The Phene Arms, Chelsea [Closed] - pub details
Closed
Address: 9, Phene St, London, SW3 5NY [map] [gmap]
Tel: 0871 951 1000 (ref 7573) - calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras
South Kensington (0.7 miles), Sloane Square (0.7 miles)
Battersea Park (1.2 miles), Queenstown Road Battersea (1.2 miles), West Brompton (1.3 miles)
Pub facilities/features:
- Food served
- Outside seating
> Current user rating: 3.7/10 (rated by 18 users)
other pubs nearby:
Coopers Arms, Chelsea (0.1 miles), Apartment 195, Chelsea (0.1 miles), Henry J Beans, Chelsea (0.1 miles), Cross Keys, Chelsea (0.2 miles), Pigs Ear, Chelsea (0.2 miles) - see more nearby pubs
user reviews of the Phene Arms, Chelsea
please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
5 most recent reviews of 29 shown - see all reviews
| Back in the day, this pub used to be my local and I was sorry to see it close, hence glad to find it open again. I was immediately disappointed, however, with the way it has morphed from a good old-fashioned boozer (complete with visits from George Best and Tom Baker) to a noisy, uber-trendy gastro-bar with no real ale. I have to be careful because with its evident popularity, one could say that 100 people can't be wrong but after reading some of these reviews I'm inclined to think that maybe they are wrong, after all. Fortunately there are two or three more traditional pubs around which evoke the Chelsea that we remember and love. 16jamesdoc - 21 Aug 2011 16:11 |
| The Worst Pint in London? Time is precious, and I am busy, and yet I have to write this post. This pub is so awful I cannot even begin. I have know it for many years, as a "trainee drinker" and for many years since. It was left to languish for many years empty, shortly after George Best left for good. It was re-invented about a year ago, and not the for the good. I went in last weekend and asked for a shandy - my drink of choice these days. They didn't have any cold lemonade, only in a schwepps plastic bottle - not even a squeezy tap. One of the "barmen" tried to pour some lemonade into a glass with some ice in it - which was not going to work... so I was offered some lemonade from a "bottle form the fridge - but it is going to cost a lot more...." to which I said "nuts to it - I'll have a straight pint". 2 pints of Peroni arrived without so much as an apology, only they were DOA - not a bubble in sight - �9. I said , "these are flat" - the "barman" said "...can't be - we just changed the barrel..." no apology, nothing... I made a scene and the manager appeared, and said, "oh, the gas must have run out.. we'll change it.." again no apology, as if I was making the problem.... We proceeded into the garden to be over-watched by some security, apparently to stop punters form losing the licence as residents had complained about the place. I was actually one of the people who lobbied for the pub to be saved from being turned into a house, but you know what, it no longer serves the local community, has the worst service I have come across for a very long time and am afraid that this incarnation of the Phene's wonderful history should be put to bed. Do not visit this pub on any occasion unless you are trying to pick up a serious brass, or can't bothered to travel more than a few extra yard to another pub such as the Cross Keys. Terrible!! eargloo - 9 Jun 2011 20:13 |
| What you experienced here is becoming common practice all over the UK. Thanks to New Labour's so-called "liberalisation" of the Licensing Laws which, as was the intention, let the public gain an external control over the operation of licensed premises, via local councils. A licensing regime which had functioned cheaply and efficiently since Tudor times was replaced by bureaucratic hotch-potch of Byzantine complexity and crippling expense; a potentially corrupt system whereby Local Licensing Committees, ever mindful of voter power, ever mindful of their cushy jobs, are easily bullied and intimidated by even one determined resident, or bought-off (perish the thought) by one cash-rich property developer! My view is, things will only get worse until such times as we drinkers take matters into our own hands and force a showdown. To borrow a slogan from elsewhere... Just say NO. I had a similar experience out side a pub recently. I was sitting outside a Hampstead back-street pub, quietly minding my own business, when a burly barmaid came marching up to me and ordered me back inside; it was, as she told me, a condition of the pub's license. It was 8 in the evening, the sun was still shining and the birds were still singing. I politely declined her orders. "I'm NOT going indoors, and what are you going to do about it? You can't throw me out, since I am already out. Are you going to call the police to come and throw me IN? Hmmm?" End of argument. Come on guys and gals... get organised, it has to be done! crazyhippie - 3 Jun 2011 13:54 |
| Pretty odd place this. Went for a birthday party there and really feel the need to comment on their policy regarding the outside area. It was a nice evening weatherwise and we were ouside in the courtyard. At about 8:30 a couple of blokes came round and said we'd have to go inside in 15 minutes unless we had a seat. Also from about 8:00 we were being told to keep it down. Beers had been drunk but I wouldn't say we were being that loud, and it wasn't consistent. So at 8:45 we went in, the bar was obviously packed and staff are a 50/50 mix of earnest decent barmen and utter incompetents. If you want to go outside for a smoke you have to go to a cordoned area within the courtyard yet surrender your drink inside. I went outside to the street to take a call, when I lit up I was made to stand in the smoking area. You're made to feel guitly for just perfoming basic pub activities; drinking and talking. By about 9:30/10:00 anything ouside above a whisper gets you a stern talking to. I don't know why they bother with an ouside bit in the evening. I'm not sure if it's because it's a wealthy NIMBY area or just that the management are treating their customers with contempt. Either way I won't be going back as it would only be a below average pub anyway. LSFi - 3 Jun 2011 13:00 |
| Why is this place still marked as closed its been open at least a year judging by the latest comments and bad reviews people have given it. Alesonly - 27 May 2011 10:40 |
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