The Vale at Streatham

 THE AREA: 

 For well over a thousand years, the parish of Streatham has seen the ebb and flow of human activity. Beginning with the scattered settlements of Saxon farmers and culminating in the suburban developments of the 19th century, history has endowed Streatham with a worthy past, a tapestry embroidered with an array of events and highlighted by the noble, rich and famous.  For several centuries there was little here but fields, the River Graveney and a track connecting Mitcham with Norwood. The 'Vale' in Streatham Vale is though to derive from the fields or 'Vales' that used to be plentiful, many of which would harvest Peppermint, Watercress & Lavender.

INDUSTRY:

These crops would create a thriving  herbal industry, each of which is of course still used in Herbal infusions today. The peppermint or Mitcham Mint became renowned the world over.   

THE PUB:

During the 1960s, the building was used as an off-licence and general store. In 1969, it was converted into a small pub, developing a reputation for friendliness and no-nonsense service. During the 1970s, the Mint also had a novel claim to fame- in order to tackle the growing problem of graffiti in the gents toilets, it became the first pub to introduce blackboards in the Gents. These literary efforts took the form of dodgy poems and daily racing tips! Look out for there return post-refurb. The origin of the new pub name quite obviously lies in the Streatham Vale name and is a nod to the history of the Area and the Pub, ensuring the Lavender and Peppermint heritage lives on for many more centuries yet and enhanced with our award winning 'Mint Garden'