Carshalton Pub, Landmarks and Record Maps
👋 I’m a creative generalist with nearly two decades of experience across multiple industries. Being born and raised in Carshalton shaped my eye for local character and community, which naturally led me to create work celebrating the area, especially its pubs and landmarks. I’ve lived in various parts of London and Surrey over the years, but Carshalton has always pulled me back. I’ve watched the place change a great deal, particularly its pubs, and that constant evolution continues to inspire the work I create around it.
As the son of a tradesman who enjoys a pint, I was introduced to pubs from an early age. I’ve always been drawn to their charm and the characters who bring them to life. Hard to believe now, but the seven-time Greater London CAMRA Pub of the Year, The Hope, was once a place you’d avoid unless you had a death wish, now, you only need to dodge the stave of a Morris dancer! The Sun, now a charming, cosy gastro pub, used to specialise in half-cooked toasties and packets of pork scratchings, served beside a pool (table) in a Samoan-themed bar. Today, you can expect a menu to rival any top-notch eatery.
And then there was the now-demolished St Helier Tavern/Arms, once labelled “the most dangerous pub in Britain”, not entirely unfairly. Yet as a kid, I found it magical: a soft-play room, endless sugary juice, salty bar snacks, and even a market selling toys. What more could a child want? Another pub worth mentioning is the now-closed Fox and Hounds, prominently closed at the far end of the High Street. Back in the day it was lively, with a jukebox, a pool table, and live music, despite floors so uneven you felt drunk before you’d even had a drink.
Though many pubs have changed, or vanished, and the rest face ongoing challenges, we’re still incredibly fortunate in Carshalton. Few places have so many pubs packed into such a small area, and each one offers something a little different to everyone who walks through its doors.
My original pub-map design dates back to around 2010, created for a friend’s pub-crawl stag do. It was far simpler than the version you see today. The crawl (for those who lasted) took us to: We gathered at The Railway > The Carshalton Institute & Social Club (aka The Pigeon Club) > The Sun > The Palmerston > The Hope > The Coach & Horses > Finishing (for most) at The Woodman.
On that stag do, a few people said I should turn the map into a poster, they’d definitely buy one. Fast-forward more than ten years, and I finally sat down to design it properly. With Calladoodles interested in stocking it, I had the posters printed at STR Printers on Mill Lane, Carshalton. The team there recently opened their own art space, Vellum Mill Gallery, and they were so enthusiastic about the project that they asked to stock the poster as well. A record shop limited edition of the map is now also available at Logo Fiasco and Looking For The Magic record stores.
I’m invested in Carshalton and the surrounding areas, it has a magical, creative village feel within a South London borough. There’s definitely something in the ponds!
There are now three map variations, available as A-size posters, coasters, and greeting cards, with more gift ideas constantly being released, keep your eyes peeled.
As the son of a tradesman who enjoys a pint, I was introduced to pubs from an early age. I’ve always been drawn to their charm and the characters who bring them to life. Hard to believe now, but the seven-time Greater London CAMRA Pub of the Year, The Hope, was once a place you’d avoid unless you had a death wish, now, you only need to dodge the stave of a Morris dancer! The Sun, now a charming, cosy gastro pub, used to specialise in half-cooked toasties and packets of pork scratchings, served beside a pool (table) in a Samoan-themed bar. Today, you can expect a menu to rival any top-notch eatery.
And then there was the now-demolished St Helier Tavern/Arms, once labelled “the most dangerous pub in Britain”, not entirely unfairly. Yet as a kid, I found it magical: a soft-play room, endless sugary juice, salty bar snacks, and even a market selling toys. What more could a child want? Another pub worth mentioning is the now-closed Fox and Hounds, prominently closed at the far end of the High Street. Back in the day it was lively, with a jukebox, a pool table, and live music, despite floors so uneven you felt drunk before you’d even had a drink.
Though many pubs have changed, or vanished, and the rest face ongoing challenges, we’re still incredibly fortunate in Carshalton. Few places have so many pubs packed into such a small area, and each one offers something a little different to everyone who walks through its doors.
My original pub-map design dates back to around 2010, created for a friend’s pub-crawl stag do. It was far simpler than the version you see today. The crawl (for those who lasted) took us to: We gathered at The Railway > The Carshalton Institute & Social Club (aka The Pigeon Club) > The Sun > The Palmerston > The Hope > The Coach & Horses > Finishing (for most) at The Woodman.
On that stag do, a few people said I should turn the map into a poster, they’d definitely buy one. Fast-forward more than ten years, and I finally sat down to design it properly. With Calladoodles interested in stocking it, I had the posters printed at STR Printers on Mill Lane, Carshalton. The team there recently opened their own art space, Vellum Mill Gallery, and they were so enthusiastic about the project that they asked to stock the poster as well. A record shop limited edition of the map is now also available at Logo Fiasco and Looking For The Magic record stores.
I’m invested in Carshalton and the surrounding areas, it has a magical, creative village feel within a South London borough. There’s definitely something in the ponds!
There are now three map variations, available as A-size posters, coasters, and greeting cards, with more gift ideas constantly being released, keep your eyes peeled.