The Bridge House Tavern, Penge

Prices from Hampstead, service from Hell.

I have been living in SE20 for about 10 years now and remember first going here when it was painted red, white and blue and a bit spit-and-sawdust. It was nice enough then but a few years back it had a change of management and got a new paint job and a much needed refurb. The beer went up a bit and they started doing £8 burgers and tarting up the beer garden. Was a fairly decent pub by then and I enjoyed visiting quite regularly. The other day I noticed a new paint job and some extra plants and signs about events on the front, thought there must be another change of management. Today I was thinking of somewhere to go for some food and drink and decided to go there. Never again.

We arrived, bought a round and sat down to look at the menu. 1 and half lagers, a bitter and 3 soft drinks - £18.80. I see that food has gone up too, it’s now £12 for a burger. Unfortunately there are no burgers available this day except the vege ones. We order 1 pork belly roast, 2 vege burgers (at £12 each!) and 3 kids meals. The food is ok, but a bit meagre (e.g. 7 chips for a child portion, no salad, mayo in a paper cup etc) and somewhat overpriced for the quality. One interesting new development is that when ordering the food I am asked to provide a card to start a tab. I have never been asked to provide a deposit before when ordering food.

After finishing our food I go to the bar to settle the ‘tab’, now it really starts to go wrong. When it is my turn to be served the bartender says “Who’s next?” There are only 2 of us waiting, surely he must know? I say “I would like to settle this tab please” and hand him the tab card. 2 seconds later, after logging on to the till he says “What was the number of your tab?” Luckily I have looked at the card number and can tell him what it is. Without showing me the bill he presents me with the card reader and says “£58.60”. Thinking this still seems a bit steep I pay the bill and inspect the receipt, I find that 10% has been added for service.

Setting aside the fact that this charge is normal in restaurants but not pubs, I do understand that many establishments now tack a service charge on the bill before they give it to you. However, until now I have found that establishments that add a standard service charge are scrupulous about letting you know about this before you pay your bill.

I say to the bartender,
“You have added 10% to my bill without telling me.”
“Oh, doesn’t it say on the menu?”
I point out that it doesn’t say on the menu or anywhere else. He says
“Well that’s the way it works ‘round here.”

Annoyed already at inflated prices and more so that I have been charged without my agreement I ask him to refund the service charge. Clearly trying to embarrass me he calls loudly across the bar to his manager,
“This guy wants his service charge refunded. And it has to be done right now!”

The manager says nothing to me and starts to refund the money, I say to her,
“You really should let people know before you add on charges.”

She does not reply, but the bartender says,
“Not a tipping kind of guy, eh?”

The thing is I am a “tipping kind of guy”, but I don’t like hidden charges and I don’t like bar staff trying to embarrass me. The manager says nothing about his rudeness and I say that I will not be coming here again. The response-
“I don’t give a f*ck”

1 Jul 2013 02:01