The George, Croydon

Wow, that rebuff kinda takes patronising to another level doesn't it Slerpy? I guess I stand corrected.

I'll try and be brief so as you get to the finer points this time, but obviously us average bunch of well bathed 30/40 something females & males need to spread our net wider if we're to see that The George is actually the most successful pub in Croydon, who'd have thought?

We only really normally go to either The Oval, The Dog & Bull, The Standard, The Green Dragon, The Ship, The Tamworth Arms, Davey's Wine Bar, The Black Sheep, The Porter & Sorter, The Gun, The Spreadeagle, The Crown & Pepper, The Scream Lounge, The Skylark, The Swan & Sugarloaf and four or five more which I'm afraid I'm so clueless and unseasoned as a reviewer as to actually remember the names of off the bat, but all of which I'm afraid to report one more time if you're still reading Slerpy, haven't had bar staff that have verbally abused me for asking a simple question about bar policy, oh, and the place was practically empty as far as it's popularity went on this occasion.

You may also want to address some of the other things I've written about that we've seen there and defend them with the same unbiased level headedness too, you're presumably not or never have been a manager of anywhere that deals with the general public would I be right in thinking?

I take it also that everyone else in the thread who mentions it is also talking hokum about the rudeness and ineffectiveness of the staff at The George?

Finally, I applaud your constant one-upmanship in replying to every negative post about the place, it makes absolute sense that someone would spend so much time posting to the opposite if they had no interest in the place other than popping in once or twice a week for that weeks special ales.

Finally, anyone instating their patronage to the Goose On The Market after a long stint at The George has to be applauded also, it must be rather like choosing between going to fight in Afghanistan or going to fight in Iraq eh?...What hardy fellows they must be.

Thanks for your insight, but I know what's happened each time I've been there, so does everyone I've been with despite the fact you may, for all I know have been sitting next to me...Next time I'm in, I'll seek you out, the guy asleep in the corner yeah?

5 Jun 2010 23:00

The George, Croydon

I can understand Slerpy's enthusiasm about the place as it seems like a second home to him (or her) and he (or she) is either a very seasoned regular who gets to sample the evolving wares for free (hence the encyclopaedic knowledge), or indeed a Wetherspoon's PR rep (hence the encyclopaedic knowledge!)
Slerpy is also obviously in full ownership of their onions as far as beer/Ale etc is concerned, BUT it's not just about that for some of us mere mortals I'm afraid.

Having managed to go 46 years without ever being verbally abused by any member of staff in any pub I've ever been in, a 10/10 would certainly be on offer from me for the George in this department going by a recent experience.

For simply asking a question on bar policy (albeit 3 times over with a string of non committal excuses as reply) and then having to have said abuse directed at myself in full earshot of 5 friends makes me wonder if there's any proper training gone on in this place from the management in terms of customer service. At a glance, it seems not, and talking to friends and colleagues openly about it, it seems not with bells on.
It goes on, and I see I'm not alone. Looking down the thread, there's numerous mentions of bad service and in my pretty extensive experience of the place, with good reason.

I have been frequenting the place on and off for years now and have myself had many orders unfulfilled properly or inadequately without apology, this of course is when the staff actually deign to serve someone like myself who doesn't fit their personal demographic or can somehow pull themselves away from their obviously riveting chit-chats behind the bar leaving a string of angry red faces all in a line waiting hopelessly.

I've even witnessed the deliberate muting of the pub bell by a bunch of grinning staff as last orders were called and the bell wasn't heard more than a foot away from the bar, the extra work obviously a pain to them and in turn, the spike in extra revenue as last orders are called, obviously not needed by a company obviously making way enough to survive, or indeed noticed by the finance dept when the spike doesn't occur...and obviously these characters behind this are not enjoying their chosen profession for some reason.

I can understand someone going here for convenience or because it's cheap, or if they work nearby and it's convenient, but as an informed choice?...No way.

The reputation it's rapidly earning amongst my social circle is as the Croydon equivalent of the Wong-Kei Chinese restaurant in Wardour street where punters actually go willingly for that special extra rudeness factor, infact The George even goes the extra mile and opens their doors wide to let the freezing cold belt in 20 minutes prior to closing just to make sure everyone is just that little bit more uncomfortable.

A place like this can surely only survive so long in proceeding to run a business this way and if the owners are either oblivious or actually don't care about the negative aspects and put profits and circulation over manners, knowledge of product, quality of experience and common courtesy, they're barking up a very dangerous tree AND there's a whole lot of people going to be in turn oblivious to how good a pub experience can actually be if one's run well.

My advice, stay away, or go only if you're really desperate.

1 Jun 2010 12:15