The Shipyard
Push past the front bar and you reach the garden they call The Shipyard. Covered and heated, it is usable in winter as well as summer, and it is larger than most pub gardens in this part of west London. A children's climbing frame sits at one end, a big eucalyptus tree strung with lights dominates the middle, and full-size tables mix with smaller two-seaters under the canopy.
It is worth walking straight through the pub to the back before you give up on finding a seat. The garden fills first on matchdays, but the turnover is quick and the covered section keeps groups dry even when the weather turns.
Matchday
The Lord Nelson sits on one of the best pre-match walks in London. Supporters coming from Northfields drop down past The Plough and The Globe before reaching the Nelson, and by early afternoon the pub is humming with Bees shirts. There is no away-fan restriction, so home and away supporters can end up drinking in the same room, which gives the place a more open feel than many football pubs.
The connection to the club runs deeper than geography. When Brentford won promotion in the 2013/14 season, players and staff ended up celebrating here with fans. It was not a sponsored event or a marketing exercise. It was simply where people naturally gathered.
When Brentford won promotion in 2013/14, players and staff ended up celebrating here with fans. It was simply where people naturally gathered.
What to order
As a Fuller's house, the cask beer is the main draw. The long bar is the best place to start, with London Pride usually on form and a rotating seasonal ale alongside it. If you are heading to the garden, a cold lager works better in the covered space than a heavy pint.
The food menu runs to pub classics, a burger and fish and chips, though the kitchen scales back on Brentford home matchdays and Sundays. Arrive early if you want a proper sit-down meal before the game.
The verdict
A rare thing in modern football: a pub with a real connection to the club without any commercial tie. Get there early, claim a table in The Shipyard or by the bar, and it offers the best atmosphere on the Northfields walk. For fans who want a genuine local crowd rather than a tourist one, this is the pick of the Brentford pubs.
