please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Badly managed at the moment,TV sets turned off all day, penny pinching.
The part about all the staff chatting down at the kitchen end hasn't changed.
Heat was at a minimum a lot of the days during the winter.
Can be left ages waiting to get served even if your a regular.
The plus side is the beer is cheap and mainly if not always good.
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Wetherspoons. Similar to majority of chain, in terms of price, layout, food and drink range.
Seems to have abit of a bad reputation (largely from people who frequently go there themselves!) but I've never had a problem with it - there's always a large range of ales, kept well and reasonably priced.
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Glenfarg, I am not saying I do not like pubs, but reporting shit service and poor beer and rip off prices.
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Hi Chavsum. Can you recommend a pub that you like? I ask this because most of your reviews of pubs appear to be negative. The last time you liked a pub was the Maple Tree on 6th June 2012. That's 2 years of bad pub nights out, assuming you have been to some that you've not reviewed.
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Went in Friday and asked for lager and lime. "We have no lime cordial"
Went in today and asked for lager and lime."We have no lime cordial"
"When are you getting some?" "We dont know".
As this pub is next door to Sainsburys who sell Lime cordial for 65p how hard can it be to walk 20 feet and buy some?
Clearly, for wetherspoons this is a bit too hard to do.
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My first visit to this spoons, I thought it was time having won a place in the 2014 GBG after a short absence.
Old style 'spoons, laid out open plan style on 1 level apart from the rear where there is a raised seating area mainly given over for food consumption.
17 hand pumps on the L shaped bar, 12 dispensing ales & 1 cider. Nice to see a range of local breweries represented, also a selection of decent bottled ales.
Busy, fairly normal 'spoons crowd & age group, pleasant though and definitely warrants another visit soon.
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This was our first pub of the day in the sprawling suburbia of South East London. Arriving a little hungover after another good night at the Egham Beer Festival, I was impressed with the range of ales on offer. 14 were available in all, plus 2 ciders and at £1.49 a pint, I could have probably stayed all day! Beers on were Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best, Thornbridge Jaipur, Fullers ESB, Bohemian Hazelnut Brownie, Maxim Ruby Max, Woodfordes Bure Gold, Titanic Cappuccino, Brewsters Aromatic Porter, Thwaites Half Nelson, Cotleigh Lemon Ale, Mordue Oatmeal Stout, St Peters Extra & Late Knights Hop o'the Morning. Ciders were Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon & Sandford Orchards Shaky Bridge. The hazelnut beer was excellent and at 6.9% was the perfect cure for a hangover. Judging by the previous reviews on here, I reckon we struck lucky. I suspect most of these beers were left over from Wetherspoons festival and the reduced price and excellent range represented a concerted effort to get rid of old stock. Neverthless, you can only say it as you see it and on the basis of my visit, I would have to say that I have never found a better Wetherspoons than this one and it was favourite pub of the day.
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Nipped in tonight for a pint. stood waving a ten pound note. One poor girl running up and down the bar while the fat greek bloke stood chatting and did nothing as usual.
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For a wetherspoons this is one of the better ones for sure although it does stick to very old fashioned opening hours. Good range of beer, good staff, clean (mostly) and much cheapness.
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Nipped in "The waiting room" tonight. Stood at the bar for 12 minutes waving a ten pound note surrounded by red faced thirsty punters while the four bar staff chatted with punters at the other end of the bar. Left.
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2 fridges are still broken from November 2012
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They have tonight a poster in the toilet stating "Guest Ales"
it lists "Strongbow", "Carlsberg" and "John Smiths"
Strongbow is cider so it cannot be an ale
Carlsberg is lager so it cannot be an ale
John smiths is keg bitter so it cannot be an ale.
I rest my case.
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Fridge is still broken!
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I visited this pub and asked for a bottle of Koppenberg cider and was told they did not have any.
I asked for a bottle of Bulmers No 17. The bottle was take from a non working fridge and was given to me at at well beyond room temperature. I have been told by staff they are are waiting for a repair man for the fridge for the last 15 days.
I gave the bottle back and may as well have ordered a cup of tea as it would have been roughly the same temperature.
I cannot see the logic in putting bottles which should be served cold in a broken fridge so they are now hot.
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Still got service problems, you can wait 10 minutes to be served. Food is poor. beer is cheap if you can get served!
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Been using this pub occasionally for several years. Selection of beer, and cider, is brilliant. Better than almost any other JDW I know of.
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Why bother when you can go to the Pawleyne or the Alex down the road...
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I am a regular visitor to this pub. It has been consistent over a long period in providing an excellent choice of real ales (currently �2.20 pint) some just outstanding � such as Thornbridge Jaipur 5.9% last night. And the food value � particularly the steak (Tuesday) and curry (Thursday) nights particularly good value with a real ale or other drink included. Comments previously have mentioned long waits for service but that has not been our experience of late. Well worth your support.
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Know to locals as "The waiting Room" as it takes sooooooooo long to get served. Order a burger and chips and you wont get a spud's worth, I counted 6 chips!
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I had to go to penge today and so popped in here for a Sunay Lunch/drink offer at �6.59, I was allowed to choose ANY real ale,so settled for the Kelham Island 45rpm which was a delight.The lunch arrived after 15 minutes on a huge oval plate it had all the trimmings and was cooked for perfection.One stupid fat ***** was moaning at the staff about the service, like me she was served in 90 seconds! A beautiful garden at the rear with a car park at the back, internally the theme is the wizard of Oz.The pub was faultlessly clean throughout.In all honesty I cannot see how anyone could possibly improve upon this pub.10/10.
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I use this Wetherspoon a lot for meeting friends and cheap eats with family. Real ale quality, prices and range are great and food is also good value . The guvnor Stephen does a great job keeping everything in order and this helps keep the atmosphere the right side of 'interesting'.
Rate this place highly as a JDW but also as a community pub - I think it is a real centre for the community.
The bar staff have been very good up until recently - have noticed that there are a few new ones starting out and it has to be said that they could be better. A little charm goes a long way in this life. If you really don't like working in a pub best move over quick and let someone else have a go. In other words I don't need attitude from little boys after a hard day's graft. Also not impressed when barman feels need to drum on till with the spoon my wife is going to stir her coffee with. Bloke in question also feels need to shout 'NEXT' a lot and crack non-funny jokes. Small quibles - this is a good pub.
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My reading of the two latest reviews shows common ground in that this JDW pub is one of THE best in the chain. Excellent manager, good staff, always a fine range of beers in good condition. Add to that the JDW price and value for money and I doubt the place can be beaten. Any difference in view seems to be about how CAMRA members view JDW pubs generally. As an active CAMRA Branch member I have to be honest and admit that in my Branch there is a tendency to talk down, unfairly in my view, JDW pubs (possibly due to the influence in CAMRA of close ties and loyalties with other local pubs and landlords who find they cannot compete with JDW volume, throughput and purchasing power). However, that aside JDW deserves credit for what its done to promote real ale for everyone, and the Moon and Stars in Penge is a flagship pub.
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I am a CAMRA member and do NOT look down my nose at 'spoons pubs like the previous poster suggests that we do.Over the last few years 'spoons outlets have really upped their game( some more than others).Gone are the days of ordering two pints one to rub like a demented Onanist and the other placed on a radiator to warm up! I visited this outlet on saturday and had the good fortune to meet the Manager who clearly knew his stuff, the staff were quick and polite ,the ales were in good nick and the locals seemed reasonably civilized. Three criteria for a decent pub for me ,good ale, a good choice of ale and decent staff that serve me before I have another birthday whilst waiting, the Moon and Stars passed my tests and more.Alan br12df.join CAMRA it is cheap with the 'spoons ale vouchers thrown in, nothing to lose except a little predjudice.9/10 a very high mark indeed.
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This pub has over a number of months offered an interesting range of real ales. Quality is generally spot on and apart from an occasional session when for some bizarre reason there is a large number of dark or high strength beers at the expense of more standard mid-strength ones you cannot really fault it. And with current price at �1.89 a pint (Feb 2010) you cannot fault that either. Usual range of good value Wetherspoons food. Staff attitude and helpfulness vastly improved from a couple of years ago. CAMRA members seem to look down their nose at Wetherspoons pubs but this one mostly definitely deserves support.
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Unremarkable looking 'spoons, with plenty of handpumps (about 15?) but quite a few duplicate clips so not quite as much choice as it first appears. Had to wait quite a while to get served, but this was more to do with a large group of people each ordering and paying for their meals individually than any inefficiency by the bar staff. Beers included two from Hepworth's - Iron Horse and a decent pint of the paler Sussex.
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One evening during the last winter I decided to try this establishment.
I tried the curry and the ice cold winter guiness. The curry was ok, edible. the papdoms that come with it were soft and the naan was a bit chewy but overall it filled a hole. The table next to me was in a beer kerfuffle, two pints more likely. 'I CAN GET YOU RAPED' one hard bald boy was roaring at his fellow table dweller, a feller of simillar rotundity and shineheadedness. Mates falling out I thought, aaahhhhh bless em, and got back to my flexible papadoms...
Next time I came here and skipped the curry in favour of YE HAME EGGE AND 'CHIPS' for the paltry but not to be scoffed at sum of �2.99.
Anyway, I thought chips were supposed to have some potato inside 'em.
Stone me guvnor cos these ones had nowt but fresh air!!! Cooked! they were positively incinerated. You, Mister Wetherspoon say potato, I say shite.
Next time , drawn back by the charming barmaids and the nice beer. i had a hole in my stomach that needed filling and plumped for the HAME, EGGE and 'CHIPS' again thinkin lightening dont strike twice does it guvna.
The chips this time came out lovely, proper frozen chips with some potato inside em!! Cooooor! But hey, what the .... my 8 year old can fry eggs better than that! what the...were they having a laugh? these eggs had flippin CARPET underneath em. crinkly penge CARPET. the manager takes em back after giving it a bit of mouth within earshot (rude that) and comes back 2 minutes later with the new improved fried eggs that also had carpet underneath em (what is this place, a carpet shop?) and were probably the same ones.
you mister wetherspoon say fried eggs, I say goodbye
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The best thing about this pub is the quality of the beer.
The review below is spot on. There are some really good bar staff here and some not so good.
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Bar service quality fluctuates depending on who's there but the beer is frankly exceptional.
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Nice pint here, tasty beers and comfy sofa. Free action too, better than the tele.
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To be honest this is a well run pub with very efficient staff give or take one or two. Its clean, doesnt smell bad and from some angles looks quite attractive. But the problem is some of the clientele - careful where you sit. Rows, rows, rows. Apart from that, well done staff.
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Another change of manager here. Things have improved, and the beer was excellent! Didnt have the food so cant comment although it looked really busy.
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Improved in recent months (appears to be new manager). Service now ok and number of guest ales better (although not consisent). But seems little thought to what real ales they put on together eg could all be around 5% or might all be dark ales.
They need to stock lighter more drinkable beers eg Bitter and Twisted, Oakham JHB.
However excellent value beer and food which really is generally very good for the price.
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wethespoonsky seems to be listening a little bit too much to rumours see people bullshit and if you listen to it then u are as bad as them. i worked in the wetherspoons for a short spell and can tell tou thats untrue.
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i tell u something more in next few month ??
Gues why?
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all truth about it .Does anyone think where the Polish girls are ?
does anyone like it moon & star as much as b4 ?
Dont think so .
And the GM have a romance with one of the staff.
Thats great behalf of Menager and so profesional.
HhA
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the_thirsty_moth I think you will find the previous manager wanted more than a rocket up his arse.
back to its old ways..........running out of drink.
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The staff need a rocket, or similar, up their collective arses. The service is beyond slow. Apart from that it's your bog standard Wetherspoons.
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Does anyone have something to tell about this pub??
anonymous - 2 Jul 2007 13:49 |
Always short staff
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Regarding Alph_river's comment about beer festivals, we were in here yesterday for the spring beer festival, and it looks like things have got better. Everything we wanted to try was on. Kudos to the staff for remaining cheerful even when asked to pour nine 1/3-pints per round!
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This pub has really come on in leaps and bounds in the last few months. The New cooling system means the lager is much colder than before and there seems to be a more divers range. Also, since extending the non smoking area during the day we have been eating here. My wife and I were surprised to find some "specials" not usually associated with wetherspoons - a smoked salmon ravioli with lobster sauce and a venison casserole - both delicious and reasonably priced. The atmosphere is excellent and the staff are helpful and friendly. This is not a one off, we have been coming here for 8 months now and have noticed a huge improvement.
anonymous - 12 Apr 2007 15:09 |
Best pub in the area, the ale is always in nice condition. I've never had a problem with the staff, even when the pub is rather busy. It can get rather smoke-filled at times though.
anonymous - 12 Mar 2007 14:38 |
A fairly decent Wetherspoons, but having said that... Our outings here during "Beer Festivals" have been slightly disappointing. The range of guest beers during the last festival seemed to be thin; many "Sorry - not available" handpump signs, and beers going offline as we were served.
At other times tho': capable service (for Wetherspoons), good selection of cheap and interesting beer. Never noticed the place being dirty as other have, but that might just be me :)
Cheers,
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A big purpose-built Wetherspoon�s pub which fortunately contains plenty of alcove seating to give it a proper pub-like feel. For a long time I thought this was the only place to get real ale in Penge, but recent forays have proved otherwise. Deservedly, this place is frequently packed during the daytimes but rather sadly this means that other worthy pubs in the area are practically empty. The usual range of real ales is available, and more often than not are in top condition� but, as we know from many other Wetherspoon�s, this is always dependent on who the current manager is, and how much he cares about his beer.
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I very occasionally go to The Moon and Stars because it is the worst pub in Penge, every time i do go there, i wonder why, and always think it must have improved and am proved wrong. Every time I am in there it is always dirty, the tables are nearly always uncleared, ashtrays unemptied, the bar is sticky, the staff are all permanently on "go slow", when they understand what you are asking for, and seem to spend a lot of time chatting to each other, in Polish I presume.
The last time was a couple of weeks ago on a sunday at about 11am when i popped in with a friend for a bite to eat, as we were passing, there were 3 staff behind the bar, and about a dozen customers, and yet I had to wait a good few minutes to get our second drink as one member of staff was on the phone, one was bottling up and even though i had been waiting at the end of the bar nearest the high street someone came to the other end after me and was served before me, even though all 3 staff members had seen me waiting, obviously it was easier to serve the closest person. We had ordered 2 scrambled eggs on toast, which took over half an hour to arrive (fair enough if lots of people were ordering food, but we appeared to be the only ones eating) and then the food was cold. We would have had better food and service in McDonalds....and that is saying something.
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In response to paddygalore's FIVE messages, I felt I had to reply and put on record the truth and an accurate account on some of the staffing, particularly your comments about the Polish staff at the Moon and Stars.
I have used this establishment for many years and I can honestly say that the staff they currently have (including the existing English blokes) are the best that they have ever had!
With regards to your comments about the Polish girls this is totally incorrect and uncalled for. As I did not recognise your remarks and in case there were Polish staff I had not seen before, I put myself out and found out that there are six of them who work there; Katy, Maggie, Agnes, Marta, Ola and Gosnia. With the exception of one (who I think is rather shy) ALL of them speak very good English and fully understand everything you say; in fact a couple of them are now sounding like cockneys:-)
All of them work extremely hard and if anyone can find two harder working girls than Kasia (Katy)and Marta I would be very very surprised. These two girls never stop working, even if there are no customers to be served they are collecting/washing glasses or even cleaning the tables, bar or shelves. The other four work just as hard, but these two really stand out and would grace ANY pub they work in.
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Charlton Barry is correct on his comments.
I made mistakes on my last comments.
Why do they not have one dedicated till at the end of the bar for food only.
The rest could be used for drink orders.
The Polish girls have made it better, but it is still hard to get served.
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For years the vast majority of staff were paid what they were worth,......... correction.... some of them would owe the company money for the food and heating they used......LOL
On the positive side up to when I stopped using the establishment with the exception of just one or two the staff were really good. Although it is annoying when you are waiting that they go and serve someone who just turns up (a good barman/barmaid should know who is next) but the real person to blame is the bloke who has just walked to the bar, 99% of the time he knows he has pushed in!
When I used the pub, (up to about 3 months ago), you could order food at any of the tills, has that changed?
Has the dryer in the toilet been repaired yet?
Also one Saturday afternoon, about a month or so ago there were loads of police and ambulancemen in there..........what happened ?.................did one of the little children fall off the bar, or did one of the teenagers take a drug overdose :-)
I notice that the police then forced the pub to close.
Can anyone update me please
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You can enter The Moon and Stars and stand at the bar waving a �20 note for 15 minutes and not get served. Then someone will walk in and get served straight away.
Why do they just have one till for food only? is that too complicated?
One of the reasons the service is poor is because spoons pay �5 an hour. Would you work hard for that?
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Charlton Barry is right.
The Moon & Stars could do with a good deep clean, the toilets have the smell of a public toilet on a summer�s day, the area around the bar is sticky to the touch, real ales regularly run out and are not replaced. Sadly this is not a Moon and Stars peculiarity, more like every Weatherspoons.
On a positive note the beer, they do have is good and the staff are helpful and knowledgeable. The last time I went there the food was delivered promptly and was good.
I just wish they would charge an extra couple of pence a pint so the place could be spruced up a bit.
This is a good pub, that serves good ales and meals at great prices I don�t want to knock it, but it really does need 'prettying up' a bit.
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What a sensible and moderate chap cbarry is. It is a great pub overall; great kind of 'local' if you have a while to get served! Wonder who Capt Ashtray is ? One of the top pubs I have ever been in, the staff are perfect, its well organised and managed, always a fine selection of beer's in clean glasses, the toilets are immaculate, never any trouble and a haven for all folk who embrace old fashined values blah blah blah. Keep up the good work whoever is responsible for this bastion of quality beverage and service. It's Pukka!!!!!!
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A request by posters please.
Over the last week or so there have been about 6 postings removed by the moderator?????
I can only think the reason being for this is that some of the postings have been rather personal (even naming people - eg Capt Ash Tray, who ever he might be:-) and also the language has not really been suitable.
It is important that you continue to post YOUR TRUE FEELINGS about this establishment, but please express yourself in a more dignified way and manner.
By doing that other people can then see what this establishment is really like and hopefully the Head Office and Senior Management will take some action.
Maybe someone should forward this to them :-)
So please good people continue to report on this pub (good and bad)and then lets all keep our fingers crossed.
ps Has the hand dryer in the toilet been fixed yet??
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In response to XMandyX:-
I agree with your comments 100%; do I know you?
Regarding Big Ang; she drives the 358 bus, she NEVER worked for Weatherspoons, she was a customer who thought she ran the pub:-)
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In regards to the recent comments I have to say they are the biggest load of crap I have ever heard. I have been a customer of the Moon and Stars for 10 years and believe that the pub is being managed better now than it ever has. Admittedly there were issues a while ago but these have recently been resolved. There is always a great selection of ales on, the beer has never been anything but chilled and the glasses are clean. Me and My wife often eat there on the Steak and Curry nights and we have never been disappointed.
I think the last two comments are very unfair as I know the staff work very hard and are always friendly and there is always a great atmosphere in the pub.
As for the Tv Screens, there is never any sound on so how can they be distracting unless you stare at them?
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Just stumbled across this website. I agree 100% with Carlton Barry his comments are spot on. One thing he failed to mention was the glasses. They are filthy, an absolute disgrace. Makes you wonder what it is like in places you cannot see.
Years ago in all Wetherspoons if you ordered a drink you should get it in the correct glass. Guinness in a Guinness glass, Abbotts in an Abbotts Glass, Kronenburg in a Kronenburg glass and so on. This is not the case any more you are just given the first glass (usually dirty) that comes to hand.
Since I split with my man I hardly use it anymore, but when I was last there (8 days ago) nothing has changed. Still running out of items NO LEMONS this time............there is a bloody shop over the road where they can purchase them at any time.
It is of my opinion that since Big Ang left you company to work on the buses this pub has rapidily gone down hill every since. Although she was a bit over powering sometimes she was the best landlady the Moon & Stars has ever had and kept the staff on their toes.
In fact I have to be fair and say the bar staff have improved considerably and seem to be a hard working group, especially that big gay hunk of a rugby player he is fab!
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This Wetherspoons pub in Penge must be the worst run Wetherspoons outlet.
Furniture falling to pieces!
ALWAYS running out of lager/cider/beers............including bottles, shorts and mixers.
The drinks are usually quite warm (well not as cold as they should be through a cooler), especially the lagers and cider. As for the real ales, I am afraid they are not always looked after, also mostly luke warm.
They have a Monday club (this is the day when some of the beers/lagers are cheaper) but they are usually not on offer as the manager never or forgot to order enough.
Cleaning the pipes when the pub is open and customers are waiting for that drink.
No proper air conditioning...........smell your clothes after spending a night in there!
Young children (under 11's) running round the place and even at the bar (sometimes even SITTING on the bar) whilst they are being served.
Full of late teenagers in the evenings, drug taking in the SMELLY dirty toilet. To my knowledge the hand dryers have not worked properly in the mens toilet for over 3 years. They do not always pump out hot air and one of the machines has the starter button hanging off for three years now.
As for the food, yes it is reasonably priced, but the amount that goes back is unbelievable!..............cold; undercooked etc
When Wetherspoons started up it said it would never allow children in the pub, it would never have TVs in their pubs, it would never have music in their pubs............how things have changed.
Since they installed the TVs (about 6 weeks ago) I have and never will go back in there. The TVs are on all day and are very distracting! Yes I could sit somewhere else but where?........it means sitting up in the restuarant area as ALL the stools around the tables are usually all occupied from time of opening to closing. Rightly so these stools and tables are very popular, as it is away from the TVs, so as they are popular what do they decide to do.................. yes you have guessed it........they have removed some.
My comments are up to 6 weeks ago as I now use other establishments including the Goldsmiths.............so I doubt very much whether anything has changed in the Moon and Stars since my last time and final visit there.
Any case apart from the above everything else is ok and yes the staff are very friendly and on the whole very good, especially the little Polish girl with dark hair; she is worth two of the staff that 'used' to work there.
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Yes nix10, the pub has got better and its unfair to staff there now to tar them with the old brush. I have been in most weeks recently and standards of service and pleasantness are good, if not better than many pubs around and certainly many Wetherspoons. The beer range at the festival last week was excellent, and your steaks are better quality and certainly considerably cheaper than ANYWHERE else. Don't despair, we must be fair, you all do work hard I can see that, and if customers are pleasant to you we always get a good response. Its very evident to me that the (not so new) manager has turned this place around. Thanks.
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i must say i am rather disappointed by some of the reviews that have been left. i actually work at the moon and stars and have done for the last two and a half years, so i have worked there in the time that most of these reviews were left. i am not going to pretend that they are entirely unjust, but the current manager, who has been there for a year has really turned the place around, not just for the customers (as i have been told) but for the staff also. granted, there have been some utterly diabolical staff that that been and gone (thank god) but to honest, we've had a team there where every member has been there for at least 3 months and are mostly bloody hard workers. to tar everyone with the same brush is unfair. there ARE staff that care about providing good service and please don't think that that is always easy. please don't forget that the industry in which we work is long, tiring hours, for a ridiculously low wage, and yes, sometimes we may lose our patience. but to be fair, it is EXTREMELY frustrating when you do have dozens of thirsty customers "waving fivers under our nose" screaming out "pint of fosters please love" when you are quite clearly serving someone!!!!!! would you like it if we waved signs stating "yes, thank you, we know you are waiting"???? we are not perfect, and we cannot always know exactly which person is next, particularly as the bar is long and you cannot see all the way across it at anyone time, so all we can do is tell the truth and ask "who's next?" after that all we can do is rely on the customers to tell the truth.
as for the claims that there is never any beer, i'd like to disagree. for the most part, there are at least 10 different beers on at any one time, in no small part due to the manager having trained other team members, including myself, how to clean the lines and prepare the beers. if, at any time, you ask for a beer that is displayed and you are told that it has "just run out" i'm afraid you'll have to assume that it is genuine, as the manager absolutely insists that we have no pump-clips left bare, so much so that we now have duplicate clips to ensure that the customer is not mislead.
if you have come to the moon and stars, and had a bad experience, i can only apologise, and implore you to revisit our pub and give us another chance. the majority of our regular customers have nothing but praise for the changes that have occurred in the time that i have been there, so i hope that you wont be disappointed!!!!!
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Given that its a Wetherspoons and its on Penge High Street the odds of this pub being better than being poked in the eyes with a sharp stick are slim. The decor is ok, and they have a nice selection of beers - but dont expect alot. Crap staff.
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It's a Wetherspoons, so the experience should be unrelentingly grim but they occasionally have some not bad ale, there are pleasant little cubby holes to hide in and the local history posters on the walls make you think of Penge as a bastion of gypsy queens and canal builders rather than a bum hole of a town stocked full of ghastly fat tracksuits shoving burgers down their pie hole. So not as bad as other Penge pubs but only really worth drinking in if you've just been shopping in the Sainsbury's next door.
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I genuinely believe that this pub is trying to restore its reputation and popularity because it has not always been as bad as recent reviews report. Happily the bar staff are again attentive and pleasant, the tables are tidy, and the food is good. But the beer range is a sham. Several times now the tempting dispaly of pump clips have no beer behind them. Only a couple of beers are available as the others have "just gone off" they try to make us believe. When challenged you soon discover that the beer has never actually been available in the first place. Its like a holiday in Bulgaria in the 1970s - a four page delicious menu but all they intend to serve is a basic pork chop. Why doesn't this pub offer a range of beer for sale - beats me!
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The range of ales was excellent but my pint of Summer Lightning was rather "green" (i.e hazy in appearance and with an indistinct flavour) and as I neared the bottom of the glass I noticed lots of "bits" floating in the beer suggesting the lines hadn't been cleaned for far too long. I've never much cared for the pub for similar reasons to those already outlined by other reviewers but the beer quality was always fairly good and it's close proximity to the bus stop for my journey home and the lack of appealing alternatives was enough to retain my occasional custom. However this was the second or third time running I've found the beer to be below par. Not good at all.
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All the comments about poor service and uncoth customers are true but it's the best pub in Penge, sadly. This is partly due to price (Wetherspoons) and partly due to the incredible choice of excellent ales (er Wetherspoons again). A big pub, it usually has about at least a dozen ales to choose from and I've not had a bad pint yet in many visits.
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This pub is sometimes a disgrace,the tables in the dining area are reguarly cluttered with empty glasses and used food plates and sometimes 7 or 8 tables which is an absolute disgrace for a dining area,several times I've seen people go to the bar to gat a member of staff to clean the tables so people can have somehwre to eat in a clean area.The only thing that keeps this pub going is the fact that it sells cheap drink for all the geriactricts that visit the place as the place is so boring that the locals have called it "GOD'S WAITING ROOM".The staff are a shower of pompous gits who have the believe that we really need them to have a drink and every silly git behind the bar has a manager badge displayed on their chest.I also noticed that there is a constant flow of different bar staff,are they getting sacked? or getting sense.......Paddy on the Green
Patrick - 11 Jul 2004 23:27 |
I've drank here for a few years and in the pat few months it has gone really down hill,it's common place to see tables full of empty glasses and food plates because the staff have no interest whatsoever.The bar is constantly full of spillage and the place is just a kip.The pub badly needs trained bar staff who know what working in a pub really involves and not just hanging around waiting for the last bell,The pub at the moment is really a disgrace
alan kelly - 4 Jul 2004 00:01 |
I have never endured such shambolic service like it anywhere before. You'll see 5 of the little barstewards flirting and having a giggle early evening in the right place when no sod needs serving, and then 1 of them at 10 o clock when there's a swarm of thirsty customers. They just love to leave all frustrated fiver wavers standing like lemons with no regard for who was at the bar first. Every single member of barstaffs badges displays 'Manager'- What's that about? 3 brain cells between them and 1 of them is on the blink. Shouting and swearing across the pub at the top of your voice is completely acceptable in here (oh and that's amongst the staff too). On the positive side, you'll lose weight wasting away at the bar, the prices won't burn a hole in your pocket, and they do a right good frosty badboy pint.
Onya Bakqubitch - 6 Feb 2004 13:17 |
This pub is probably the best in Penge. It is a good place to go for a beer and a chat as there is no jukebox (Wetherspoons policy). Quite a mature crowd, so not the place to go if you really want to go wild. Also, the parking at the back is handy and it has three fruit machines if you fancy a gamble.
Sean - 14 Nov 2003 09:59 |
I have to take issue with Ian . I agree on one point service can be slow, but the beer is usually excellent and the company in the No Smoking Area is very friendly
Brian - 28 Aug 2003 13:28 |
Another wetherspoons pub, but this is the worst one I have ever seen. Slow service crap food holes in the seats.
Forget it!
Ian Muir - 23 Jun 2003 00:18 |
