Ye Olde Cock Tavern, Fleet Street

I actually quite like this place. Not sure when Harry goes in but there is full table service every lunchtime and whilst I'm not in the area very often, when I am I choose this pub over all the others having worked nearby in a previous job and experienced them all before. The staff have always been pleasant and make my crowd very welcome. Lunch offers are good and menu and drinks list seem perfectly acceptable. Toilets are pretty grim but I come to eat and drink not pee so I can tolerate that minor down point. The managers seem to have a well balanced team with the the usual mix of Brits and foreigners who did enough to satisfy the requirements of a lunch hour. Overall food and drink were lovely although my colleague was miffed by the absence of draught cider! I'll will definately be back again.

25 Jul 2010 22:25

The Greencoat Boy, Victoria

Dear oh dear. So many people commenting on hearsay when they dont know the full facts. I was in the pub at the time so feel I am in a better position to comment than most. The Duty Manager, who I gather was the Deputy not the Manager, was reacting to a complaint made by another customer. This is his duty. He asked for a banner to be taken down as it was causing offence to another customer. The content of the banner or the group displaying the banner is irrelevent. A pub is not a place to hang banners and force your views on other people unless you have rented the pub in its entirety. This was not the case. Other people were in the pub. Personally, I wasn't bothered but some people clearly were. The Deputy asked the the group to remove the banner and they refused. He told them if it didn't come down they would not be served anymore and would have to leave. Again, this is his duty regardless of what the LGBT Labour may think. He said that had he known the group were going to be troublesome he would not have taken the booking. This has nothing to do with being homophobic. His suspension is part of the investigatory process of any HR related work dispute and in no way indicates guilt. If, of course there were things I didn't see or hear then he deserves to be treated accordingly. However, boycotting an entire pub chain because of the alleged behaviour of one individual seems to be an over reaction. Looking at their website it would appear they have several Gay venues so 'Corporate homophobia' seems unlikely. Let's wait and see what comes of the Police investigation and let things follow a natural course of events before we all jump on the bandwagon. Anyway, pub review. Not the best in the area but clean and tidy with a decent supply of food and drink. Toilets pong like all pub loos and a dimmer switch might create a better ambience. That said a pleasing night until the dramas!!!

7 Jun 2010 20:10

Ye Olde Cock Tavern, Fleet Street

Credit crunch, cheaper lunch! Nice to see a traditional pub offering occasional food offers. Table service is great idea for lunch (why not the evening?) and having pre ordered a couple of times by phone now, I have to say it makes the whole experience much more relaxing and enjoyable. New menu is great and the wine list appears to have improved as well. Decent staff, charming landlord. Only problem? It's shut for another blooming refurb!! Please update the toilets...!!

14 Feb 2009 02:57