Crown & Greyhound to reopen on 14 June

[malumbu]

Price does matter. It's called competition, market forces, informed consumers etc. Perversely it can drive down quality - think supermarket white bread.

Beer price has gone up far quicker than the rate of inflation. Some of this could be explained by the improvement in establishments. But even this is a fine balance and if you go somewhere like the Woodhouse you will see all character airbrushed over and inflated prices (and plastic grass). Obviously many consumers aren't as discerning as me.

Fortunately we have some good comparators - Wetherspoons for cheap as chips, the Blythe and to a lesser extent the Ivy, what a traditional pub should be like, and the EDT - quirky but not the one size fits all, Then the others such as the Clock, Herne, Woodlouse, FHT on how from my perspective things have gone to far, and I can simply exercise my choice and not go there.

[Louisa]

Nice to see the interior hasn't hardly changed at all in the pub. Does make you question what the last few have been all about though? Beer prices are important, but not the only factor. A decent establishment will have something for everyone. Also, a brisk walk last night and I noticed new tables and chairs out the front. Looked very appealing on a summers evening.

Louisa.

[Jeremy]

?5.30 for a pint of bitter? No, I've never seen prices like that. It should be more like ?4, surely?

[Seabag]

How much for an alcohol-free beer at The Dog?

[rendelharris]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> ?5.30 for a pint of bitter? No, I've never seen

> prices like that. It should be more like ?4,

> surely?

They may have some at that price Jeremy but we're heading towards it everywhere: in the Cherry Tree on Tuesday a mate and I discovered Sambrooks Session, a very nice 4% IPA for the summer; I was handing over my card without really listening to the price, as you do, it wasn't until I looked at my bank account yesterday that I realised I'd been paying ?10.40 for each two pint round!

Perhaps there should be a "cheapest pint in East Dulwich" thread.

[steveo]

'Large Sauvignon Blanc please.'

'Red or white?'

Jesus H

'White please.'

'And a pint of cider please.'

'?13.40 please.'

[BrandNewGuy]

Dark Star's fine 3.8% Hophead for ?3.70 in the EDT. Probably not the cheapest, but very good value.

[rendelharris]

BrandNewGuy Wrote:

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> Dark Star's fine 3.8% Hophead for ?3.70 in the

> EDT. Probably not the cheapest, but very good

> value.

That sounds good and am looking for lower strength beers, will have to give that a try - cheers!

[malumbu]

Hophead is a good measure. ?3.55 in the Blythe - a bit more in the Ivy, but better served in the Blythe which is one of the few places I drink Guinness and amazingly is still under ?4,

Contrast that with ?4.30 for bog standard Youngs in the Woodlouse.

I do occasionally drink in the Cherry Tree where I expect to pay a little more but that is my choice.

Contrast this with other establishments where I question the bill to find out yes the fizzy drinks are all over a fiver and ?4.50 for ale. It is London they tell me. But I can drink for less in central London I say.

Worst experience was being charged for a drink on the Embankment - The Rose - where I accused them of charging me for a pint when I'd had half (?4.50). No it was for half as it was artisan Belgium beer rolled om the thighs of young maidents. Nonsnese it is made in a beer factory and refused to pay.

[steveo]

'maidents. Nonsnese'

Have you been drinking?

[Seabag]

I had a lovely drink on Saturday, outside in the sun at The Half Moon place.

Some Brew Dog Nanny State thingy, but I can't remember the price.

On the alcohol-free tip, I found Madrid/Spain to be somewhat/ by a country mile ahead of us here in London. Most of the beer brands do a 'sin' on tap and the Mahou Sin being particularly good and Estrella Galicia is excellent

Why not here on tap?

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2014/12/02/alcohol-free-beer-sales-on-the-rise-in-spain/

[KalamityKel]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> KalamityKel Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Mick Mac Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > It looks busy tonight!

> >

> > What kind of busy? Thought it was the 13th

> last

> > night? I could, of course, be wrong... ;-)

>

> Drove past and it looked very busy inside and

> outside. Do you want a photograph?

whoa hang on... you caught me out the last time M ;-)

[Abe_froeman]

I found cheap beer in the Flying Pig at happy hour where they have ?1 off a pint between 5 and 7pm on weekdays

[????]

DovertheRoad Wrote:

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> Stuck my head in last night about 6pm and had the

> strange sensation of being both pleased and

> disappointed to find it hasn?t changed much.

> Refurb summary: a lick of varnish plus a few

> gentleman?s club style chairs.

>

Nearly 2 years closed for 'a lick of varnish' and some new chairs.....bloody hell

[maxxi]

Large 'Brakes' truck unloading there the other day - later seen delivering to the Plough - so the food will be, er, unsurprising. Like the generic beers lined up on the T-Bar pumps.

Maybe they put in an underground pool?

[Jah Lush]

Upstairs was converted into a hotel. I'll nip down there for a snifter or two once all the fuss is over the re-opening. Probably a weekday afternoon out front in the sun. It's been a regular haunt of mine since I was a teenager so I'll definitely be giving it a go.

[NewWave]

Went there this afternoon for a cheeky G&T with my OH.

Abysmal service...about 10 very young members of staff stood around flapping behind the bar but NOT actually serving people

(a mention here for the only one who seemed in control and working-a VERY tall young guy with dreads if you spot him stand in the area he's at and you'll get a drink he seemed to be the only one actually spotting customers waiting otherwise..good luck!)

finally got served by just asking a guy standing looking gormless staring into space "Hi-can you serve me?"

Got the G&T no lemon no straw no nada (contrast to the Alma in CP where it came with slices of cucumber and I got asked what gin I wanted)-I had to ask for a slice of lemon which lead to him bumbling around some more looking alarmed,

No question about what gin I wanted either-just clueless.

Glanced at menu looked pretty meh-not seasonal at all-Sausage and Mash..today? in 30degree heat!

not even gastro pub style just very kind of wetherspoons ?14 for sausage and mash (!)

salad niscoise I think was about a tenner.

they had Ceaser salad which I don't think Ive seen on a menu since the 80's.

In fact the menu looked very dated and most dishes overpriced by a few quid.

Sad because I loved that pub!

A word to management-and I work in retail in the west end so I do know know about service.

GET EXPERIENCED STAFF BEHIND THE BAR-its all well and good having lots of staff but if only one appears to know what he's doing on a busy saturday its not good enough.

give them training-its not enough to know how to use use the till-they need to know about how to serve.

Gin-what gin? our house gin is...would you like lemon in it? or Lime? Cucumber? etc

if you are going to do it do it right.

You're more expensive than Wetherspoons but I'd get more informed service there and a lime in my drink

[sheff]

Similar to the above... The menu isn't great...

We booked for 4 to take advantage of the 50% off... For the quality of food, even that was too expensive. It really wasn't great, or even good.

The service was all over the place, but they were struggling with people coming in to drink and then the food bookings. I'll give the that so soon after opening..

In overview - it's a nice pub for an afternoon drink if you happen to be in the park, but the food is pretty bad...

[NewWave]

But In the old place Ive had really superb Sunday roasts and impromptu meals.

They've taken a perfectly good pub and made it S**t at a huge cost and long closure.

In order to open a hotel?

In these days of airbnb I think opening a hotel in an area outside of a major retail or buisiness hub is commercial suicide unless its a 'boutique' or spa hotel offering food by a renowned chef.

I'm actually pretty angry tbh-I know its first world problems and all that in the general scheme of things but it was our 'go to' pub on warm evenings and lovely in the winter too.

surely the company owning the pub must realise that the general public expect more than just 'MEH' food adiquately cooked? that may be acceptable in Motorway services but elsewhere?

just not on!

[DulwichFox]

What did people expect.. ?

Sausage and Mash ?14.00 ? Piss Take ??

Sausage and Mash is ?7.00 in the EDT.

No doubt many EDF ers will be queing round the block at the C&G and posting back here 'It's about right for around here'

DulwichFox

[malumbu]

A once-great pub that never fails to disappoint these days. Staff hopeless, beer mediocre, clientele lamentable.

Oh, sorry, that was a comment from 2011. But do please add to this further on my favourite old git's pub website http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/comments.shtml/536/

Brakes (aka Brake Brothers) eh? So home cooked food (not home made) and the same pub grub from Newquay to Newcastle

Reminds me of the Woodlouse. Trouble is no doubt it will be packed and some of the more discerning views on this thread wont make the slightest difference.

If you've got time go down to Borough andgo to a real pub or two - The Royal Oak, or the Lord Clyde

[titch juicy]

Sounds like a joy.

I didn't realise you could get away with charging ?14 for sausage and mash. I should've opened a pub years ago.

[Jah Lush]

I'm really not surprised by the poor service. It's been shoddy service in there for 35 years and nothing has changed. What did you expect, it's run by Mitchell & Butlers. Again this doesn't reflect well on the rapacious landlords Dulwich Estates. They couldn't run a piss up in a brewery. It's such a shame because it is a lovely spot to sit out front in the summer months. I didn't think it could get any worse but it obviously has. West End prices for a Dog's dinner.

[Jeremy]

The food has always been bloody horrible there.

The same chain, but with a refurb and a bog standard hotel shoehorned in above it... not sure what you were expecting! Hopefully it will still be nice for a pint and bag of crisps out the front in the summer, but would never consider eating there.

[TheCat]

We went yesterday for Fathers day, and to take advantage of the 50% food soft opening...

The Good:

- I don't mind the refurb. Not a huge amount has changed in the pub itself (obviously its the hotel annexe that was the problem/delay). But, you can moan all you like about service and price, the big draw of this pub for people has always been its size, location and and copious outside space. None of this has really changed.

- Unlike some of the other critics above on this thread, we actually ordered and tasted the food, as opposed to just eyeing the menu. It was very good. Better than previously. I'm not commenting here on the price (see below), but every meal we had was decent.

The Bad:

- I'll agree with the comments about young, inexperienced staff, who looked a bit shell-shocked to be there. Hopefully this will improve with time.

- Originally, they weren't serving food outside, and as part of the soft opneing were only serving food to pre-booked tables in the dining area and covered rear courtyard. We (along with nearly every other group) asked if we could sit outside on a 30 degree day. Were told 'No' as only serving food to tables in the 'designated area' as part of soft launch. After we'd been sat for 30mins, they obviously got asked the question by every single group that came in, and changed their minds, and started seating people outside in the garden. Change of policy was a bit annoying as we'd already started eating, and werent asked if e'd like to move. I mean its not like it was a surprise that sunday was a hot sunny day, they should have just moved their 'serving area' to outside as basically everyone wanted to get outside. basically a bit naive and disorganised.

- it is pricey for what it is. But regardless, its still a pub where I would go to sit outside with a pint, and probably order a meal (accepting the fact that I'll pay a few more quid over what I would pay elsewhere)

I suspect it will continue to be busy on the weekends as it always has been; as there will be many like me, who like its situation and will put up with the downsides for that pleasure. Basically for the pub goer, apart from a lick of paint and slightly nicer food, its pretty much the same.