Hoopers Quiz - Thursday - Opinions?

[nutty]

Hi

Was thinking of venturing along to this - never been to Hoopers or this quiz before, are they both any good?

[nutty]

clearly not well attended anyway :)

[SeanMacGabhann]

nutty

Sorry - not been as abreast of the forum of late

Hoopers is an excellent bar, with a good range of ales (unlike most other pubs in the area)

Haven't been to the quiz in a while (it's a bit too far for me to make) but recall it being a good larf

[nutty]

cheers - I'll give it a whirl

[Mr Bojangles]

Decent boozer but always quiet when I've been.

I'd be interested to know what the quiz is like.

[nutty]

Reporting back....

Hoopers is a really nicely done up pub, with great ales on tap (of which I am experiencing the negative side of this morning). The quiz was well organised and enjoyed by us - maybe because we won :). Jamie (the owner) was very friendly and played the prefect barman/quizmaster for the evening. Apparently they have a "beer festival" next week and from the list I saw looks like they'll have on some top ales.

The downside - it was really quiet. I guess it's a little tucked away but I don't understand why people don't go here. I'll certainly make the effort to go back.

[Alan Dale]

Already a number of threads about this pub that moved from Camberwell to East Dulwich in the blink of an eye.

I am currently awaiting responses on this thread...

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,24937,51741#msg-51741

Alan Dale Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> So give us an update- how's

> business?

>

> Has the 'ED' location paid off?

>

> Are you serving food yet?

>

> Do you now open 11-11 or even later perhaps?

>

> And do you take credit cards or have a cash

> machine or both or neither?

>

> What about the flat development- how is that

> going?

>

> Can you give us some reassurance that your

> sideline in property development will not be to

> the long term detriment of the pub?

>

> Perhaps you could give us a guarantee that you

> will never put in a change of use application to

> convert the pub itself to a residential unit of

> some description...

No response?

Walked past on Sunday afternoon and guess what? Closed. That's what.

[Sammo]

Where is this pub?

[Alan Dale]

Ivanhoe Road, East Dulwich, SE5

[nutty]

Is about a 5 min walk from ED station - seems much closer to ED than Camberwell to me so not sure what Alan's gripe is about.

Anyway, definitely provides something different from all the bars down LL (good beer for starters), so I'd recommend a visit.

[Alan Dale]

It's not nearer to Camberwell it is in Camberwell.

I don't know Nutty maybe you live near East Dulwich Station and try to claim you live in East Dulwich in the same way that Hoopers does. Is this shared post code shame clouding your judgement?

I don't know why anyone would think that pretending to live somewhere they don't is in any way impressive.

Luther Van Dross said 'If you can't be with the one you love then love the one your with.' There is plenty to love about Camberwell especially Hoopers!

[macroban]

> Luther Van Dross said 'If you can't be with the one you love then love the one your with.'

I'm old enough and young enough to think that was Stephen Stills.

[Alan Dale]

There's a rose in a velvet glove, and the eagle flies with the Dove. If you live in SE5 It's Camberwell you love.

Maybe you're right. I'm very young.

[ratty]

Things I love about Camberwell:

People pronouncing religous views through megaphones outside MacDonalds; The great unwashed threatening to punch me outside Marina House; Trying to park near the hospital because your baby is sick and getting threatened by traffic wardens; getting mugged in broad daylight outside MacDonalds and no one batting an eyelid; Schoolkids on buses threatening to stab everyone on the top deck of the 185 outside the snooker hall; The Silver Buckle! :D :D :D

[Alan Dale]

Me too. If you're not living on the edge then you're taking up too much room.

I'm going to the Buckle a week on Sunday for pre-xmas drinks. Should end up in the Funky Munky. See you there no doubt..

[Administrator]

Lounged

[Alan Dale]

Was that because it was a Camberwell thread?!

[ratty]

Sorry - too many people from work in the Munky. Did pop in the Dark Horse place (I think that was the name) t'other day and liked it!

[Alan Dale]

Great stuff. That's 50 yards from my door- although I do tend to head to the Hermit's Cave more.

Be sure to try the Bear and Caravaggio. Whilst I accept the accusation that I am prone to hyperbole in promoting the merits of SE5 I cannot recommend these too strongly.

How come your work colleagues go to the Munky? Do you work at the Art College?

I have never managed to get colleagues down to Camberwell. Will try harder..

[nutty]

Alan Dale Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It's not nearer to Camberwell it is in

> Camberwell.

>

> I don't know Nutty maybe you live near East

> Dulwich Station and try to claim you live in East

> Dulwich in the same way that Hoopers does. Is this

> shared post code shame clouding your judgement?

>

> I don't know why anyone would think that

> pretending to live somewhere they don't is in any

> way impressive.

>

Picky

1) I live in the heart of ED - Hoopers was actually a bit of a walk for me (but worth it) - yes I would be shamed to live in Camberwell :)

2) When I think of Camberwell I think of the Buckle (one of your favourites I believe) - I don't believe Hoopers is anywhere near there unless I went through a black hole on my 5 min walk from ED station? - I haven't been to the Buckle and don't plan to, but I can't walk there in 15 mins so however good you say it is it won't become my local, Denmark Hill is closer (is that part of Camberwell too - wouldn't want to upset you again).

3) It's not a question of pretending to "live" somewhere, he needs people to find his business. If I told a cabbie to take me to Camberwell and then hope to wander into Hoopers I might be in trouble. I think you get my point. I don't believe he has ever tried to disguise his postcode or the location (there are maps on the flyers)

What is your problem with this place? - you seem to be on a one man mission to put people off going there...

[Alan Dale]

1) Pathetic :))

2) ED station is near the edge of ED. Denmark Hill is very definitely in Camberwell.

3) Try directing a cab to Hoopers of East Dulwich and see how far you get. It's at the top of Camberwell Grove.

What I would like to see is a thriving gastro pub. What I do see is a contender for change of use permission and conversion into flats. That is my problem.

No amount of shrugging and telling them they are innocent victims of circumstance doing a great job will save the pub.

They need to serve food, have high chairs, accept credit cards, open from 11am until late, have friendly but unintrusive people behind the bar, play up to date music, erm...

They should check out other residential pubs that are doing well and copy their business model. (The Gowlett, The Rosendale, The Wishing Well, The Grove for example) The first step is accepting that there is a problem and that the poor trade is not just bad luck or awkward circumstance.

Say what you want about the Buckle but I think it's great and it's certainly always busy. A pub that does not serve food needs either lots of people or some heavy drinkers to survive. There are lots of heavy drinkers in the Buckle.

[Mr Bojangles]

They are obviously trying to drum up business. They've been sending out flyers and maybe he's trying to be a bit different from the generic gastro-pub. It does have a nice "local" pub feel but the location is not exactly great. It is closed an awful lot.

People / businesses on borders often refer to themselves as in a different area from their postcode. Sometimes that is less confusing. In the case of hoopers, if I didn't know different I would have thought it was ED.

Whenever I go in The Grove and Dark Horse and other gastro-pubs in camberwell, they are hardly ever busy either. Not sure why that is but I worry about all of them staying around long term

[nutty]

We'll have to agree to differ Alan. Personally living in ED I have gastro pubs coming out of my ears, so this place is a welcome change. Agreed it isn't busy enough though. Since you have such great ideas for pubs maybe you should think about getting into the business?

n.b. you seem to get tetchy quite easily with people who disagree with you on this forum. Just so you know, a :) indicates a non-serious comment, so you should have taken point (1) lightly. I really don't know Camberwell at all (apart from the bit that Hoopers is apparently in), and because ED is so great I'm unlikely to be "discovering" it anytime soon - sorry!

[Alan Dale]

I know how emoticons work but I think they are for fools. I particularly abhor their use after insults. Pure cowardice.

No amount of aceeed house iconography can make a comment like 'yes I would be shamed to live in Camberwell' into an acceptable tease. Especially as you now admit to having little knowledge of the area you so readily disparage.

I reserve the right to get 'tetchy'. I am not interested in joining in with a mutual back patting club. Unless it's with my new boyfriend *Bob* or Psycho Sean the Womble supplier.

As for Hoopers. I intend to go back soon for a toasted sandwich. I take your point about gastro overload but unless you can think of a way to make Hoopers profitable then that is the best option. Otherwise it's USP of personal service and a guaranteed seat may be a symptom of it's downfall*.

* For downfall read extremely profitable conversion into residential flats.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I'm having THAT as the title for my Christmas CD compilation - only, how do I give Alan a copy?

I would have left it in "the usual place" on the 40 bus, but I'm now a 63 man....