Cassius

Alan Dale Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Isn't the beer good in Hoopers though? > > It really is. Er - not the Brains that is on at ?1.99 a pint, I know that 3.7 is not a strong beer but this is dreadful, not the O2 or OZ which was like a rather tasteless pale ale. Previously I've been impressed - this time - NOT.

I think the DWH seems more like a hotel bar and restaurant now than a pub either gastro or not gastro.

Did The Piano start like that? Probably not but something sort of stirred in the recesses.

Hi AC Thank you for sharing your story with us - made me feel quite weepy as I too am not sure how I would behave in similar circumstances. I am so glad that someone helped you and hope that you are on the way to complete recovery.

If you have Euro's then it's not really worth changing them back (unless you are sure you are never going to the Eurozone ever again). The ones I didn't change back in the summer have now appreciated in value by 10% or so!

One thing about nurses though - not likely to suffer from job losses in the credit crunch - we'll always need nurses! (who incidentally do a brilliant job and one I know that I would be unable and unwilling to do)

If you have a Nationwide Debit card then you don't get charged for using an ATM abroad and I do examine the statements very carefully and was getting the forex rate NOT the tourist rate. There are loads of articles in the quality press about the best way to get your foreign currency and using a Nationwide Debit card came out on top - although obviously you have to have a Nationwide account first and they are not top in many other aspects (we have an account purely for holidays).

Chaucer was ruined for me by 'doing' it at school. Ditto poetry (apart from the WW1 poems). I'd love to read some poetry but have no idea where to start - the only names I know are Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath. Any recommendations.

Youngs seem to be on a mission to upgrade their establishments, get rid of the old 'pub' clientele and get a new clientele whom they think have more money to spend. IMHO they end up pleasing no-one. The old clientele feel alientated and unable to pop in for a pint (which is after all what a pub is for), you can't stand/sit at the bar, and the food is not good enough for a proper meal out and too expensive for a snack. I guess (and this is not derogatory just an opinion) that it is the family market that they are aiming for.

No no no Keef - Hoopers is in Camberwell - Alan Dale told us! (Actually Hoopers is a department store in Torquay but I don't suppose that will ever get an East Dulwich Award)

I was suprised at the refurb - it does seem to be more a 'restaurant' with a bar attached than a proper pub. I think the conservatory area looks like it will be nice in the summer and after a walk through the woods it's a nice spot to stop and have a pint - but I was disappointed with the menu and probably wouldn't have more than a snack there.

The Bay City Rollers - well everyone else loved them when I was at school.

Aren't they allowed in what used to be the small non-smoking area on the right as you come into the main bar area? I don't mind children per se in pubs, just those that cannot differentiate between a pub and a playground! Or to be fair whose parents cannot differentiate between the two.

Italian weather forecasters are all from the military and it gives me great pleasure to see them annoucing the sunshine in their uniforms.

C4 news is IMO the best - Jon Snow rocks. BBC Breakfast drives me insane - more an advertisement for other BBC programmes than a serious attempt at being a news programme, and whether or not 'baby brain' is a real phenonenon or not, Sian Williams is driving me mad with her total stupidity - I wish she'd go off and have the baby, take maternity leave and give us a presenter with a modicum of intelligence - I believe at one time she actually produced the programme! Bill Turnbill was once, I believe, a serious news presenter but was totally ruined after he did Celebrity whatsit.

KalamityKel Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It amazes me that there have been notices on the > ED bus stops for over a month informing passengers > of the route shortening and no one noticed b4? > *sighs* Some people only catch buses infrequently - I often get the train in and the bus back depending on where I am going and what I am going, so if the bus stops in town didn't give this information I wouldn't have known about it.

Welcome Annie and thanks for the info!

tbh I haven't eaten in G&B so therefore think of them as an wine shop only. I think the wines there are brilliant, perhaps I ought to take advantage of their offer to eat in with off-license prices.

I'm pretty disappointed with wine lists in the area on the whole to be honest, that's if you want anything a bit different from the usual. The Gowlett/Nun's Head does an excellent Austrian white and I like the fact that all their wines are organic. The best wine list (in my opinion) is Baburs (not SE22 I know), which runs to several pages, many of them are very reasonable and the choice is wide. The Herne/Palmeston used to do a Chapel Down but sadly stopped doing through lack of interest.

Mmmmm - I'm not one for keeping on touch with ex's and nor is my current partner. If it's right for you then fine, but in my case it's not about lack of trust, it's about moving on - JMO.

I hate getting up late - I always feel I've missed the best of the day. We are often eating our breakfast at 9.30 on Saturday morning having already done Pretty Traditional, Sainsbury's AND Moxon's. Then the chores have been done and the day is ours................

I like the draft beer there a lot - have to disagree with Jah as I think the wine list is dire, very safe and uninteresting, and not too impressed with the menu either. However when there are a few people in there the vibe is good and the staff great.

Sadly early to bed and early to rise hasn't made me healthy wealthy or wise!

I too am a lark - if I stay up much later than 11.00 I really suffer, and wake up at around 6.30ish not matter what.

Both Butler & Mitchell (I think - not hot on pubco's). What I hate the most is the smell of food - it seems to get everywhere - not nice if you've not eaten there yourself.