide to take over the dining duties moving forward. The drinks are akin to most Antic pubs, meaning that they could do better. There is a solid range of small brewery beer on tap but surely there could be more? But let’s not complain, if The Hope opened on your doorstep you’d be more than pleased with what it brings to the area. It’s reasonably new but it seems settled already.

The Hope

The Hope Picture Gallery

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