The Bell — Restaurant in London

🚇 Lower Sydenham 🍺 £5.60 Amstel

The Bell is located at a busy road junction in Bell Green, near Sydenham, Southeast London. The nearest station is Lower Sydenham mainline.

The Bell was constructed around 1845 and likely gave its name to the surrounding neighbourhood, known today as Bell Green. Behind the pub once stood the Bell Green Gas Works, built in the 1850s, which employed up to 2,000 people at its peak — many of whom would have drunk in the pub until the Gas Works closed in 1968.

This large, one-bar traditional pub was likely remodelled in the 1930s. The central servery features a rare Formica counter, with pool tables, a fireplace, and a jukebox to the left. In front, there’s carpeted seating with tables, another fireplace, and a fruity. At the far end, you’ll find more seating and a DJ booth. Decor includes fielded wall panels, wallpaper, ceiling beams, vintage signs, and several large screens. There’s a simple beer garden sits to the side.

The beer line-up is all keg and offers a selection of well-known brands. The pub also stocks bottles of Nigerian Guinness and Dragon Stout. I opted for a pint of Amstel, my pint was excellent and reasonably priced at under six quid. This is a wet-led pub, so no food is served.

We arrived at 4 p.m. on a sunny Saturday afternoon in May. The pub was quiet, with just one local punter in attendance. The atmosphere was chilled and laid-back, we pulled up a couple of stools at the bar to enjoy our pints. We had a lovely chat with one of the bar staff, who was very friendly and told us about the pub and the landlady, who has been here for fifteen years. She also mentioned that the pub really comes to life at weekends, when it’s packed for DJ nights.

Great to this pub keep on keeping on. I loved the local and old school feel to the place, friendly service and reasonably priced pints. I’m probably not one for DJ nights as i’m an old fart, but if you fancy it lively, Saturday nights maybe for you. Either way, check it out if you’re in the area.

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📅 10th May 2025

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Traditional Irish music session starting up Tuesday 14th June 2011. Flutes fiddles accordians and so on. Should be very good.

.....4 years later....We kept the session going through the summer of 2011, with varying success, but basically it never really took off. The pub was always a bit on the slightly depressingly quiet side, but the bar manager was a friendly enough guy and always gave us a few free drinks for playing.

However, as soon as the football season started in mid-August, the big telly was on, flooding the bar area in green, and blaring football noises. Sat in front of this were yer usual gang of passive-aggressive, tattooed, lager-swilling football geezers, so we packed the instruments away, never to return.

I can only hope the new management revitalises the place, as it is a fine old pub, and could be quite a venue as it's in a...

Fantastic, local, Black owned, family-run pub. Recently had a refurbishment, pairing fresh, modern decor with classic, vintage features. There's a lovely secluded beer garden, pool tables - with free pool weekly, a jukebox and karaoke on Sundays. Admission is always free at The Bell and the atmosphere is so comfortable and friendly, the pub attracts a very mixed crowd of ethnicities and ages. The food at The Bell is freshly made to order, authentic and delicious. The drinks are varied (from fresh coconut water to draughts and all the popular spirits) all at very reasonable prices. You can even have your events at The Bell - from Baby Showers & Engagement Parties to Nine Nights and Wakes. Visit The Bell, you won't be...