Londoners are certainly no strangers to wet weather conditions – and it’s arguably a necessity to remember to pack an umbrella (or at least something a little bit waterproof) before leaving the house.
For one pub in south-west London, though, it’s not just the rain they need to look out for: it’s the tide of the River Thames, too.
Nestled in the leafy suburb of Richmond lies The White Cross, affectionately known as ‘the pub that floods’ as, several times each month, the tide rises up, floods the beer garden and blocks off the entrance.
It’s not stopping people from visiting, though – in fact, quite the opposite. As per the pub’s website, they see it as ‘nature’s own little party trick,’ noting that ‘as the water rises, so does the banter among your pals.’ It’s a classic British night out, right?
Since the high tide tends to roll in at around 4.5 metres, both staff and customers alike are often kitted out in wellies. The pub even has reserves to offer out if you’re caught short, saving a few soggy feet along the way.
As such, the institution has gathered the attention of various TikTokers – including @georgeinlondon who, earlier this year, filmed his experience of visiting for a pub lunch.
‘Luckily on this occasion, the tide had just gone down so we could get in, but one of the entrances was covered so it’s always a fun sight to see,’ he told his followers.
‘We had a really nice lunch, my dad had fish and chips and I had a steak sandwich and a Guinness. They had a roaring fire, and it was the perfect place to hide away from the cold.’
When @_georgiawood_ visited to drink Aperol Spritz in the sun, she found out that the pub floods when, much to her confusion, it started to empty.
‘We were all going, where’s everyone going?,’ she told her followers, sharing footage of the flooded floor of the beer garden and joking that the flood was ‘talking in code.’
But it’s not just visitors that are taking to TikTok to rave about the venue: the pub itself also has an account (@whitecrosspub), on which its shared various shots of the tide coming in.
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In April, customers were filmed egging a man on with a round of applause as he tried to get back to his friends after being separated by the tide. After various attempts to hop from his bench to the next one without getting wet, he abandoned ship.
Elsewhere, they joked about the beer garden being more of an ‘obstacle course’ as people were shown walking across the benches (almost like a tightrope) with fresh drinks.
‘Don’t forget your pint mate!’ the caption jokingly read, though they added that they ‘actually serve drinks to your table if you don’t fancy this.’
Want to time your visit with the high tide? The pub actively recommends this so you can experience the likes of the ‘high tide shuffle’ – and lists information on the tide timings on its website.
We would say don’t forget your wellies, but they’re likely already waiting there for you!
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