Price of a pint of Beer in the Lane

[Sue]

JCoftheN Wrote:

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> To clarify I bought one pint of lager Moretti I

> believe , so nothing fancy

Moretti is one of the more expensive draft lagers (though ?6.50 does seem a bit steep, even for East Dulwich!)

[JohnL]

I've paid over ?6 recently for Camden Hells (which is always quite pricy)

I think prices went up recently after lockdown

[malumbu]

You pays your money and take your choice. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/you-pays-your-money-and-you-takes-your-choice-chance

But if you are going to pay a premium one should have a good experience in both ambience and the quality of the service and product. The whole Youngs' (Ram) Estate is both pricey and generally disappointing, beer awful, not a patch on the days when it was still a local brewery. As for the 'Lane' the only place I used to drink in was the EDT, in the times of the EDC, and the CPT (RIP). The EDT now as an Antic pub is relatively decent for ambience and price. The Castle is the last unreconstructed pub, and whist not a usual Guinness drinker it seems right (and reasonable value) there.

A decade or two ago price marking order meant that by law pubs had to display their prices (as filling stations still have to do). This was not enforced and government revoked or amended the Statutory Instrument.

PS craft ale is Emperors' New Clothes and you have been hoodwinked into paying a premium. Alcopops aka fruit 'cider' anyone? Sol and a slice of lemon????

[Applespider]

Agree on fruit ciders and hard seltzers which are mostly sugar and flavourings.

But craft ale/beer is a broad brush. The big boys have got in on the act and bought out quite a few breweries which waters down the product and inflates prices. Beavertown, Camden and Meantime are now available more but less quality. Craft brewers often use a lot more hops than the big boys.

I?d argue that some of our local breweries make some excellent beers with superior ingredients. Brick and Gypsy Hill have some crackers of different styles without being extortionate.

The difference between a Carlsberg, a Moretti and a Peckham Helles is similar to a Boris bike, a Pinnacle and a Pinarello. Each has their place but many won?t appreciate the difference

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

malumbu Wrote:

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> The Castle is the last

> unreconstructed pub, and whist not a usual

> Guinness drinker it seems right (and reasonable

> value) there.

>

I used to go in the Castle quite a bit but stopped because of the terrible smell from the toilets. Has that been fixed now?

[Sue]

Dogkennelhillbilly Wrote:

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> malumbu Wrote:

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

> -----

> > The Castle is the last

> > unreconstructed pub, and whist not a usual

> > Guinness drinker it seems right (and reasonable

> > value) there.

> >

> I used to go in the Castle quite a bit but stopped

> because of the terrible smell from the toilets.

> Has that been fixed now?

Yes.

And it's a very friendly pub.

[Earl Aelfheah]

One of it's biggest selling points was the pool table, but they seemed to get rid, perhaps because of COVID? Does anyone know if it's coming back at some point?

[Sue]

rahrahrah Wrote:

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> One of it's biggest selling points was the pool

> table, but they seemed to get rid, perhaps because

> of COVID? Does anyone know if it's coming back at

> some point?

It might have been after the changes of manager?

I never went in that side of the pub, so I don't know.

[holloway]

Pool table in the Castle is unlikely to come back, was the source of a lot of trouble apparently. Agree with other posts, it's a nice pub and if you go between 5 & 6 pm you can enjoy happy hour in which most prices are reduced, Guinness is ?3.50! back to ?4.50 afterwards, but still reasonable.

[Sue]

Sorry duplicate post

[Sue]

They keep the Guinness well, too.

And they've got a great jukebox, which last time we were in there we didn't have to pay for, grammar.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

holloway Wrote:

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> Pool table in the Castle is unlikely to come back,

> was the source of a lot of trouble apparently.

I read a criminological study 20 years ago that identifies that bars with pool tables have 60% more fights, and 60% of those fights statt within 2 feet of the pool table. (I'm making up the figures but that was the general idea). I think they're also quite expensive to fix.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

And obviously you're taking your life into your hands if you skip the queue at the polenta and hummus bar of the Palmerston...

[fishbiscuits]

ken78 Wrote:

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> MrsR Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Try The Castle on Crystal Palace Rd or a little

> > further The Man of Kent on Nunhead Lane for

> > traditional pubs.

>

> and the price is ????

Man of Kent - ?4.50 for Guinness or a basic lager. I think they've completed stopped doing cask ales, though.

The Wetherspoons in Denmark Hill and Forest Hill are the cheapest pubs round here, also the Bird In Hand in Forest Hill is pretty cheap.

[hammerman]

It's all about the gentrification of East Dulwich really. I met up with a friend in the Plough near Dulwich Library before the lock down and was flabbergasted to be charged double the price of a bottle of wine in the area for two glasses. When I had a joke with the bar attendant about the price he just turned away and served the next customer.

[DuncanW]

I saw that study too. I recall it also went on to assert that 100% of those fights involved individuals either already holding, or with ready access to a pool cue.

Dogkennelhillbilly Wrote:

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> holloway Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Pool table in the Castle is unlikely to come

> back,

> > was the source of a lot of trouble apparently.

>

> I read a criminological study 20 years ago that

> identifies that bars with pool tables have 60%

> more fights, and 60% of those fights statt within

> 2 feet of the pool table. (I'm making up the

> figures but that was the general idea). I think

> they're also quite expensive to fix.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

> The Wetherspoons in Denmark Hill and Forest Hill

> are the cheapest pubs round here, also the Bird In

> Hand in Forest Hill is pretty cheap.

Fox on the Hill had huge problems with service in summer - you couldn't get to the bar to be served and you couldn't get served through the app. People were leaving after 45 min waits. It was a shambles. The garden is nice but the owner is awful.

Alleyns Head is pretty reasonable and homely without being scabby. Dulwich Brewing Co never really hit ita stride somehow...

[JohnL]

Popped in the Great Exhibition on Saturday and it was very quiet - then the Bishop was crowded.

prices weren't too different to before.

[fishbiscuits]

Dogkennelhillbilly Wrote:

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> Fox on the Hill had huge problems with service in

> summer - you couldn't get to the bar to be served

> and you couldn't get served through the app.

> People were leaving after 45 min waits. It was a

> shambles. The garden is nice but the owner is

> awful.

Yeah. It's a bit shambolic at the best of times. But there were a few days/weeks post-lockdown where the garden and the tables out front were absolutely rammed and they were just way out of their depth.

I kind of like it though. Easy to slag off spoons and their awful owner, but a cheap pub with bags of outdoor space and good beer selection... I like having it there.

[hammerman]

I'm meeting up with a friend at the Fox this week and looking forward to it. Will be interesting to see what they have on offer food-wise as the last time the only thing they had when we ordered was scampi and chips or salad. Everything else on the menu was off the card.

Just hope they can live up to things as the Fox on the Hill holds a special place in my heart.

[Seagullandwot]

Pubs in East Dulwich, as well as being boring, are generally a massive rip off. They know that well off, affluent families with cash to burn like to visit them with the 4 children and nanny in tow, and don't think twice spending over ?100 on a simple dinner. The ?6.50 pint of Moretti wont look so out of place next to a ?18 plate of burger and chips, so the pubs is happy to charge this. The Palmerston doesn't want people popping in for a pint, they want to fleece the families which to be fair deserve a good fleecing of their inherited money.

A notable exception to this is The Castle. They were still charging ?4.50 for a pint of Moretti post 1st lockdown, so a whole ?2 cheaper than The Palmerston. You wont be able to dine on seabass at The Castle, because it is a proper pub rather than an expensive restaurant with a bar, so do bear that in mind.

The EDT would be the next cheapest. Antic actually charge quite high prices here compared to their other pubs, because even a car crash of a company that goes bust every few years and has a whole portfolio of pubs stolen under their nose, realises that there are lots of wealthy folk in ED that wont even flinch at paying over the odds.

If you want fairly priced affordable pubs, go to Nunhead or Forest Hill. Nunhead has The Man of Kent, Pyrotechnists Arms and Skehans which are decent pubs with pints around the ?4 mark. Forest Hill has The Bird in Hand where a pint of lager (Carlsberg) can be as cheap as ?2.60 or an ale ?2.10, and no drink even close to a fiver. The Hill, a couple of doors up, is just as cheap if not cheaper. Then there is the Capitol Wetherspoons of course.

Most people from East Dulwich will be scared of the above pubs however, as they are normally filled with working class people who are drinking beer, not observing the Creme Fraiche and asking the waitress if they stock alcohol free Kombucha. But if you dont like getting completely ripped off and appreciate pubs for being, well, pubs then do seek out the above options.

[Seagullandwot]

fishbiscuits Wrote:

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> Dogkennelhillbilly Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Fox on the Hill had huge problems with service

> in

> > summer - you couldn't get to the bar to be

> served

> > and you couldn't get served through the app.

> > People were leaving after 45 min waits. It was

> a

> > shambles. The garden is nice but the owner is

> > awful.

>

> Yeah. It's a bit shambolic at the best of times.

> But there were a few days/weeks post-lockdown

> where the garden and the tables out front were

> absolutely rammed and they were just way out of

> their depth.

>

> I kind of like it though. Easy to slag off spoons

> and their awful owner, but a cheap pub with bags

> of outdoor space and good beer selection... I like

> having it there.

I thought it was great in the summer when they were absolutely all over the shop, as you could bring your own booze and sit on the benches, pour it into a glass and chuck the empty cans and bottles on the floor. Or simply bring bottles of a beer they stocked and a bottle opener. The staff were far too busy to notice it going on ( plus they didnt have bouncers) and you didn't have to wait for ages for a drink. If you use your initiative in these scenarios, you can prevent yourself getting mugged off.

[malumbu]

Cycled past the Rye Hotel today, now called something else, and looked in the window. They are happily advertising 'craft beer' whatever that may be at ?6.50 a pint. Obviously something the punters want.

I recall going to the Rake in Borough market a few years ago and the fizzy beer exceeded that even then, but they had some more subtle stuff and not far off normal pub prices, so credit to them for that.

Have an on off relationship with the Fox, sometimes beer selection is great, other times not. Similar with the clietele and service.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

The Fox and even the one in Forest Hill have fairly okay punters (except when I am in), but the Spoons opposite Sainsbury's at the top of Gipsy Hill is a classic Spoons hellhole.

The price of my objection to the owner's politics is speedy service and low cost. If they can't do that, my principals surface again!

[MrsR]

The Wetherspoons in Crystal Palace closed some time ago.

https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/wetherspoon-pub-crystal-palace-not-20263015