Thought I'd tell you that my local pub (The Blacksmiths arms, Cudham) won best commercial garden out of London and Kent the last 3 years. It's always busy and we're slowly Charlton invading in that pub as their is 7 of us who drink in there lol
Yeh mate , the old Wick and the old mill went , both turned into flats as well .
A mate of mine reckoned he'd single handedly kept the Old Wick afloat for many years, but it went downhill in the end with a series of shit managers. The Old Mill was another historic building lost to the developers.
The Old Wick was originally the Rising Sun. Had the best pub garden for miles, was down below road level and looked out over fields. The last TEnant was a lady who allowed her bloke to run the place. He was big into horses and had connections with stables at the rear. He had a mouth like a sewer and used it constantly. He was in my view largely the cause of its demise.
Yeh mate , the old Wick and the old mill went , both turned into flats as well .
A mate of mine reckoned he'd single handedly kept the Old Wick afloat for many years, but it went downhill in the end with a series of shit managers. The Old Mill was another historic building lost to the developers.
The Old Wick was originally the Rising Sun. Had the best pub garden for miles, was down below road level and looked out over fields. The last TEnant was a lady who allowed her bloke to run the place. He was big into horses and had connections with stables at the rear. He had a mouth like a sewer and used it constantly. He was in my view largely the cause of its demise.
One of the last times I went in there I realised that I didn't fit in because I wasn't carrying a riding crop.
Had a couple of halves in The River Ale House this lunchtime whilst helping a mate with a business project.. Not my usual thing at all (I'm more of an over priced, over chilled, over hopped, imported from the US craft beer kind of guy), but I have to say that it was bloody excellent...I was worried the beer would be warm and that it'd be full of socks/sandals/beards etc, but actually the beer was served at a decent 'cool' (lower than room) temperature... Apart from another local father I know to say hello to and his drinking companion, all the other patrons were 'CAMRA'-types (not that that bothers me in the slightest). I did see one female customer, but otherwise fair to say that 99% of the customers were white, male, in their late 50s (and up) and possibly never going to do a park run.. No idea what it'll be like of an evening but I will be back as I really thought it was great (and decent -less than £4 a pint - prices too)... Big thumbs up.
For those in SE10 who aren't aware, it's another 'Brewers Market' in the market tonight from 6.30...5 or 6 local/London breweries, food, music and chat....went to the last one and it was ace..possibly down there again this evening for more 'research'... https://londonbrewersmarket.com/
Drove past the Holly Tree tonight (Lewisham/Hither Green) - windows and doors all boarded up. Don't know the circumstances, it's shut before and reopened. Hope it returns - one of the last examples in Lewisham of what pubs were like before gentrification.
Drove past the Holly Tree tonight (Lewisham/Hither Green) - windows and doors all boarded up. Don't know the circumstances, it's shut before and reopened. Hope it returns - one of the last examples in Lewisham of what pubs were like before gentrification.
It shut last week for good, my mates band played the closing night. Being developed for residential.
Seriously though, in 10 years time there won't be any 'corner pubs' like the Holly Tree left as the current fashion and cost leads the millenials not to drink as much.
In thirty years time the pendulum may swing (I doubt it) but if it does these historic watering holes will be gone.
New bars and micro breweries will pop up but with no disrespect to The Long Pond and The Hoppers Hut and such like, you could be in the US or Australia.
I don't think you'd find anything like The Long Pond in the US, Australia or anywhere apart from England.
I share your pain. I grew up drinking in good old fashioned boozers but the amalgamation of the big breweries and then these new companies selling off their pubs to pubcos is the main reason behind the demise of the great British boozer. Beer quality from the mid 90's to early 2000's dropped significantly. So much so that people got so fed up they started brewing themselves and now we find ourselves with a revolution in brewing but no pubs to sell it. That's why people like me have opened their own pub, it's a natural progression from all the new breweries. You cannot however just make a "traditional pub" appear. So me and others have opened places to serve good beer, they are all different but mine is not like an American or Aussie bar, our snug is as traditional as you can get. We serve beer in the traditional way, we serve food in the traditional way and we keep traditional hours. I don't call my place a micropub, I really don't like that label. We are classified as a Public House, and I describe us as a Traditional Ale House. All the pubs I drank in from 1982-2000 have either gone or are a pale imitation of their once glorious days and sadly, they ain't coming back.
I hate this thread, it's like my culture is being abused.
Unfortunately a lot of pubs did themselves no favours. I particularly miss wading through piss, microwaved pies and the good chance of getting glassed at 11 o clock.
I hate this thread, it's like my culture is being abused.
Unfortunately a lot of pubs did themselves no favours. I particularly miss wading through piss, microwaved pies and the good chance of getting glassed at 11 o clock.
Sigh.......thems were the days......nowt like a good old fashioned 11.00 o'clock Friday night glassing to set you up for the weekend.
I hate this thread, it's like my culture is being abused.
Unfortunately a lot of pubs did themselves no favours. I particularly miss wading through piss, microwaved pies and the good chance of getting glassed at 11 o clock.
Lol. Many a true word spoken in jest. Smoking restrictions and the emergence of top quality cheap supermarket bottled Ales and wines (which you can drink at home with friends without the distraction of queuing, off beer or loud arseholes) has also contributed. I spent most of my late teens and 20's in pubs and it upsets me to see so many favourite old haunts disappearing. But the truth of the matter is I have barely set foot in a pub for over 25 years
In thirty years time the pendulum may swing (I doubt it) but if it does these historic watering holes will be gone.
Many of these pubs gave a bit of colour and character to their surroundings, especially the historic buildings of which we've already lost so many. They've been replaced by a bland functional development - or even the existing building converted to flats but stripped of much of it's architectural value.
Secondly, many of these pubs provided a community hub - okay, perhaps some were real spit and sawdust joints and best assigned to the memory, but others were the place where people in the area got to know each other. Villages have been particularly hard hit by pub closures, and often there really is no place to meet up for miles, to the detriment of community life.
In a football scenario, imagine going to a game where there's no pub for pre-match drinks with your mates - only a sterile clubhouse at the ground where you pay £5 to get in and drink overpriced piss in plastic glasses. Does this really have to be the future?
I hate this thread, it's like my culture is being abused.
Unfortunately a lot of pubs did themselves no favours. I particularly miss wading through piss, microwaved pies and the good chance of getting glassed at 11 o clock.
In view of the fact you ain't had a beer for fuck knows how long, I am surprised you miss it.
Drove past the Holly Tree tonight (Lewisham/Hither Green) - windows and doors all boarded up. Don't know the circumstances, it's shut before and reopened. Hope it returns - one of the last examples in Lewisham of what pubs were like before gentrification.
It shut last week for good, my mates band played the closing night. Being developed for residential.
Quite amazing to think I never set foot in the place......yeah, come to think of it, I just can't think why.
I hate this thread, it's like my culture is being abused.
Unfortunately a lot of pubs did themselves no favours. I particularly miss wading through piss, microwaved pies and the good chance of getting glassed at 11 o clock.
In view of the fact you ain't had a beer for fuck knows how long, I am surprised you miss it.
oh i do, smoking 20 kensitas and waking up wearing a kebab were a couple of the other joys.
drinking out now has got v pricey, was in the thameside inn on saturday for the chelsea match granted its a tourist trap, but 3 bottles of sol and a bottle of Maisel's Weisse was £21.75
extortionate price i think for a granted nice smoking area but a pub with v little character apart from american quaffing london pride.
Apparently what was The Crown in Court Yard, Eltham has applied to reopen as a liscensed premises called The Rusty Bucket. Not sure who is behind it.
They're a pizza company aren't they? Planning already in to develop the upstairs into flats.
Not sure about pizza company. Last I heard was greene king? were retaining it with a view to develop upstairs into flats and wait to see what was going to open on the grove marketplace development before deciding what to do with ground floor.
30-40 years ago drinking in a pub was pretty much the 'night out'. Then maybe a Chinese or Indian afterwards. I spent most of my formative years drinking in pretty much every pub in Woolwich/Charlton/Greenwich and playing league darts. That's not really attractive to the generations that followed mine.
Now, apart from the odd session with mates, I tend to use pubs as restaurants. The first tick box on our list when we bought our current house was 'walking distance to a nice pub that did good food' - and beer of course, I have no complaints with Robinsons. The rest of the time I tend to drink at home.
The traditional boozer is dying, never to return I fear.
Try The Dacre Arms.....sandwiched in the back streets between Lee High Road and Belmont Hill......it’s at the Blackheath end of Belmont Hill. A little gem!
Try The Dacre Arms.....sandwiched in the back streets between Lee High Road and Belmont Hill......it’s at the Blackheath end of Belmont Hill. A little gem!
Was.
Not the same since Terry passed away.
True.......but still a lovely traditional pub with a nice friendly atmosphere and normally sensible easy going clientele.
Re. The River Ale House - Funny how public houses are closing at the rate of knots, but these real ale pubs in shops are springing up. They remind me of the Irish bars over NW London. Is it because pubs are worth more to the developers and disused shops are cheaper to get hold of and convert?
Drove past the Holly Tree tonight (Lewisham/Hither Green) - windows and doors all boarded up. Don't know the circumstances, it's shut before and reopened. Hope it returns - one of the last examples in Lewisham of what pubs were like before gentrification.
It shut last week for good, my mates band played the closing night. Being developed for residential.
30-40 years ago drinking in a pub was pretty much the 'night out'. Then maybe a Chinese or Indian afterwards. I spent most of my formative years drinking in pretty much every pub in Woolwich/Charlton/Greenwich and playing league darts. That's not really attractive to the generations that followed mine.
Now, apart from the odd session with mates, I tend to use pubs as restaurants. The first tick box on our list when we bought our current house was 'walking distance to a nice pub that did good food' - and beer of course, I have no complaints with Robinsons. The rest of the time I tend to drink at home.
The traditional boozer is dying, never to return I fear.
I find this very sad and I fear you are right. There are so many good things about good pubs which means we should try and keep them alive. Apart from being the best place to drink beer (it's never going to taste as good out of a can or a bottle), it's the hub of the community - somewhere all generations can meet and chat. Somewhere you can go to escape from the daily grind.
Why are they in trouble? A lot of it is down to the fact that drinks just cost too much these days - why? Is it greedy landlords, greedy brewers or the taxman making the beer too expensive? The smoking ban had an impact and, before that, the drink driving laws.
I'd add to that that, despite what the politicians tell us and despite what they may promise, young people (well, people of all ages really) don't have the spare cash to spend at the pub - we all have debts and housing is so expensive, whether you rent or buy.
The big pubcos made a mistake (in my view) when they started trying to target pubs at certain groups of people - sports bars, for example, rather than trying to make them open for everyone. This is what's so great about the new micropubs - they're mainly in the business of selling you a good drink at a good price with no frills.
Comments
For those in SE10 who aren't aware, it's another 'Brewers Market' in the market tonight from 6.30...5 or 6 local/London breweries, food, music and chat....went to the last one and it was ace..possibly down there again this evening for more 'research'... https://londonbrewersmarket.com/
Cheers!
In thirty years time the pendulum may swing (I doubt it) but if it does these historic watering holes will be gone.
New bars and micro breweries will pop up but with no disrespect to The Long Pond and The Hoppers Hut and such like, you could be in the US or Australia.
I share your pain. I grew up drinking in good old fashioned boozers but the amalgamation of the big breweries and then these new companies selling off their pubs to pubcos is the main reason behind the demise of the great British boozer. Beer quality from the mid 90's to early 2000's dropped significantly. So much so that people got so fed up they started brewing themselves and now we find ourselves with a revolution in brewing but no pubs to sell it. That's why people like me have opened their own pub, it's a natural progression from all the new breweries. You cannot however just make a "traditional pub" appear. So me and others have opened places to serve good beer, they are all different but mine is not like an American or Aussie bar, our snug is as traditional as you can get. We serve beer in the traditional way, we serve food in the traditional way and we keep traditional hours. I don't call my place a micropub, I really don't like that label. We are classified as a Public House, and I describe us as a Traditional Ale House.
All the pubs I drank in from 1982-2000 have either gone or are a pale imitation of their once glorious days and sadly, they ain't coming back.
It's just a shame more places like yours can't start up in traditional buildings that could be saved not in parades of shops.
That's the greed of landlords, pubcos and property developers I guess. And the councils who want flats flats flats.
Many a true word spoken in jest.
Smoking restrictions and the emergence of top quality cheap supermarket bottled Ales and wines (which you can drink at home with friends without the distraction of queuing, off beer or loud arseholes) has also contributed.
I spent most of my late teens and 20's in pubs and it upsets me to see so many favourite old haunts disappearing.
But the truth of the matter is I have barely set foot in a pub for over 25 years
They've been replaced by a bland functional development - or even the existing building converted to flats but stripped of much of it's architectural value.
Secondly, many of these pubs provided a community hub - okay, perhaps some were real spit and sawdust joints and best assigned to the memory, but others were the place where people in the area got to know each other. Villages have been particularly hard hit by pub closures, and often there really is no place to meet up for miles, to the detriment of community life.
In a football scenario, imagine going to a game where there's no pub for pre-match drinks with your mates - only a sterile clubhouse at the ground where you pay £5 to get in and drink overpriced piss in plastic glasses. Does this really have to be the future?
Not sure who is behind it.
Expecting a high quality female clientele there !!
extortionate price i think for a granted nice smoking area but a pub with v little character apart from american quaffing london pride.
Last I heard was greene king? were retaining it with a view to develop upstairs into flats and wait to see what was going to open on the grove marketplace development before deciding what to do with ground floor.
Now, apart from the odd session with mates, I tend to use pubs as restaurants. The first tick box on our list when we bought our current house was 'walking distance to a nice pub that did good food' - and beer of course, I have no complaints with Robinsons. The rest of the time I tend to drink at home.
The traditional boozer is dying, never to return I fear.
It’s a little gem!
Not the same since Terry passed away.
somewhere all generations can meet and chat. Somewhere you can go to escape from the daily grind.
Why are they in trouble? A lot of it is down to the fact that drinks just cost too much these days - why? Is it greedy landlords, greedy brewers or the taxman making the beer too expensive? The smoking ban had an impact and, before that, the drink driving laws.
I'd add to that that, despite what the politicians tell us and despite what they may promise, young people (well, people of all ages really) don't have the spare cash to spend at the pub - we all have debts and housing is so expensive, whether you rent or buy.
The big pubcos made a mistake (in my view) when they started trying to target pubs at certain groups of people - sports bars, for example, rather than trying to make them open for everyone. This is what's so great about the new micropubs - they're mainly in the business of selling you a good drink at a good price with no frills.