Blithe Spirit, Balham

I'm feeling a bit outraged on behalf of the two posters below - and hope they both receive an apology! The only reason to go to Blithe Spirit is if you're really in need of a sit down - since it's always nearly empty you'll never have trouble finding a seat. I can't think of anywhere in Balham more lacking in any kind of atmosphere. The beer garden mentioned smells of Sainsbury's' bins in the summer - nice!

11 Dec 2007 15:54

The Abbeville, Clapham South

With reference to the post below, the assistant manager concerned has now moved on, our complaint about the issue described was dealt with more than satisfactorily by the man in charge, and we'll be going back to the Abbeville because it's a good pub.

11 Dec 2007 15:34

The Hope, Wandsworth Common

I think it's only fair to say that since my comments in April, and since the new manager took over after the summer, this pub has improved immeasurably. On recent weekly visits the clientele has grown up, thanks to the new over-21s policy, the bar staff have been polite and efficient (and adult!), the toilets have been partially done up and there's already a huge improvement, and the quiz is decent again. I can see from recent posts that not everybody has had a good experience here, but I think credit is due for the improvements that have already been made.

11 Dec 2007 15:25

The White Hart Hotel, Exeter

Good old-fashioned pub. Doesn't seem to have changed at all since I first went there at the end of the 80s, which in this case is a good thing!

9 Nov 2007 18:04

The Ship, Exeter

Pretty disappointing, looks promising from the outside but ruined inside: hideous renovations have removed all the original features, although it's not as if any renovations have happening in the last 20 years. Too many fruitmachines and other flashing lights; dodgy punters too. I was a student in Exeter 15 years ago and I don't recall it being that bad then - maybe my standards were lower. Francis Drake would turn in his grave!

9 Nov 2007 18:01

The Abbeville, Clapham South

Nice local pub. I've always found the food to be good and the staff are pleasant enough (especially the French guy).

Gets very busy especially at weekends so book if you want to go for lunch.

10 Apr 2007 16:08

The Duke of Devonshire, Balham

Nice pub, very large and a big garden at the back. The bar staff are mostly good. Downsides include the food, which is overpriced and terrible, and the drinks are expensive too.

The quiz on Monday is good, but on week nights it can be practically empty.

I have heard that it's going to close down and reopen as an Italian restaurant - just what Balham needs another of! That would be a shame.

10 Apr 2007 14:11

The Hope, Wandsworth Common

I agree with the majority of the comments below - what could be a really great pub is ruined by the majority of the bar staff: mostly incredibly slow and incompetent, and appear to spend most of their time chatting to each other and generally acting as if they are there to enjoy themselves rather than serve any drinks.

I've been going to the Hope for a couple of years now (quite often going to the quiz on a Monday night), and it's definitely gone downhill in respect of bar staff, reaching a nadir a few weeks ago when I took part in what is without a doubt the worst pub quiz I have ever come across. The 'quiz master' acted like a 13-year-old throughout, including constantly asking competitors to buy him a drink, although he had obviously had a few too many already - in fact one of his colleagues admitted that he was drunk before the start of the quiz. The whole thing was excruciatingly embarrassing, and one of my friends commented that it was what it would be like if there had been a pub quiz in Lord of the Flies.

Also, the state of the lavatories, as commented on below, is atrocious and gets worse.

I'd be interested to know whether the manager or landlord spends much time there in the evenings and is aware of what's happening to this pub.

10 Apr 2007 13:50