please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Didn't spot any hand-pulled when we looked in, so we didn't stay.
However, earlier comments still seem applicable.
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What a hole this place is!!
Very local clientele, 2 manic bar maids, sticky floor, bar and tables.
Extremely strong stench of food…burgers to be precise and barely drinkable pints of Brockley Breweries Pale Ale on tap.
Now I know why I past this pub and never go in, this was my first visit for over 5 years and will probably be another 5 years before I return again.
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Close to Denmark hill station and also has bus stop outside so very convenient.
I had seen Brockley Brewery pale ale being advertised so was tempted in and good news it was on and reasonable £3.50 per pint, however served in a Guinness glass and unusually cloudy, tasted ok though.
First visit and pub trying hard, food ranges from Tapas to Sunday roast.
Offers on cocktails and all sorts using it.
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A friend and I tried to go here for lunch during work. She experienced excellent service the day before, where a member of staff made a quick lunch for her to have in her 30 minute lunch break.
However, during our visit, the staff member who tended to us was quite rude, unapproachable and unapologetic. We ended up not eating at all. I wish I hadn't even bought drinks in there from the experience we had. Not going to be going there again!
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Very pleasant, friendly, comfortable pub. A tad chain-like in feel, and dull beer choice (why, with two pumps offer two samey beers, Pride & Doom?) though.
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As a local resident the frequency of recent managers has been a pain in the backside. That said the latest manager seems to have his head screwed on. The place looks a hell of a lot better than it did previously due in part to the amounts of money invested in the place over the past two years. Prices have been raised but still cheaper than a couple of the alternatives in the area. The wine list has literally tripled in size and there are good smells coming from the kitchen. Pity a lot of the buzz has gone from the place, no matter how many beers were off in previous years there was always a good crowd around the pub. I think all it needs is to get the atmosphere back.
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Not another owner! This pub has changed hands five or six times in the last two years, what a disgrace. I live in the area I used to go in this pub two or three times a week, it has a great wine list and it used to be packed. I went back in on Friday only to see some big gruff Irishman (nothing against the Irish) who so obviously doesn�t have a clue what he�s doing. �GET A GRIP WILL YOU� this pub for years (2000 till around 2008) was a great place to go now it�s just an embarrassment. I won�t be going back until someone who knows what they are doing takes it back over.
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I have only visited this pub once, and while it was okay with a few customers in, I won't be rushing back. However the food does look good, so there might be a light at the end of the tunnel
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As far as 'Petey p' is concerned, I rest my case. What a moron.
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check my post 'enlightened' from 2 april, you will soon realise that you are a) repeating yourself and b ) that i know nothing of the old landlord........i do not care 2 hoots for whoever it was - but your post is worrying - are you still taking the pills or has senile dementia taken hold of you ?
sorry but this is still a cr@p boozer, whatever enlightened thinks and hwoever much moneys been trhwon at it
the end
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Obviously 'petey p' is one of the moronic foul mouthed cretins that the previous landlord used to attract as kindred spirits.
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What a cock you are enlightened ! Who care's about the old tenant . Apart from you . . Sad
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This pub now is exactly as it should be. CLEAN, welcoming and friendly with a great atmosphere, great food and drinks and licensees who are prepared to work at it instead of falling around having sampled too much of their own merchandise.
To be fair, Corbett did provide increased security to the bar staff but only by blocking the bar flap with his beer belly to keep himself upright.
This pub WILL succeed and I wish the 'new' people every success. Unlike some toehrs, they certainly deserve it.
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I can kind of understand why idiots like "Petey" try and bullcrap about Steve Corbetts' previous 'success' in running this pub. The fact is that being such a dirty little creep, he was lucky not to get shut down by environmental health.
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An EXCELLENT pub now and I agree with the Sunday lunch, the best in the area by a Country mile. I had a few pints of Otter last week and it's beautifully kept, well worth a visit just for that. VERY well done to the new people.
I'm quite touched by the loyal support for the previous landlord Steve Corbett who single handedly turned this pub into a health hazard as detailed by the interim manager. Other than being a singularly unintelligent grotty little man with the hygiene standards of a sewer rat, the guy has as much idea how to run a pub as I do neuro-surgery.
Gone from the trade hopefully never to return.
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Great pub, now its been refurbished again. This time they've done it right and made it look really good, with sofa's at the front which, will be prime position during the world cup and the summer when all the doors are open. Older style furniture and some re-decoration have brought it back to what it used to look like before the intervening management comany got hold of it.
The food is far better now, particularly the sunday lunch, which i had the other week and they now serve gravity poured ale straight from the barrell !
This is a pub really worth going to now and is one i'd recomend you visit if you're in the area.
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As the new Manager of The George Canning, it would be great to see what people think of the premesis NOW.
I'm not one for looking back. Only forward. We are near the end of our re-furb and hope to have injected some of the character and pub feeling back into the place.
We now have firkins on the back of the bar with some great real ales like Doom Bar and Otter Ale. With Summer Lightening and 6X on the way.
Hope to see you soon!
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Enlightened and Delirious:
Some excellent reviews by the pair of you. Clearly intelligent and clearly with a grasp of reality.
Steve is a friend of mine and a friend of many who had the pleasure of drinking in his bar. No one is perfect and he could have done things differently, or better. I'm sure he would also agree. Your comments about cleanliness are extremely misguided.
I wish the next tenant the best of luck and hope they don't have the pleasure of serving you too often. I have the strange feeling i've met one of you before during your days as intermediate landlord of the GC. Bit soul-less for me when you ran it so I drank elsewhere.
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Interesting PM. Enlightened is a chap called Chris Roberts who hates the fair pint campaigners apparently and uses different aliases to smear those he dislikes and does it on 'morning advertiser' webpage too. What a sad sad individual. Chris - go get a life.
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Very well done is the last comment i would offer to someone who has parted with hard earned cash and poured it into a pubco's pockets. Very very stupid is slightly more apt ! Its a mugs game unless you have alot of � and experience or a brand / reputation. ( eg : capitol pub Co or antic ltd )
No enlightened , you are still obviuosley a silly old fool as i am not one of the moronic foul mouthed cretins - my first visit was after my last posting. Never knew the previuos landlord, tho you clearly have a pesronal grudge against him judging by your posts you pathetic aloof fool
we have the pheonix, the sun and doves, the silver buckel will soon reopen as the tiger and that's within 1 mile radius. Clearly certain people have no grasp on the local market nor distances. 5 miles and that covers east dulwich and brixton too !
the GC will yet again become a smeared blot on the landsacpe for loosers like enlightened to go and er , be enlightened.. within an empty pub. Great - morons like him stay in one place !
enlightened - if you want to counter me with more childish remarks may i suggest you PM me you idiot !
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Obviously 'petey p' is one of the moronic foul mouthed cretins that the previous landlord used to attract as kindred spirits.
The fact is that there's nowhere better than the GC within a 5 mile radius and it's risen from the ashes of the dirty stinking filthy dive it was before this new guy took over. Very well done.
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This pub ROCKS now, I LOVE IT !!
AND now I don't have to wipe my feet on the way out. now the bad smell isn't the landlord any more.
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The true indictment of the previous landlord of this place ( remember the one who blamed everything but himself ) comes from the Morning Advertiser and the the guy now running the George Canning.
"The �140K investment put into the George Canning was not just to upgrade the premises, a large proportion was spent on the removal of accumulated rubbish, the fumigation of rooms that were a disgrace, the in depth cleaning of a disgusting kitchen, all work that would not have needed doing if the previous landlord had any acceptable standards of cleanliness. I must emphasise that not all pubs that go under are like the ones that I have been involved with, but most are, and they are also the ones that groan the most. Come on, just admit that it's not what you expected and you thought it would be a case of opening the doors and custom would just materialise from the ether. You have to be 101% committed to have a chance of success and respect from your customers. "
And you people used to EAT in this place !!???
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The place is ROCKING now, excellent place to go, best in the area by a LONG way.
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It's a cool kind of place now with atmosphere rather than the miasma it used to have. If you're looking for a bit of privacy, beware of some scruffy looking erk with staring eyes taking photos of everyone. Word has it that he's the neighbourhood stalker. Obviously Care in the Community is failing these days.
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Visited again recently and the transformation is astonishing. The place is clean, excellent food and coffee and that damned smell has gone at long last, can't remember what his name was though. The brewery obviously spent a lot of money on the place, most of it must have been on fumigating and delousing it.
Worth a look now.
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Great to see that this pub will soon be under new management. Hopefully the successor to the incompetent fool who was running it will have a better appreciation of what customers require from a pub. Clean toilets will be an excellent start.
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Overpriced, and smelly. Avoid.
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Beer seems OK to me, although I'm not a beeranado.
Problem is the dodgy ventilation. The place always reeks of stale chip fat, everywhere. The girlfriend won't go in now, which is a pity as I have nice memories of the place.
Nice bar staff and mood, clean up the smell though please. Slightly cheaper food and drinks would be nice too
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A strange pub this one... seems to be suffering from an identity crisis; is it a gastropub, or is it trying to be a good ol' boozer of old? The landlord tries to cater to everyone's tastes which is a bit pointless; if you're going to show football you may as well have the sound on rather forcing the regular clientele to listen to the whining drivel of katie melua from someones ipod. The guiness is woeful and only a limited selection of the usual beers; london pride, peroni, etc. I did however, enjoy this pub despite its shortcomings as the bar staff are more welcoming than any other pub in the area and don't quite deserve the vitriol of other comments.
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Used to be a favorite of mine, a fantastic Sunday roast, and other food is pretty decent too. It could be a bit hit and miss though, if the chef was away and what not.
Food service was never that great though, they had no way of marking where you were sitting and you could forget ordering multiple courses - there always seemed to be confusion over when they would bring your desert (did you have to ask for it? did they just bring it when you had finished?).
Unfortunately the management changed and the prices rocketed, expect to pay �3.50 for a Strongbow. There is a good selection of wine, although that's where the selection ends. No good ales or cider.
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Good generally - only problem seems to be ability to fulfill food orders. This evening we had to wait over 35 minutes to be served our burger and chips (hardly haute cuisine!)
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great pub with a great atmosphere. excellent selection of wines. staff need training though
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Great Bar
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Visited the pub on Saturday and was very disappointed. We ordered food and drinks. One of the glasses we got our drink in was disgusting, with some sort of red stuff around the rim. The food was average, but the condiment containers were also covered in filth. I also looked at the kitchen on the way to the toilets, it was also disgusting. Surprisingly the toilet was also in a state.
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'S'alright I suppose. Food quite good, although has gone off a bit in recent couple of years. Steaks not so large or juicy, smaller menu etc. But still a nice joint.
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Yo ste,
You should have gone to spec savers!
Apart from that great pub, servive, drinks and crowd.
Keep up the good work
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Seems to have improved recently with new menu and more attentive staff. Worth a visit if you're in the area
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nice new lights.....very bishop-esque
anonymous - 19 Dec 2006 10:13 |
London Pride was served well. Food is a mixed bag: my steak sandwich was excellent but one of my companions' had a burnt burger. Board games and a pleasant atmosphere made me feel like I could spend the rest of the afternoon here but unfortunately we had to return to work (well, by 'work', obviously I mean procrastinating and writing this review). (6/10)
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Generally ok if you're here for the beer. In my opinion food and wine are rip offs
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Looks like the George Canning's owner/ manager / staff member / PR company wrote the last review...
On a recent visit after a month or so I do think it has improved, the staff were much more attentive and competent and the general atmosphere was better. The menu also looked like it had been renewed and made more extensive - although I didnt eat it looked good on the surrounding tables.
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The George Canning is an excellent pub. For a South London pub, the clientel are generally a very good crowd. The Canning makes for a good night out. The bar staff are friendly, and in my experience generally efficient. The food at the Canning has always been good as far as i am concerned - I have heard recently that the chef that they had there earlier in the year (whois excellent) is back - He has plans for a modern british menu for the Canning- Can't wait to see what it is. This place just keeps getting better.There are also rumours of a refurbishment soon.
The Canning is definitely worth a visit- the best bar in Camberwell and denmark hill by far.
anonymous - 17 Nov 2006 10:43 |
withnail - cool your boots man! the canning's quality.. what you describe as a "poor range of beers" is perfectly adequate.. what are you expecting, the Munich BeerFest? food is not overexpensive for the locale.
was there all throughout the weekend, had a great time. there was a bit of aggro on Saturday night but you can get that anywhere - the geezer looked like he should quit drinking
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This is my local and I feel some loyalty towards it...But I can’t help agreeing that the bar staff operate on the wrong side of useless.
Last night, the bar girl repeatedly put soda in the gin and tonics, didn’t bother apologising and tried to charge for the replacement drinks. There were all of a dozen customers in the place and serving them seemed beyond her control. The staff really do let this place down.
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Food bad all round on a recent Sunday visit - expensive, nothing special and took over 30 minutes to arrive. They appeared to be having a 'barbecue' as well (even though they have no outside space to speak of) which punters were even more disappointed by. Bar staff, whilst pretty, seemed unable to cope with the lunchtime rush whilst bar manager/landlord seemed to want to stand around drinking
Oh dear seems to have let itself go...
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Well below parr food - if you're going to pitch yourself as a gastro pub (with attendant pricing) then get a proper kitchen (otherwise stick with the beer nuts!). Beer selection is poor and staff are worse. In a perfect world this place would have gone out of business within a week of opening.
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Good for a roasting on Sundays! Great range of meats and vegetables and not too pricey. Staff do seem a bit slow and the bar maid had to reject several wine glasses before finding one that was acceptable. In terms of staff and atmosphere it used to be better but not too bad now
anonymous - 18 May 2006 23:41 |
Lovely pub, perfect for a post pub summer's evening. A lot of rework done over the last few months with the menu, which is now much more sensibly priced and better quality.
Good friendly bar staff, they may appear slow if you're the type who wafts 50 pound notes form the third row back in all-bar-one whilst pretending to now what seling short means, but for god's sake just relax, enjoy the atmosphere and make friends with the staff. locals and the resident drunk woman, who sadly seems to have her drinking largely under control these days.
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Nice enough pub, and good to sit outside in the warmer weather - but flipping heck - the bar staff are about as rapid as a just-salted-slug.
I've been in there a few times, and each time it's taken an age to get served. Frustrating.
eelio - 16 May 2006 11:50 |
tough pub quiz made all the tougher by the fact that the answers are often incorrect.
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Now has free wireless internet
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Open late which is good
anonymous - 28 Mar 2006 14:13 |
I dont think we can criticise for choosing not to open in the holiday period (or any day for that matter) - pub staff deserve holidays too and ultimately they will suffer with the reduced takings.
anonymous - 22 Jan 2006 00:13 |
Its gone down in my estimation now. I can understand not opening on christmas day, but not being bothered to open for a couple of hours on boxing day evening is not good enough. Me and my friends will now make the extra effort and walk round to the Phoenix.
anonymous - 27 Dec 2005 11:31 |
On the bus the other day I overhead the Canning's resident drunk woman sympathising with the vicitms of hurricane Katrina...... "yea i remember when I went to Los Angeles...". Tremendous stuff!
Good little boozer this blighted for a period by London's surliest bar crew but now under new management
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Only just got round to drinking here after two years in the area. Found it to be a nice relaxing pub with a friendly manager. Food on the one occasion I tried was very good. I will definately be drinking here more often.
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Great pub for weekend drinks, but the food isn't great. Like the squishy sofas.
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I was actually very impressed with this - bank holiday weekend visiting a friend in Camberwell I had a great time - food and wine v good and the extra hours opening very civilised.
Tamsin
anonymous - 3 May 2005 13:28 |
Yeah know what you mean about the drunk woman (see previous comment)- she sometimes gets rather chatty especially if you're a bloke under 50. She certainly makes a lot of noise on occasions.
In my experience she seems to be there from early evening to 9pm only so you are safe if you come in earlier, later or at the weekend.
At these times the pub is great especially in summer when you can watch the world (or at least the buses) go by sitting outside with a pint.
anonymous - 3 May 2005 00:55 |
This place ROCKS - good beer, generally good food and an interesting collections of regulars including resident drunk woman.
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I too felt a bit let down at Christmas here but generally is good pub, with the Phoenix improved its always a a hard choice between the two.
anonymous - 7 Apr 2005 17:45 |
Let itself go a bit recently; the revitalised Phoenix seems to be taking lots of its customers.
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Great when the weather's a bit nicer for a glass of wine outside after work. Food's pretty expensive though and nothing to write home about.
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Friendly staff but two major problems from my last visit. They were cooking steak or something over a hotplate with seemingly no ventilation, so it was wafting all over me. Came to work this morning and realised my top stinks of fat. Lovely.
No non smoking area, feel very sorry for the staff. Wont be my choice of pubs again.
anonymous - 17 Dec 2004 09:28 |
I think this place is the nicest in Camberwell to sit and talk with friends, whether at a table, on the sofas or sitting outside. Really cool atmosphere and nice staff.
Barney - 30 Jul 2004 13:59 |
Quiz night Tuesdays
anonymous - 20 Jul 2004 13:27 |
this hole's a joke. the food's farcically priced, the beer selection requires urgent review as do the creaky floor boards and the beer garden carries little privacy from the passing traffic. time for a rethink.
Stan - 22 Jun 2004 17:40 |
...that bank holiday monday, in the comfort of the Canning, she took me so much by surprise and for twenty minutes or so I was somewhere else but did nothing. A familiar story. Ho Hum!
Spudster - 2 Jun 2004 12:27 |
Oh,did i mention there is a great owner duo as well...?
Angie - 21 May 2004 14:32 |
Excellent pub - great atmosphere, friendly staff and plenty of room. Excellent place to come for a pint after work or with a larger group of friends. A must if you are in the area.
Jack - 20 May 2004 16:28 |
My local with a lovely management duo and a friendly staff;great food,nice wines...The Canning is the BEST if you are not barred.
Angie - 20 May 2004 11:20 |
The Canning. A well run establishment with top food and an ever expanding wine list. Try the rose while basking in the sunshine outside.
The staff are all lovely, especially 'Jenny from the block' who has the golden smile.
Daniel - 17 May 2004 14:59 |
A great place to while away the hours. The management duo and barstaff alike are extremely friendly and the overall feel is most convivial. The menu's wide-ranging and the food good although a tad over priced. Also enjoy the quiz nights (every Tuesday). Needless to say, I like this one.
Spudster - 14 May 2004 11:47 |
Great bar - good atmosphere, but staff can be a bit moody and you sadly always leave smelling of fried food. Sort out the extraction!
Belle - 22 Apr 2004 15:13 |
I love this place! Come there so much I've become friends with the staff and owners.... Which is all very great people. Great wines, great food. The best in Camberwell!
Live - 13 Apr 2004 18:30 |
This used to be such a dive, you had to walk through the mens toilets to get to the pool table area and it had a couple of freaks who ran it. Since it's been refurbished it is now a great pub and one of the best in Denmark Hill
Craig - 2 Apr 2004 16:12 |
Yeah I know the woman you mean Jeremy (see comment below mine)...she used to frequent the Pheonix before the Canning got refurbished. The Canning is cosy, good food and had a nice refurb. Not too pretentious either. Friendly staff. Bit pricey though. �4-50 for a pint of Hoeggarden (or however you spell it). You need to be pissed BEFORE you go in to pay that!
Parsnip - 19 Jan 2004 15:49 |
As the others say a good combination of local, going out and chilling pub - really fro all occasions. The best in Camberwell/ D Hill area I would suggest. Particular highlight is woman who sits at the far end of the bar on the right hand side who seems to be there every night - good old drunk woman!
Jeremy - 30 Dec 2003 22:15 |
Come on BITE team get round to Camberwell and give it the full treatment - a very very nice local pub suitable for all occasions and also it turns out a good celebrity spotting venue...
Jim - 1 Dec 2003 16:10 |
My local, I'm in there two or three nights a week; as Simon says good combination of traditional and modern. Good food, good drinks and decent real ales. Other highlights include quiz on Tuesdays, cash machine, candles on the tables to play with and a selection of newspapers - ideal for reading the sunday News of the World and similar without having to buy them!
Katie - 31 Oct 2003 13:54 |
Such a nice location. Loved the decor and ambiance. The food was Superb!! Great value for money. Sexy Barman, Chris was a hit with everyone. A very classy guy. Will definantly visit again.
Sarah - 29 Jun 2003 23:45 |
Very good combination of neigbourhood pub and trendy bar which attracts mixed crowd. Good ambiance, great food, great range of wines, great bar staff. And open till midnight Fridays and Saturdays!
Simon - 27 May 2003 14:24 |
