The Half Moon’s new signage went up on the front of the building this week, and it is a step up from the old text-only version: an art deco design in gold and dark blue, with a guitar, vinyl record and microphone worked into the artwork and the Young’s ram perched on top.
The old sign just said “The Half Moon.” The new one tells you what the pub is about before you walk in.
Inside, a dozen men have been working flat out for days to get the Lower Richmond Road venue ready in time for its reopening on Easter Saturday.
The pub has been closed for eight weeks for a full refurbishment. It reopens on Boat Race day, 4 April, with free entry all day and live music from the afternoon. We’ve been sticking our head in every few days to see how things are going.
As well as the new signs – something we are reliably informed were “bloody heavy” – the bar has been rebuilt, the gig guide on the outside corner has been rebuilt, a new entrance has appeared where shelving used to be and leads upstairs, there’s a new garden awning and, of course, the glass room on top of the pub that we have yet to get into. From the pavement it certainly looks substantial, a clear statement that the Half Moon is coming back.
With five days to go, the team inside are visibly racing to finish. The pub is one of Putney’s best-known live music venues and its reopening on the biggest day of the year on the embankment will be welcome news for regulars who have been counting the weeks.
🚣 Our full Boat Race guide page has everything you need for race day: where to stand, transport, pubs and all the build-up.
