Remembering the Rest Is Noise pub, Brixton -

I thought I’d pen a short obituary to what was a short-lived but rather fine addition to Brixton’s boozers.

One pub, many names

The pub had regaled under a host of names – Ivan’s retreat (May 2008-September 2009), The Goose (c.2003-Apr 2008) and before that the Flourmill and Firkin – before its final incarnation as The Rest Is Noise.

Taking its cue from the nearby Dogstar (mixed in with a bit of the Shoreditch scene), the Rest Is Noise was actually a lot better than that description sounds, putting on some interesting free gigs and DJ nights.

It was also a great place for meetings in the daytimes too, and although some mumbled about the staff being too busy striking a pose to serve, I always found them to be friendly and attentive folk.

[The Goose, Jan 2004]

Some folks like to wax nostalgically lyrical about the Goose, but I feel this user report from the Beer In The Evening website recalls it best:

One visit to here will change your life forever. A disgrace. A show up. A stain on Brixton.

The horrific memories of visiting this shambles of a pub will stay with you till the grave. The funny smells, the dour decor, the random bumps and lumps in the floor, the cesspit that is the toilets, the rude locals, the Del Boy Trotter wannabe “manager”, the brain melting background music…..

The glasses are never clean, the kitchen is never open, the disabled toilets smell like a sewage plant, the regular toilet is always flooded, the whole pub is falling apart. Its no surprise its always empty but for the hardcore dole collectors dotted round this hellhole. In fact hang on, does this pub even HAVE a manager??? Because I’m not aware of one. No half-decent manager would let a joint get into such a sorry state

AVOID AVOID AVOID AVOID!!!!!

Located at 442 Brixton Rd, Brixton, the building hadn’t always been a pub – in fact it was only relatively recently converted to a drinking establishment.

Previously, the building had been used as a shop unit, and before that it was part of the famous Bon Marche department store which once dominated Brixton’s shopping centre in Edwardian times.

Click here to see a 1910 photo of the building, complete with a shop window display of millinery.