please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
This has got better since it re-opened.
Nice and pleasant atmosphere, Ales were good quality, and a fair choice to be had too.
Also ate in here, food was very good, staff seemed to be youngsters as far as I could see, but had no real complaints from me.
I would say that this for a Wetherspoons is better than the others in the chain nearby.
I will use this more often if in Welling or nearby.
For me at 17:30 on a Friday, I saw none of the overcrowding mentioned in other reviews, and bar service was very good too.
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My first visit here since it reopened earlier in February after the fire last year and like the review from Zaphod I feel they have over used the space near the bar and crammed to many high tables and benches in, making the access to the bar and toilets far too overcrowded.
Saturday at 1.30pm when me and 4 pals got here and it was really busy. The bar staff were not too sure who to serve next so I just jumped in and ordered my ales, this would normally annoy me if I was waiting but the young lad really didn’t have a clue who was next!
12 hand pumps with 8 ales on, most of the choices were uninspiring but the Rockin Robin Blizzard of Oz @ 4.5% was more than drinkable.
The refurbishment is good but they have filled all of the floor space and I spent more of my hour here moving out of the way of staff going past with plates of food. A decent ‘spoons in a part of the High Street where pubs are at a premium, worth a visit but maybe when it’s not so busy.
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Rebuilt and reopened. 'spoons obviously spent a whack of insurance cash on the place. It looks great but very disappointing. A couple of visits now and a few things have become obvious.
1: beer selection and condition has gone down the pan. Once they had a good range of all types, cask, keg, and bottle. Now its the bare minimum corporate set of beers. On each visit only around 1/2 to 2/3 of the 12 hand pumps were on. What was on was in very poor condition. The bottle selection too is now minimal. Gone is the Flying Dog, Rogue, etc.
2: the layout of the bar area is idiotic. Too many tables stuffed up by the bar. Its not actually possible for someone in a wheel chair to get to the bar, disabled toilet, or the disabled lift. Most of these tables are of the high with stool variety. Again useless for a disabled person to use. Despite many complaints on their Facebook page, nothing has been done about it. "will let the architect know". Seriously, the manager can't move a couple of bloody tables around to make a clear passage.
3: staff. All new. All training. Massively slow queues for the bar. Little product knowledge. Not a clue as to serve in what order. An intelligent manager would have ensured at least 1 or 2 experienced staff would be kept around to bring the rookies up to speed, but no. Leave half a dozen kids with no experience and no manager behind the bar on a busy Thursday night. I really felt for those kids. In my case he messed up my change. It took him the best part of 5 minutes to find someone to override the till. That is unacceptable.
In the time it took to get served I could have walked down to the Plow & Harrow, ordered, drank, then stopped for a takeaway curry on the way back to the Turnpike with the bloke in front of me still trying to get served.
4: food. Usual 'spoons fare but with the bar not being able to handle the amount of customers, my last 2 meals had obviously sat under the heat lamp for quite some time. The curry developing a skin.
The most telling thing is that after 8 years I didn't recognise anyone in the bar last Thursday night. None of the old regulars have returned. They're all drinking down in the Furze Wren or the Wrong 'un, where many of the old Turnpike staff ended up.
Doubt it will make the next edition of the good beer guide.
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Burnt out but indications are it will reopen in Feb 2016. Just prior to the fire it was in the CAMRA guide to London's best beer pubs for 2015 as one of the top 5 'spoons in London. Pretty good accolade for what used to be a run of the mill 'spoons. At the end of August it had simply the best selection of real ales and craft beers of any pub in Bexley, or Greenwich.
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Reports on local news media of pub on fire.
Sounds serious and may be closed for some time.
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My first visit here for at least 10 years and it’s much better than I remember it was, it’s a lot calmer than on my last visit!
Busy at 5.45pm on a Tuesday when I came in. The International beer festival was still on and has I had been advised the pub now stocks a very good range of beers. I went for a couple of pints of Artisan Craft Beers (Evan Evans) Cluster Nut @ 4.4%
Interesting interior with a large mezzanine above you as you walk in with the bar directly in front.
Lots of staff and a few punters in as well, with most of them drinking.
A very decent ‘spoons and worthy on another visit soon.
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Probably best pub in Welling. Modern interior, beer garden too. Not a bad pub
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On entering this pub I was very impressed, good selection of drinks, friendly staff, nice surroundings. Now for the negative comments. It is a large pub and there is only one toilet situated near the back on the top floor. If you're sitting on the balcony at the front it really is quite a walk. They should definitely have more toilets. Also, I went on a Friday early evening, however it seemed to attract the wrong crowd after 8pm that night and I got the feeling the pub experiences trouble, especially at weekends. All in all, a nice place but don't think I'll make a point of returning, unless I'm in the area to begin with.
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quite impressed really this place most definately beats a couple of the other spoons i been to today (orpington and pettswood)its a very intriguing buildin as there are two different upstairs areas(front and rear)and two different beer patios on different floors YET its not a massive pub,cute friendly and fast barmaid served me ,ale nothing amazing to write about as was the remains of the last spoons beer fest on offer,7/10
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one of the best spoons ive been to, the beer is excellent quality and so is the food, 100% recommend this pub!
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Decent pub, large variety of drinks at low prices. Food is ok and in my experience has no real problem with drunks etc. Only witnessed one quiz night which was very poor but could have been a one off.
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probably one of the better pubs in south london,decent pint ,nice atomsphere
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Like all weatherspoons, the beer tastes watery (hense the low prices) the door staff, and some of the bar staff are rude and up themselves.
Another problem I have is like all weatherspoons no real community or atmosphere.
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Improved a lot over the past 2 years that I've been living in the area. It now ranks as one of the better 'spoons in SE London. My last few pints there have lived up to Cask Marque standards. The staff seem to actually like their jobs. Smiles, friendly service, what ever is happening.
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Nothing much to look at from the street, but inside it is pretty spacious (if dark) with further seating in a brighter area upstairs and a roof-top area outside. Lots of handpumps, with a decent selection of festival ales and usual suspects. My pint of Saltaire Bulldog Brown Ale was an excellent way to spend �1.79. Must be about the best pub in the area for proper beer.
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Nice pub, with cheap, halfway decent food. Themed evenings such as 'Curry Thursday'. Not tried the beer, but my other half hasn't complained about the Strongbow. My only complaint would be that they tend to leave dirty plates on tables and sometimes they can be sticky afterwards.....not the end of the world though I guess!
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is the best pub in Welling as another poster has said and that doesn't say a lot for Welling!
but all in all a decent 'spoons pub which is cheap and cheerful
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The proper name for this hostelry is The New Cross Turnpike - please remember that. It's a good 'spoons pub. Had and excellent pint, or two, of Shropshire Gold. The bar staff were pleasant and chatty and the food was very good and the service was quick.
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This place could do wth more care and attention - how hard is it to turn the pump clip around once a barrel has run out? Was eventually served a pint that was too cold in a dirty glass - ho hum.
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How the hell does this place rate a cask marquee????? Typical 'spoons, but of the 4 ales I tried all were more akin to swamp water than real ale. I don't think the lines have been cleaned since the last ice age.
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Nice, tidy pub but typical of JDW these days they spoilt the way the beer was served. The taps were designed to serve top-fill into the glass, but what do they do? They attach a pipe to the beer outlet with a sparkler screwed to the bottom, so the beer is served bottom-fill similar a swan neck and it comes up all foamy.
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Well, Old Tom, at least if the sign shows the beer is too cold, as it usually is in Wetherspoon's, you will know about it before buying one! I'm not a great fan of "Spoon's" pubs these days (they were much better a few years back) but this is one of the better ones. It's undoubtedly the best pub in Welling, but that probably says more about the other pubs than it does about this one.
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Although I have already submitted a review for this pub, (well, of sorts!) I would like to update my opinions after a visit with my girlfriend last Sunday afternoon (1st April). It was my first time in The New Cross Turnpike for probably near on a year and I would like to comment on what an excellent Wetherspoon it really is. It�s cleaner than any other branch I�ve been in, the food is better than any other I�ve been in and the staff (an opinion I�ve always had) are most efficient and friendly also. The beer patio is always seemingly well maintained (though I didn�t venture there this time) and the newish refurb has made it a little more swish. Welling isn�t renowned for top-class boozers and there is no getting away from the fact that this is till a chain pub, but its well worth a visit all the same.
PS: I�m aware my visit took place on a certain 1st day of the month, but this isn�t a belated April fool�s joke!
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Well I've seen it all now. Came in here for a quick couple on Saturday. What is that bizarre electronic sign at the end of the bar? Why, it's telling me how cold the cask beer is! Please Wetherspoons - you should be ashamed of such a crass marketing gimmick. Do you really, sincerely, think that's the thing that punters care most about? If you do, you're in the wrong industry.
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Very busy with a great atmosphere when I was in there but it was curry night. Had a great pint of Cotleigh's Buzzard. Hope to go again as soon as possible.
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Well the real ale range has gone - only the JDW regulars were on, but the Courage Best was popular and in good form, and what's wrong with Tadcaster's best ? Cleaner than you'd think.
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Went here on Saturday. What is going on in the cellar?! What is the point in having a beer festival with numerous real ales on if they're all served too bloody cold and the different tastes are completely killed? I had to warm my pint for ten minutes with my hands before it even approached the correct temperature for an ale. Come on manager, get your act together and show you know something about real ale!
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Well, it's a Wetherspoons; so don't expect music or a buzzing atmosphere. On the other hand, like all 'spoons, it's cheap and a decent place to visit for a drink or two on weeknights.
HTM69 - 26 May 2006 20:10 |
A comfortable and interesting JDW on three levels. Well, four levels actually. Circular iron staircase at the front leads up to a light and airy space overlooking the pub and ancient Watling Street. A raised level at the back is mainly used by non-smoking families for eating - and this area also has the beer garden. But this is a dark and gloomy area, and is one of the passageways to the far distant toilets. Always has a good selection of guest ales in decent condition. A slightly above average Spoon.
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It's ok in here,i mean it's cheap enougth but it's just a bit souless and boring...
I find the furnishings a bit stark and the 4 minute walk to the loo (via several stairs and doors) rather disconcerting..
Being a chain pub they also have the habit of opening the doors to chase you out in winter - charming..
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Good food and cheap drink, but you'd have more fun watching paint dry if you're after a bit of entertainment. V good for what it is
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I agree The Turnpike is the best pub in Welling, but as the cliche goes, in the kingdom of the blind the one-eyed man is king! So it doesn't mean it's good - it's ok. Beer selection has improved from a couple of years ago and it's a friendly place. A better than average Wetherspoons, so you'll like it if you like Wetherspoons. If you don't...
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Great pub, and it's the best one in Welling i reckon. Lots of good guest beers and cheep to. If you go on Monday the drinks are even cheaper!!! Top marks for the food to and the bar staff. I've been in there at varying times of the day and different days during the week, and i've never seen any trouble. Good mix of people young and old, white and ethnic. Yeah it's a 'talking' pub as i call it, but i don't mind that as my mates and i aren't conversationally challenged :P Good place to take a girfriend to :)
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cheap as chips but more life in a tramps underpants i'm afraid. often go in here for a cheap piss up before moving to another pub up the road,a good idea as you dont end up spending as much money.the food is ok depending on what you have.look out for the lonely guy sitting on a stool drinking wine from a bottle(into a glass of course),the mystery of why he's there all day makes great conversation...that's how bloody boring it is.
anonymous - 27 Jan 2005 16:48 |
The pub is great and cheap but as its a weatherspoons there aint no music or pool tables so if sittin around drinkin and talkin is ur thing then go ahead
cat - 5 May 2004 02:36 |
Very nice wetherspoon pub in Welling featuring a rooftop Beer Garden-As well as a Traditional Beer Garden out the back,also in summer the entire frontage can open up making this one of the most unique pubs which you can Drink out doors whilst being in a pub !.
Patrick Anthony Banks. - 26 Nov 2003 18:45 |
Bit of a treck to the loo's!
anonymous - 20 Oct 2003 16:16 |
rebecca is chatting pants.... the pub has an easygoing atmosphere and u wont see any blood shed as long as the beer is flowing
gaz - 29 Dec 2002 15:12 |
Quite a trendy pub, but generally inviting and because its a wetherspoons, its quite cheap too. There are a good mix of people who frequent it and the staff are usually up for a laugh. It does tend to get really busy though and has had a couple of fights but they are normally between drunk friends and entertaining to watch!
Rebecca Smith - 23 Jun 2002 22:10 |
