The Ship

Bar60% confidence

This descriptor most likely refers to a British pub called “The Ship,” a common pub name used by multiple independent and brewery-owned pubs in and around London. Card data aggregators show that charges labeled “SHIP LONDON GBR” map to pubs trading as The Ship in London and other UK towns.

London, United Kingdom

About The Ship

The charge from “The Ship” (often shown as “SHIP LONDON GBR” or similar) almost always refers to a traditional British pub called The Ship in London or another UK town. Multiple independent and brewery-owned pubs trade under this name in central London areas like Soho, the City, and Borough, as well as in other parts of the UK, so the exact venue on your statement may vary. These pubs typically serve draught beer, cider, wines, spirits, cocktails, and classic pub food such as burgers, fish and chips, and Sunday roasts, with typical prices around £5–£8 for a pint of beer and £10–£20 for a main meal, depending on the location and brand.

You’ll usually see this charge after you’ve visited the pub in person for drinks or food. Common scenarios include a one‑time card payment at the bar, paying a restaurant-style bill at your table, or settling a running tab that was kept open against your card. In some cases, you might first see a small “pending” or pre‑authorisation amount when you open a tab, which is later replaced by the final total including drinks, food, and any optional service charge. If you visited London from overseas, your final statement amount may look higher or lower than the receipt due to currency conversion and any foreign transaction fees added by your bank.

To verify the charge, start by checking your calendar, travel history, and messages for the day of the transaction—especially if you were in or around London. Look for card receipts, email confirmations from your bank, or photos/messages from the night out that mention The Ship or show the pub. You can also search for “The Ship pub” plus “London” in maps, then call or email the venue you believe you visited; most pubs can confirm the date, time, and amount if you provide the last 4 digits of your card and the exact charge. If you still don’t recognise the transaction, contact your bank or card issuer, as they can provide additional details and, if necessary, help you dispute or block the charge.

Bank Statement Variations

1 known variations

These are the raw merchant codes that appear on bank and credit card statements that we've identified as belonging to The Ship.

  1. SHIP LONDON GBR

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of charges from The Ship pub should I expect to see on my statement?

Most card charges from The Ship are one‑time payments for drinks and food made on the day you visited the pub. You might see a single total covering all items ordered at the bar or on a tab, sometimes including an optional 10–15% service charge. The descriptor often appears as “SHIP LONDON GBR” or a variation with the pub’s postcode or operator name.

Why is the amount from The Ship higher than the prices I remember from the menu?

The final total can be higher than individual menu prices once you include tax (VAT is built into UK menu prices), an optional service charge, and multiple rounds of drinks or shared food on a single tab. If you’re using a non‑UK card, your bank may also add foreign transaction fees or use an exchange rate that makes the US‑dollar amount look larger than the original figure in pounds. Review your itemised receipt, if you have it, to see how the total was calculated.

Does The Ship run subscriptions or recurring charges?

No—The Ship is a pub, so charges are normally one‑off payments for what you consumed on the day. You should not see a weekly or monthly subscription from this merchant. If you see repeated charges you don’t recognise on different dates, check whether multiple visits were made by you or an authorised card user, and contact your bank if the pattern suggests your card details may have been stored or misused.

Why do I see both a small pending charge and then a larger completed charge from The Ship?

Some pubs temporarily pre‑authorise a small or round‑number amount on your card when you open a bar tab to confirm the card is valid. That initial hold shows as a pending charge and is later adjusted to the final bill when you close the tab. The original authorisation should disappear from your online banking within a few days, leaving only the final settled amount; if it does not, contact your bank for assistance.

How can I contact The Ship about a billing issue or to request an itemised receipt?

Because several pubs trade as The Ship in London and elsewhere, the best approach is to match the transaction date and your movements, then search for “The Ship pub” plus the area name (for example, Soho, Borough, or City of London) in a maps app or search engine. Each location’s listing will typically show a phone number and email address; call or email the venue you visited and provide the date, approximate time, and last 4 digits of your card so they can look up your bill and resend or explain the receipt.

Can I get a refund from The Ship if I was charged incorrectly?

If you believe you were overcharged—for example, items were added in error or your card was charged twice—contact the specific Ship pub you visited as soon as possible. Pubs can usually process a partial or full refund back to the original card once they confirm the mistake, but they cannot override any currency conversion or foreign‑transaction fees charged by your bank. If the pub is unable to help or you suspect fraud, you should raise a dispute directly with your card issuer.

Why does a charge from The Ship appear a day or two after my visit?

Card payments taken at busy pubs sometimes settle a day or two after the initial authorisation, especially if you closed a tab late at night or over a weekend. In those cases, your online banking may not show the final posted transaction until the next business day. Match the posted date to the evening or trip immediately before it; if the timing aligns with a visit to London or a night out, it is likely just normal settlement timing rather than an extra charge.

How can I confirm which specific ‘The Ship’ location charged my card?

Check the full transaction details in your online banking—sometimes the descriptor includes part of the address or postcode (for example, a London district like W1, EC3, or SE1). Then cross‑reference that with map listings for pubs called The Ship in that area, and contact the most likely venue by phone or email. The staff can verify whether a transaction with that exact amount went through their till on the date shown, confirming the correct location.

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