Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Image posted by Steve of N21
Submitted on Thursday, 20th August 2026
With picture contributions to 262 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (4 more images)
Reviews of The Ferndale (Average Rating: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
David Walton left this review about The Ferndale
Visited 10/08/26. Visited previously as Canova Hall on 15/08/22.
No cask. Keg offering of Amstel, Neck Oil, Siren Lumina, Asahi, Estrella, Guinness, Inch's, Haze Machine from Signature Brew, Jubel Peach, Moretti, Hepcat, Brixton Reliance Pale Ale.
Large room, original concrete flooring, and glass fronted along the left-hand side, presumably the old department store windows. Island bar in the centre of the floor space with tall stool seating on the left hand and front side. Dark industrial ceiling with some extravagant chandeliers dotted around and a large disco ball towards the rear right-hand corner. Some ledge drinking on the right-hand wall from the start of the bar counter and then a rather solid red leather banquette down the remainder of that side to the rear right-hand corner. Further banquettes of the same type along the rear, including some back-to-back serving regular tables. Bit of a mish mash of seating along the glass frontage, including another smaller back-to-back banquette but generally regular tables and chairs. Screens were switched off and there was a 90's pop soundtrack playing on my visit. Signage announcing the imminent return of the Premiership at the date of my visit, so I guess the place tries to be something for everyone. The inner walls were smothered with framed pictures / photos that gave the place a bit of a Loungers does heritage industrial sort of feel. More were sitting outside at the tables / benches along the front and glass side. Quite a bit of underutilised space here but I guess that is part of the quirkiness of the place.
On 18th September 2026
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2067 recommendations about 2020 pubs]
Steve of N21 left this review about The Ferndale
Originally opened in September 2017 as the Canova Hall, this was the second outlet for the then small independent Urban pubs and bars chain, which has now expanded to over 65 establishments across London, primarily in areas which have seen gentrification in recent years, such as Highbury and Islington, Balham and Shoreditch for example. It was originally more of a restaurant and cocktail bar as the previous reviewer found, but underwent a revamp in April this year when it was renamed as The Ferndale and rebranded as a “proper local pub with fantastic pizzas, select wines, cocktails, beers and more”, the more seeming to be large screens for the premier league, and DJ sets on a Friday and Saturday night that go on to 1am.
The thing that initially attracted me to this one is the fine historic building in which it is housed. “The Department Store” sign that is still in situ on the front apex gives you some clue that it was originally built as accommodation for staff of the department store Bon Marche across the road ( the building of which still exists but now in use as a business centre), one of the three elegant department stores that in the 1900’s used to earn Brixton the reputation as the Oxford Street of the South, of which only Morley’s is still in operation today. It would have been a very opulent building internally when first built, with tons of period features and decorations. Unfortunately they are all long gone and the Ferndale is what you would expect from a modern bar, large floor to ceiling windows, shiny concrete floor, a central oval bar with burgundy coloured padded seating option rotating round it, and a Brewdog style exposed air conditioning ceiling, but fortunately all painted black and nowhere near as industrial and ugly as the Brewdog bars. The few existing wall spaces are covered in picture collections that try to give the place a bit of character and the chandelier lighting tries to transport you to a former time, but there is no hiding that this is a modern bar aimed at the modern demographic that both visit and call Brixton their home nowadays.
No ales of course but a few decent craft keg options that are slanted towards The Brixton Brewery due to its location and I did even see a Brixton tap takeover advertised for a weeks time if they didn’t already have enough.
Now I am fully aware that I have not been the target demographic for the Urban Pubs and Bars chain for at least the last couple of decades, but I can still appreciate what they are doing to their venues, as I did when finding them in Balham recently. But I think that those who do fall into the target demographic will continue to appreciate this one.
On 13th August 2026
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2375 recommendations about 2216 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Canova Hall
Larger-than-it-initially-looks modern bar / restaurant on a wedge-shaped corner plot. Very busy on a Friday night and quite difficult to: a) get in (having failed earlier when the World Cup football was on; and b) get served. However, once close enough to the counter, five draught beers were apparently available, most or all of which come from the local Brixton Brewery. Of course, my Reliance pale ale was outrageously priced at £6.20, even before the 12.5% service charge they tried to add on...
On 18th December 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 9251 recommendations about 9251 pubs]
Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
- Official site of The Ferndale - www.urbanpubsandbars.com
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Ferndale - whatpub.com
Loughborough Junction, 0.76 miles, 14 min walk (show)
Clapham High Street, 0.84 miles, 16 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 18 December 2022 by Tris C
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 18 December 2022 by Tris C
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 18 December 2022 by Tris C
- Hot Food : Yes - Pizza-orientated. - last updated 18 December 2022 by Tris C
- Micropub : No last updated 18 December 2022 by Tris C
- Real Ale : No last updated 23 May 2020 by Quinno _
