The Drum-Northcross rd selling up

[karter]

Leasehold for sale, anyone interested in buying a bar, its a great location imo, its ashame it never got that busy, it really needed a good food menu i think.

[dulwichmum]

I think that this is a great loss, they did lovely croissants, but I think a great independent ice cream parlour would be a complete bonus to North Cross Road, I saw one recently in Beckenham and I think it would be just as popular and quirkey as Hope and Greenwood!

[Louisa]

At last some good news! :)

Louisa.

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

I would love to see a bar that did as many non-alcoholic drinks as alcoholic ones, for those of us whose livers have been begging for mercy.

It's sad that the only interesting adult entertainment around here always invovles alcohol.

[citizenED]

No.....be very sad to see this go. I loved the place.

[Nero]

It's a great place - really original and unique arou8nd these parts. Big shame! Nero

[karter]

guys, dont be sad, something better will come

[spadetownboy]

Louisa Wrote:

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

> At last some good news! :)

>

> Louisa.

why,s that? sub-branch of iceland perhaps!

[mlteenie]

What would you know about it, Louisa?

[Brendan]

Could the the spot for your ED Table Dancing Club/Casino Lozzyloz.

[lozzyloz]

Thanks Brendan, but it's not big enough and I'm still waiting for the price to drop on the CPT!

It is a nice location though and it's a shame the Drum is closing down. Anyone know why? Was it poor profitability or other reasons?

I used to own a 50% share in a profitable restaurant/bar and sometimes I'm tempted to do it all over again from scratch. That is until I shudder at the memories of just how life consuming the F&B business can be if you to be successful AND profitable. Not really compatible with a wife and kids.

[Brendan]

Yeah I often think back on my time working in bars fondly and think that I wouldn?t mind doing it for a living. Then I remember how utterly taken over people?s lives get by their pub/restaurant etc. and I decided that I will stay on the other side of the bar.

[*Bob*]

It does seem like a good spot and a nice little bar.

Not so long back, Mrs *Bob* went in (not once but) twice in a effort to get the owner to call her about them hosting a party, but it seemed he wasn't interested in having 30-40 people in there, drinking as long as the place would stay open - he never called back.

Which was a bit poor.

[lozzyloz]

Perhaps the owner never got the message? One of the main reasons for these businesses either succeeding or failing is quality of staff. It's difficult to find and keep good people which means as an owner you're often having to do stuff yourself instead of delegating and counting the takings.

[*Bob*]

I don't know the reason. Just a bit of anecdotal evidence (now that they're closing).

[Ant]

IT's sad, but I'm not very surprised. Seemed to me that most of the time there was hardly anyone in there but the owner and a few of his mates slowly drinking their way through any profits the place might have made.

[Damo]

During the evening, the atmosphere was never very welcoming. Always felt like you were crashing a private party with the staff/owner and their mates who hogged the bar. The fact it was always empty obviously didn't help my feelings of paranoia:-S

Hope its replaced with something similar but more inclusive.

[karter]

Everyone's talking as if it is closed already, it's not closed so maybe keep using it.:-S

[ratty]

Have to say the staff in there are cliquey and mostly useless! Maybe it's for the best that it is going!

[AnnaG]

I think The Drum is a great place to hang out, eat great nachos and drink good value wine. Isn't it a good thing that it is slightly different than the other bars in east dulwich?

[Jah Lush]

Very sad as I've had some very good times in there although have recently had a bit of a falling out with the co-owner (he has a main backer, who has probably decided to pull out also) and I could probably tell you other reasons why but can't really talk about it on here but I think Ant is closest to the truth of the matter.

[Nero]

Gosh! I am usually the one to pick up on cliquey vibes, but I never felt out of place in the Drum, even though it is small and I was usually on my own there. Great sarnies, nice beer, good service and a nice, hybrid feeling. Perhaps I never went in enough to pick up on the negative aspects that others have noted. Nero

[shoshntosh]

how sad! it's my kids' favourite place for a saturday morning hot chocolate... not least because of BLUE, the lovely doggie who let's them pet him to their hearts content. (must say, i was a tad concerned when i learned that blue is a pit bull, but he has always seemed very gentle etc)... guess i won't have to worry about that now.

[mlteenie]

He's a fat Staffordshire bull terrier.

[Keef]

It is a nice place, and it's a shame, but last time I went in there the glass in the front door was shattered by the co-owner slamming it in a temper, so we moved on. You just can't be like that in front of customers and expect them to carry on coming in.

Best mates and giving them all drinks one minute, then telling them they're users and to piss off the next... Not a good business plan.