Charles Holden — Restaurant in London

Booked a table online for 5 people but got there & were given a table for 4 so had to be moved. Then we were given a menu that was just a piece of paper on a clip board when I asked for a child's menu (we were given an adults menu with a C in brackets meaning that dish came as a kids option. Which is confusing when nobodyexplains it to you) yet there were no prices for the kids items so we had to go & ask at the till. Then we went to the bar to get drinks & the guy told us they don't do any drinks for kids so I asked if they had cordial & they did (so yes you do have drinks for kids then). The first glasses were dirty so I asked for clean glasses to then be given 2 glasses with lipstick around them & a flat lager shandy. Asked for the manager & he told us there are a lot of agency staff there & they are going through some transitions... I work in hospitality & there is no excuse for dirty glasses & no prices on menus. If the staff don't know how to do something they need to have full training days before they are put onto shifts as it's not fair on the customers or the staff. A handful of lovely staff but sadly the majority didn't have a clue what was going on or how to resolve customer complaints which were pretty basic things. I had the half roast chicken Sunday dinner & for £17 I expected it to be better. The chicken was dry as there was barely any gravy, I was given 3 roast potatoes & 1 was burnt & inedible, the veg was incredibly minimal & my cauliflower was rock hard like it had barely been cooked. We'd of had a better dinner at a Toby Carvery. It was just all over the place from the get go with poor customer skills & an obvious lack of knowledge from at least 3 of the staff we dealt with. The manager was however lovely (Irish gentleman) & did attempt to help us but the tone was already set by then & he even seemed embarrassed himself at how things were. My family & I aren't from the area so were hoping even more so it would be a lovely meal for Easter together. Unfortunately it wasn't & I don't think we'll be visiting...

🚇 Colliers Wood 🍺 £7.00 Cruzcampo

The Holden is situated close to Wandle Park in Colliers Wood, southwest London. The nearest Tube is Colliers Wood which is just across the road.

Built in 1859 by the Friary Meux brewery, the pub was originally known as The Victory. Around 2015 it was renamed the Charles Holden, after the architect who designed many notable Tube stations, including the Grade II listed one opposite. More recently, the name has been shortened to simply The Holden.

This handsome pub is built from London stock brick and clad in beautiful Victorian brown glazed tiles. Inside, it’s a large one-bar space with a stylish, contemporary feel. The servery sits centre-left, with the main bar area wrapping around it. Seating is varied, with booths, poser tables and traditional furniture. There is a cosy snug called Charlie’s Den, and a raised area at the back with intricate metal railings. At the rear, a sizeable and tastefully landscaped beer garden offers both open and covered sections.

The beer range is all keg, featuring a solid mix of popular brands and craft options. I went for a Cruzcampo — it hit the spot, though the price was on the high side. The food menu focuses on American comfort fare: burgers, wings, nachos and the like, there was also a few classics, fish and chips is available at £17.

We arrived just after 6pm on a scorching hot Saturday evening in August. The pub was fairly quiet inside, with most punters gathered in the shady parts of the garden. There was a lovely, relaxed atmosphere; rugby was on the TVs, and everything felt chilled. We grabbed a bench out front. Service was great — the team on duty were welcoming and friendly.

Plenty of positives to report from this SW19 spot: a lovely-looking building, stylish and comfortable interiors, a great beer garden, a decent selection of beers and genuinely good service. Definitely worth a visit.

Follow @holdenpub for updates.

📅 28th June 2025

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Let me start by saying we are very used to The Charles Holden in Colliers wood. My wife and I have been coming here for about 2 years. We have had some very good afternoons and evenings, however tonight has been very different. The hope is that the Guys in charge of the pub might read this and take a positive feedback.

As it happens it was actually my birthday. After spending the day with the wife and my baby daughter, we had finally managed to get her to bed and asked the granny to babaysit whistle we went out for a drink and a meal. Granted we had not made a booking but the website had tables available for booking (I did check). As we walked in, we were asked to check in track and trace, (we did), as a Yong lady looked over to confirm. We asked for an outside table, she did direct us to the back garden. When I asked for an ashtray, she said we could not smoke in that area even though 3 tables around were smoking. We moved to another permited table. When ordering the drinks we also notice there were no food available on the app.

When the drinks arrived at the table, they were delivered by the same person who sat us. When asked her about the food and her response and attitude were a bit of a let down.

All she said was. "food is finished". And gave us a look as it was us who should know this. It wasn't even that late. We got to the pub around 8.45pm. If we were told at the door that the kitchen was closed.. We would have found no problem at all. The issue was we had ordered drinks and paid for them. We had to wait. Finish our drinks and then find somewhere else to eat. And by that time, most places would be closing.

We will still return but knowing we should know all the information before. Possibly...