The Cherry Tree official opening Thursday 30th August

[EMR]

Jeremy, I can usually get a glass of pineapple juice for between ?1.20 and ?1.80. A glass of this in The Cherry Tree is ?2. J20 does indeed carry a premium but still wouldn't expect to pay more than ?2.20. This is not the West End. As I said, I'm happy to go back, just all the wiser.

[PeckhamRose]

J20 in most pubs I go to is ?2.00. Some cheaper pubs ?1.80. But never more than ?2.10.

[Bradlington]

Hey all,

It get a big thumbs up from me.

It's not The Vale. There should be a local holiday and carnival introduced to celebrate the death of that aggressive, negative shizerhole.

The Cherry Tree is great. The food was excellent: I had pork belly. Genuinely slow-cooked - soft meat, crisy skin (I've had plenty of pork belly that SAYS slow-cooked but the meat is firm and the skin is chewy...). It's not The Cheapest. But then if you want The Cheapest then you were happy with The Vale and all its football-shirt-wearing skinhead glory.

Go there! It's new and it's not owned by the same people that own half of East Dulwich (Bishop, Actress, Great Exhibition, Rye...) - it deserves a tenner of your money to make up your own mind.

Cheers

Brad

[toffeese15]

Bradlington Wrote:

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It's not The Cheapest. But then

> if you want The Cheapest then you were happy with

> The Vale and all its football-shirt-wearing

> skinhead glory.

>

> Go there! It's new and it's not owned by the same

> people that own half of East Dulwich (Bishop,

> Actress, Great Exhibition, Rye...) - it deserves a

> tenner of your money to make up your own mind.

>

> Cheers

> Brad

As someone who has been going to the Vale once a week for the past 15 years after playing my weekly game of football, I'd just like to point out that I can't recall seeing any football-shirt-wearing skinheads in there. It was a failing pub, but for that you can blame the people who ran it rather than the patrons, most of whom attended it for 2 reasons: 1) you could be guaranteed a seat; 2) it was cheap due to the absence of rugby-shirt-wearing types.

I'll be in there tomorrow night to see how it's going. I hope it works out because as things were it was a waste of a decent location.

[MrBen]

EMR Wrote:

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> Jeremy, I can usually get a glass of pineapple

> juice for between ?1.20 and ?1.80. A glass of this

> in The Cherry Tree is ?2. J20 does indeed carry a

> premium but still wouldn't expect to pay more than

> ?2.20.

I kind of like how you go to a pub to drink pineapple juice. Quirky but cool. Straight up or on the rocks?

[EMR]

On the rocks. With a lil' umbrella, depending on the establishment.

[toffeese15]

I was in there last night after playing football. As some of our group had football shorts on, I was conscious that we probably weren?t the type of people they were looking to attract in the long run, but if that was the case it didn?t show on the face of the smiling bar staff who served us.

Seemed pretty quiet in there, although I guess Tuesday?s not a busy pub night anywhere.

Garden was a little busier. I do wonder whether they could improve the lighting at the back. It gets very dark out there.

Hope they manage to pull in the punters.

[Sue]

We were there last night too, for the first time since the changes.

First impressions:

We loved the garden and didn't think it was too dark, just atmospheric with the tea lights. Much nicer and leafier than many pub gardens, and seemed to be well cared for.

Good range of real ale. We were recommended one which we really liked, and could have had a taster first.

Very friendly and welcoming bar staff.

The bar snacks looked absolutely yummy - we didn't try any last night but definitely will in future, eg the black pudding Scotch egg. They also seemed well priced at ?4 each or (I think) four for ?15.

It was quite empty, but then it was a Tuesday night, and also most people seemed to be in the garden.

My only criticism, and it's a minor one, is that the lighting was much too bright inside. Combined with the new white walls, the bright lighting made it all seem very stark, which in fact was the main reason we headed for the garden. It didn't feel like it would have been a welcoming space to sit, particularly on an evening when there were so many empty tables.

Dimming the main lights and having tea lights would have made the space much more welcoming.

But overall, a massive, massive improvement and I wish it well - we'll definitely be back!

[holloway]

a scotch egg at 4 quid, well priced?? really??

[El Pibe]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who did a double take at that!!

[Jeremy]

Seems about par for the course. Cheaper than the chorizo scotch egg at the Victoria Inn.

[El Pibe]

It's a world gone mad I tell ya!!

[Sue]

holloway Wrote:

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> a scotch egg at 4 quid, well priced?? really??

xxxxxxx

It's a black pudding Scotch egg.

Not something from Lidl.

[Mick Mac]

holloway Wrote:

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> a scotch egg at 4 quid, well priced?? really??

I thought Sue said black pudding scotch egg. She can tell is what that is but it seems to be a combination.?

[Alan Medic]

Long day Mick?

[Sue]

Lol.

I haven't actually had one here, but I've had one elsewhere, and it was a Scotch egg with black pudding instead of/incorporated into the sausage meat. It was yummy, I love good black pudding, and I look forward to trying the Cherry Tree's version.

[Bunny19]

Went yesterday, can't understand why the old owner is still milling around there, sort of puts downer on it for me, nice sandwich and a quid cheaper than the Bishop, but the place lacks something apart from customers..... I hope the new management turn it around, but my heart says, a lick of paint and a new menu isn't enough to rid the negatives of a really badly run establishment.

[El Pibe]

"can't understand why the old owner is still milling around there"

Oh dear, that's enough for me to carry on with my policy of NTV.

Pity.

[Sue]

Bunny19 Wrote:

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> Went yesterday, can't understand why the old owner

> is still milling around there,

xxxxxxx

What do you mean by "milling around"? Was he behind the bar, or drinking in the pub as a customer?

When we went he wasn't anywhere to be seen, and the bar staff said that we had just missed the new owners, who had just left.

[Bunny19]

Was walking in and out of the place and saw him today too

[Sue]

Bunny19 Wrote:

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> Was walking in and out of the place and saw him

> today too

xxxxxx

But saw him where? Behind the bar, or where?

Working there, or what?

[Peckhamrye]

He is still the owner, but the new management team have complete autonomy. I think he is just finding it hard to let go but he no longer has anything to do with running it or serving customers. Can we just get back to how the pub is please?

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Just had a shandy there. Was a bit empty but does feel quite large and cavernous (I know it's a big pub). Not overwhelmed but will defo use it for the odd pint here and there, as I did The Vale.

[chrisharvey]

Hi all, just for confirmation the old owner has been in once for a drink.

The gentlemen being referred to is working for us doing some painting etc.

He bears a resemblance to the old owner but believe me this is a case of mistaken identity.

Comments appreciated, as you say the pub is huge and feels a bit cavernous.

We needed a blank canvas to work from and needed to get a feel for the place.

Some colours, more plants and bits shall be coming.

This is very much a work in progress, things will keep developing over time.

Thanks for all who have come so far.

All your comments are appreciated.

[El Pibe]

I shall,take you at your word mr Harvey and give it a go then.