Ring, Southwarkback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Used to come in here years ago on a regular basis; boxing gym up stairs, great pictures of former boxers on the wall. Incidently, looking at "Top Dog Andys" comments; Pratt!! This is the original pub, it wasn't destroyed during the war. The Ring diagonially across the way, where the new Transport for London building is now, was blown to bits in the Blitz. You can still see the bomb sprang damage on the white tiles under the railway bridge. Twit. The Ring was the home and start of modern boxing in this country 1n 1911. Sadly, if you'd visited the Ring Pub prior to the refurb, you would know this. The photos on the wall are a historical must see for anyone interested in boxing history. Sadly they were remounted a few years ago, but it was forgotten to put the details of who the boxers are? When this was pointed out to the management, the answer came back that the details were all on the rear of the frames. All screwed to the walls! Yes, it's Irish owned; enough said.
On Monday, they allowed a French film company to interview a Chinese fella right in the middle of the pub at 6.30. God knows why? Having charmless, hard faced Poles behind the bar serving, it's little wonder the Windmill or Charles Dickens are a better bet for a pleasant nights drinking.
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i went to this pub,few weeks ago,,i have never seen enything,,like the staff,rude is not the word,.toilets smelt very bad,,when i said this to the lady in the bar,.i was told thats the way it was..so i will not be back..walk down the cut and you have lovely bars ,vic bar,windmill.
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Not been in here for a while but popped in for a few beers on a Saturday afternoon. Still really like this pub and the Guinness was excellent.
Far from busy but then pubs in SE1 are generally quieter at weekends. Good service, good decor and nothing to complain about.
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been four times now and i like it a little bit more with each time, a good mix of drinkers and diners and its directly across the road from a tube so getting home sloshed was no problem, not flash like most boozers around that area and they serve hoegarden, my bangers and mash had the best tasting gravy ive ever had(sorry mum!)
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Went along to the Ring last night and found it to be a very plesant pub. OK the range of beers is a little basic however the John Smiths and Guinness were bith good. The boxing photographs are teriffic.
Food was good and well priced I thought.
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In reply to the dear anonymous (who posted on 16 Mar 2007):
You asked: "What did u say to the young lady."
Well, I summarized the conversation in my original post, so why are you asking? To summarize again, I asked if I could have a clean glass because the glass I was being given was dirty. She refused in a rude manner, and was rude throughout the rest of the conversation, and eventually began speaking over me.
You also said: "If you dont like it dont go back,no ones forcing you and its tenanacy."
(I'm not sure what the significance of "and its tenanacy" [sic] is but) I wrote in my original post: "Suffice to say, I won't ever be going back there."
So please read posts properly before commenting on them. You might think that the young lady "knows how to do her job" (perhaps YOU ARE the young lady) just because she's 'been there for four years'. However, she was rude to me. So I wrote something to that effect & posted it here, as is my right.
For an example on how to politely differ with someone's opinion or experience see Zaphod's post below yours.
Also, to a different anonymous (who posted on 5 Jun 2007):
Thanks mate, well said!
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Plenty of uniformed staff whose unexplained duties don't seem to involve serving customers, and a surprising lack of choice on the beer front too. A bit pokey inside, but there are quite a few benches outdoors if the sun is out. Close to Southwark tube station.
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thought it was avg and avg service. anonymous is prob just owner or friend of. quit ur moaning and let other people post their opinions
anonymous - 5 Jun 2007 16:27 |
Stopped in here on Saturday afternoon after disappointly finding The Charles Dickens was closed(!?), and scrambling for the nearest alternative. I was drawn to this place by the sign out front, which seems to proclaim that this place is where boxing began in 1910. Now, my previous experience with the BiTE administrators has shown me that I can't tell you the exact words that sprung to mind, so let's just say it was "Fornicating male bovine excrement" I had to look in to this claim a bit more.
There doesn't appear to be much about the history of the pub on the net, but this is what I've managed to piece together. First of all, I'm no historian, but I'm fairly certain boxing has been around much longer than 100 years......unless they meant 1910 BC, which would probably be somewhat closer. Second of all, the Luftwaffe - perhaps trying to wipe the sport off the map after Max Schmeling's pummeling by Joe Louis in 1938 - flattened the pub in WWII. I don't mean a slight grazing, I'm talking complete destruction. As a result, the current pub holds no historical value, unless you're a member of the Post-War Architectural enthusiasts club (current membership: about 3). Thirdly, historical accounts seem to indicate that the historical boxing venue (not where boxing began, just a legendary venue), was in fact across the road, where the Southwark Underground Station currently stands. Having struggled on occassion to change from Waterloo East to Southwark underground at rush hour, I'm happy to say the boxing tradition continues on the site.
So...perhaps they should change the sign to state "The Ring: A relatively new pub across the road from where boxing once took place, long after it was established"? Doesn't quite have the same ring to it.
Anyway, enough about it's bombastic historical claims. The pub itself is fairly pleasant, and what they lack in genuine history, they make up for in some interesting paraphenilia on the walls. The beer selection's not much to write home (or here) about - the only ales available are Greene King, which in my opinion any ale/pub lover should be boycotting. They do have Fruli in bottles though, which made the female contingent of the visit happy.
Overall, a fairly average pub, in an area where most of the time (bizarre closures excluded) average doesn't cut it.
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To The Dear Razorlaugh,
What did u say to the young lady.
The Young Lady you speak about has been there since the new owners took over 4 years ago
She is the manager and knows how to do her job
very well indeed as if you read the reviews there is a complaint about the toilets not the service.
Being in the trade my self its the same as the old saying u cant choose your family and for me that goes with customers you might get one out of (187200) at a rough guess of 150 customers a day over six days (yes its a proper job-we do long hours)*52 weeks*4 years.If you dont like it dont go back,no ones forcing you and its tenanacy.THE RING ROCKS AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN THERE TELLS U THAT.
anonymous - 16 Mar 2007 00:30 |
I'm suprised at Razorlaugh's experience. I've been popping in for a fast half before my train home most afternoons for the past month, and on and off for the past 3 years. The staff aren't the best but I've never had anything other than 'polite' service. Its a decent boozer but as said previously the ale selection is poor. They haven't rotated the Greene King out for over a year now. Prior to that they had a different 'guest' every few weeks. Overall, not a bad place to grab a quick drink or to meet up before heading off to another pub. Until the smoking ban, it's not a session pub for me due to the poor ventilation.
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I went to this pub recently (13 Jan 2007) & encountered the rudest barmaid ever.
I approached the bar & was wondering what to have so I made some small talk (there were no other customers waiting). She asked 'Are you OK?' (in a sarcastic way), I replied yes. She walked off in a huff to fiddle with some glasses (I was going to write 'to clean some glasses' but i haven't, see below). When she returned, I ordered a pint of Guinness. She poured it the lazy way, resting the pint on an upturned pint glass. I also noticed that the glass was dirty. I asked if i could have it in a clean glass. She replied that all the glasses were the same (rudely). I queried this. She replied that the glass-washing machine was faulty & that there was nothing she could do (rudely). She asked if i wanted the drink. I said 'Yes, but can i have it in a clean glass please?' She said 'No, you either have it like this or not at all'. So I said 'Not at all then'.
I then sat with some friends who had arrived before me & had already bought drinks. I told them what had happened, and one friend said, 'yeah, she was a bit rude to me as well'. So I went back up to her & asked to speak to the manager. She said that she was the manager (I should have known she would say that). I began to explain that I thought she had been rude, and apparently my friend thought the same; but she began talking over me. So i interrupted her and said 'Are you going to let me finish?'. She said 'No, I'm not'. So i walked back to our table. Me & my friends left after they had finished their drinks.
Suffice to say, I won't ever be going back there. And if i can be bothered, I might even complain to the brewery about how rude she was.
With dirty glasses and a rude barmaid (who claimed that she was the manager), I would AVOID this pub.
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Good pub
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Not a bad boozer although the ale selection is poor. Unless you like your London Pride, which I dont. Do some nice Thai food in there as well with a friendly waitress who served the food.
Can get crowded but then most pubs round here do and its manages it better than others.
Worth a pint or two
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Not a bad little boozer this. Mixed crowd from young and trendy to old London gangsters (at least that is how they sounded).
Only ever stopped for a quick one or two before getting on the tube but liked it.
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Plenty Of Foreign lager's. We Sat outside on one of the benches with Leffe , Fruli, and Heineken amongst others. Being the 13th and final pub of the day cannot recall 2 much else!!
My Rating 7/10
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Good pub with a laid back atmosphere and lots of black & white photos of boxers all over the walls. Only negative would be the terrible stench coming from the gents, which was truly awful.
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Good pub excelant pint
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Great pub, really good atmosphere - just slightly quirkier than the norm. The toilets need modernising somewhat.
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A great pub for a drink after work, or whenever. Gets very busy. Full of beautiful people.
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Excellent spot, excellent crowd, great theme and the foods spot on! Even serve a tasty pint of Guiness. Not many like this left.
What more could you ask for?
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Good pub - the entire place has a tendancy to smell of the gent's toilets though. By far the best pub in the area however.
robin - 5 Oct 2004 15:30 |
THAI FODD HERE IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, AND THE STAFF THAT SERVE IT ARE ACE, A BIT SMALL ON THE TOILET SIDE BUT A GREAT CHARACTER ABOUT THIS PUB, and location is fab! great pub!
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Is a good pub but staff are a bit miserable. Food is lovely, location brilliant and seating is nice too. But Food is the best part of this pub
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yes i that is me tommy tucker love this place coz i painted it and my grandfather was a boxer here its a top place in london 10 out off 10
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Serves a decent pint ! Constantly shows "classic" boxing matches on its tv screens however the crowd are surprisingly passive !!
Male toilets are TINY but its a decent spot !
breandain o cinneide - 28 May 2003 16:57 |
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