London is not good at heat. The tropical conditions of current English summers don’t sit well with a city where most drinking houses are designed for keeping the chill out, the river is brown and full of swirling currents and the odd body, and many councils regard swimming pools as barriers in the way of exciting new townhouse developments. Luckily, some outdoor public pools are still going strong – not least the splendid Brockwell Lido, which has been refreshing South Londoners since 1937. And when you’ve had your poolside fun, you can’t do better than repair a couple of blocks away to the Commercial – if you time it right, you’ll still be wet when you get there.

What’s it like?

Across the road from Herne Hill station, the Commercial was once a classically grim railway pub, but it has been transformed, in tune with its increasingly cosmopolitan surroundings, into a shady, airy place that’s a perfect refuge for the sun-struck and chlorine-drenched. Original features have been combined with stylish touches – bare brick, a quirky array of lamps, inviting sofas, and black-and-white photos that give Herne Hill an unexpected artistic resonance. With the walls and floorboards painted a cool, dark brown and ambient tunes playing, the result is a chilled, welcoming environment that attracts a wide range of punters.

What to drink?

Which beer best beats the heat will be argued about until the clocks change, but the Commercial offers a strong contender in the excellent Franziskaner Weissbier from Munich – a perfect summer beer, on tap. There are superb ales, such as Harvey’s, Charles Wells Bombardier and Batemans XXXB, Pacifico lager from Mexico, and good, non-sugary lemon and orange drinks, in case you hold the frankly unpatriotic opinion that alcohol and heat exhaustion don’t mix. They probably don’t, but it still beats swimming in the Thames.

210-212 Railton Road, Herne Hill, SE24 (020-7501 9051)

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