please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Had to reassess myt view of Sandra....I was recently inbibing in the Golden Heart only to be confronted by what appeared to be quite a drunken Landlady. To my, my mate's and if I'm not mistaken the landladies daughter's embarrassment I was told I was a bully and to leave as I was barred!
It's safe to say I wasn't expecting that!! I have no idea whatsoever about what was going on and a strong urge to find out what it is she thought was going on, I won't, I will take my custom else where! Maybe I'm not trendy enough!
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I agree with other users that the service can be very slow when its busy. This pub has been run by the same couple Sandra and Dennis for many years (early 80's) and they have weathered the storm since the market closed and turned the business into a profitable concern through hard work.
I love going in there to people watch because you never know whats going to happen one minute to the next.....with all the local freaks and floppies coming in there to try and meet their heroes smelly pete Doherty et al ... makes it far more interesting than a all bar one and other shite chain pubs with their sterile, boring sameness.
its a different kind of pub .... visit it and try it out for yourself ...
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On a recent visit to this pub my friend was served a pint of lager that had a very strong metallic taste. Not uncommon I acknowledge but whenever I have had an unpleasant drink before, bar staff are always willing to change the drink.
Not here! Instead the woman behind the bar literally shouted at us and told us there was nothing wrong with it. Another member of staff appeared from the other side of the bar looking like he was about to offer an apology for his colleagues attitude.
Unfortunately not ! He told us if we didn't like the lager to get out.
If you like lager that tastes like copper and bar staff that would rather fight you than serve you a drink then this is the place for you.
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Bar service - is like something devised in the novels of the great Russian surrealists - where the main character is sent on wild goose chases and up blind alleys only to end up hours later back where he started!
Instead, I recommend the 1 ltr bottles of Budvar which can be bought at the Tesco 24hr shop a few doors along, and opened by the security guard! We did this and had a good couple of hours drinking outside. The pavement is all public highway, the barstaff can't cope - so everyone's a winner here?
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Thw wind blows hot and the wind blows cold, I really dont know what to make of this place, I've had a couple of good nights in here, other times it's so full of 'pretentious music journalist' types.
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I was in this pub only last weekend. gets quite busy and can take a while to get served; why don't these places employ more staff? great jukebox, young crowd ('til we walked in) and a friendly atmosphere.
One thing to be aware of: we were stood outside as there's little room inside, and I've never been so hassled by bums/drunks/spongers in all my life. amusing at first but soon grows tiresome. even saw stupid old pete doherty outside later, and yes, he was being hassled by the bums!
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This is a pub that really polarises opinion, judging by these reviews and the differing opinions of myself and my flatmate. My flatmate rates this pub as one of his favourites, I cannot stand the place.
The landlady (I take it her name is Sandra) and the rest of the staff are the slowest of any I have ever encountered, the atmosphere is none existent and the beer is poor (on a good day).
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was a great pub a few years ago. Now - as is always the case, it has been ravaged by pretencious wannabes. Sandra seems to like them though and tends to forget where all the custom has come from over the years. Still worth a visit, but find a more loyal publican as you local pint puller
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I live down the road from this pub and spend a lot of time and money there. The interior is great, the beer's okay, it's always lively and they show sport. The girls behind the bar are pleasant, and after going there for a year they finally know my drink! However, the landlady seems to disapprove of me, which takes the edge of things a little.
Mind you, I suppose with the amount of trade the place does she can pick and choose her clientele.
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Great pub. Sandra's alright, always been kind to me. Great juke box, often topped up by Sandra. Beer in good nick, fresh flowers everywhere and loads of silly looking wallybags to point at and discuss loudly and openly without fear of assault.
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Quite busy for a Tuesday night. It was like being on the set of a Nathan Barley shoot. Lots of daft haircuts & mad clothes.
That being said, I thought the Guiness was good & the barstaff were efficient and friendly. It had a game on as well.
No sign of the landlady which disappointed me. I was looking forward to watching her in action.
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I like the pub, good guinness!! Lots of moaning about Sandra, if you don't like it leave! Found her generally hungover but on good form. Dougie seems to keep a good pint. If you want the slug and lettuce then you know what to do, the wife and I like it!!!
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Miserable landlady, waited ages for adnams to be changed and then she says 'I'm too busy you'll av to av John Smiths'.....
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This pub had nice new plasma screens, and were showing live football from Sky Sports 1. Sadly, after spending all that money in the purchase of them, they appeared to be rather neglected, since they weren't being fed a proper widescreen picture from the Sky Digibox. I tried to speak to this "Sandra" lady, and was only told that she didn't care, and that her equipment was not going to be touched... and all presented without a genuine smile or an attempt at trying to understand the issue. Shame. Looks like stretchy-vision is going to prevail at this pub. Cross over to The Railway Tavern in Liverpool Street if you want to catch live footie and ALL of it, not just 3/4 of it. Find out more about my pub widescreen campaign at www.radiofeeds.co.uk/wide
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Trouble with this place is the clientel - obnoxious mockney types. That and the fact that the unpleasant landlady can'y be bothered keeping a decent pint makes this one to avoid.
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used to be one of the best pubs in the area, now full of typical shoreditch brigade. Landlady Sandra (whilst longstanding) has to be one of the rudest people on the face of this earth, beer is shit, pull it down.
anonymous - 23 Aug 2006 12:24 |
Nice street corner pub - can't really call it a local with all that passing trade. Intact Trumans interior in both bars, Adnams ales, and a good place to sit and watch people go by. Dog which could at first blush be mistaken for an ambulatory mop likes to sniff around.
Music was too loud for 6 of a summer afternoon though!
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Amazing! Visited here after a few years absence and it's virtually unchanged. Just what a pub used to be like in my youth. The survival of the Trumans woodwork and mirror is remarkable. Interesting customers and a highly individual landlady. Go there!
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Fine East End local with splendidly intact Trumans interior. Recommended
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The best pub in London, many drunken fun evenings.... Sandra's fantastic. Just don't be rude, then you might be in trouble. She's got the most loyal regulars in london. cheers sandra x
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Awash with Nathan Barley and his bubbleheaded mates. This was one fine boozer back in the day, before the trustafarians moved in. Still worth a visit if only to see the (almost) uniquely intact panelled Truman/Hanbury interior.
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Possibly the rudest Landlady in London. She asked me and two freinds to leave after only our second drink, as "we were quite clearly drunk". Obviously our faces did not fit with the crowd in there, and we left immediately. DO NOT BOTHER WITH THIS PUB.
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Hmmmm it's a bit scabby though , well unless they've renovated in the last decade, and the beer wasn't very cold when i was in (2002).
Stuart - 15 Jun 2004 16:38 |
Singing and dancing and laughing and drinking...Sandra's Golden Heart is a beacon of good beer and good fun on the Commercial Road. With its smashing interior, singalonga jukebox and crazy landlady, there really isn't a better pub in London. If only there were a few more pubs like this, maybe we'd all be slightly better people.
Seb - 11 Jun 2004 14:28 |
BLINKIN MARVELLOUS! Real open fire in the winter. Landlady is very charming and perfectly mad. Good range of beers, proper old Truman/Hanbury panelled interior. Love it.
Dan - 14 May 2004 11:11 |
A fantastic pub with an authentically 'local' atmosphere (despite its trendy placing) and very friendly service (although MissyMary is right about the landlady..). Apologies to Tracey for cornering her for an ART DISCUSSION when my friend and I were wasted. There's no excuse for that sort of behaviour.
K - 28 Jan 2004 13:20 |
this is the pub where you will find the original brit art crowd. i have often seen tracey emin rolling around on the pavement outside, and would also reccommend this boozer on a sunday afternoon. ferocious landlady, and well worth a visit.
missymary - 6 Jan 2004 19:20 |
