The Mag

[DrinkingBuddy]

Not sure if it's related to The Patch, but between four and six weeks ago there was a sign up in the window saying that the landlord (Enterprise Inns) had taken the property back from the tenant and they were not permitted to enter. Within a few days there was activity inside getting ready to reopen it, with whom I assume is now managing it.

This was around the same time The Patch kickstarter project was coming to an end and hadn't met it's funding target, but purely speculation on my part as to whether it was actually The Patch it was being taken back from.

[Sue]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> the Patch need to restate and clarify their

> intentions about when they take over because

> turning people's impressions around at this point

> is going to be a struggle

xxxxxx

See here - yet another forum thread started by Arnold:

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,1094207,1094207#msg-1094207

But nothing posted on their Facebook page for over a month:

https://www.facebook.com/dulwichpatch

And nothing much on Twitter either:

The Patch have been "about to take over The Mag" since before Christmas, so who knows what is going on behind the scenes.

The notice on The Mag referred to above was when Steve, the previous manager, left. I can't imagine Tony, the present (temporary) manager can keep the pub going for much longer, as it appears to be spiralling downhill fast at the moment.

Whatever is the opposite of finger on the pulse of East Dulwich, is how the Mag is being run at present ..... in my opinion.

[StraferJack]

I did see that Sue. A month ago....

It's in that month that people are looking at the pub and writing it off. In the meantime no updates on here from Patch & Co. No updates on their facebook page either

People will draw their own conclusions

[Sue]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> I did see that Sue. A month ago....

>

> It's in that month that people are looking at the

> pub and writing it off. In the meantime no updates

> on here from Patch & Co. No updates on their

> facebook page either

>

> People will draw their own conclusions

xxxxxx

I do completely agree, but Arnold did say at the end of that last post

"won?t be posting further on the ED forum until we have a launch date."

What I can't understand is the constant stating - with great certainty - that the lease is about to be signed. My OH and I were first told this by Arnold before Christmas, and he has said it on the forum at various times in the five or so months since then.

And press articles have appeared which portray The Patch as already being in existence .....

I understand that these things take time, but why keep jumping the gun when there is nothing definite to report? There's a loss of credibility when such statements are made over and over again and then nothing happens.

Let's hope that loss of credibility can be overcome if and when The Patch actually opens.

[DulwichFox]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Yeah! I do. Very hit and miss. Do you remember the

> discoteque type back bar back in the 70s? That was

> pretty wild.

Yep.. DJ in Middle of floor.. All done up like a cave...Chicken Wire and plaster..

Foxy

[bob]

Me to before the cave look with roof gas heaters ramed every week end Bob S

[Jeremy]

The discoteque sounds super. Much more fun than a glorified herb garden.

[Huggers]

The comedy at the Mag was brilliant. It had been at the EDT before. Both pubs threw the comedy out so they could 'develop the room' to the detriment of all. Now the comedy is at The Hob, opposite Forest Hill station, run by hard working amazing Emma and Ron who had to buy the pub to make sure their comedy club had a secure longlasting home. Patronise the Hob, it's only just a bit further up the road and give these exploitative Enterprise establishments a miss!

[Jah Lush]

I'm with you on that 100-per-cent Huggers.

[UncleBen]

I remember when the family that run the Cherry Tree/Vale had the Mag for a while. .

Maybe the Mag, just like the Cherry Tree is just 100 yards too far from the 'main drag' of LL ever to be as busy as the other LL pubs?

[Jah Lush]

There was a time when the Mag was just as busy as any of the rest of the pubs on Lordship Lane. It's only in the last decade or so that it hasn't been. Just hasn't kept up with the times and catered for what is NOW wanted locally.

[Otta]

Amen!

[Sue]

UncleBen Wrote:

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> I remember when the family that run the Cherry

> Tree/Vale had the Mag for a while. .

> Maybe the Mag, just like the Cherry Tree is just

> 100 yards too far from the 'main drag' of LL ever

> to be as busy as the other LL pubs?

xxxxx

Really? The Cherry Tree people owned the Mag? When was that?

The Cherry Tree has (or could have, other things being equal which they aren't) a massive advantage over The Mag because it's just down from East Dulwich Station.

Would be a great drinking place for people on their way home from work.

It's also not as far from the "main drag" as The Mag is, I think. It's only a two minute walk from Goose Green roundabout and the EDT, whereas the Mag is in the middle of nowhere.

The Cherry Tree was beginning to do very well for a while under fresh new management and a good young chef, and was making a name for itself with excellent food and ales and pulling in a lot of custom until .... well, you know what happened I presume.

All downhill from there :(

Both the Mag and the Cherry Tree have got a long way to go to haul themselves up by their bootstraps, they have both sunk so low now :(

[minder]

The Magdela was the place to be in the early 80s. The DJ sat in a squared off area in the middle of the pub, playing everybodys favourite songs and sisters and friends had a great time. Trying to get a coke (or drink) at the bar was hard work as it was literally shoulder to shoulder.

[UncleBen]

Sue Wrote:

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> UncleBen Wrote:

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

> Really? The Cherry Tree people owned the Mag? When

> was that?

X x x x x x

Yes, short term lease. They also had short term lease on EDT before that. They ran the Tyrell Arms for years. They've been in pub trade for a long time.

I didn't like the new management of Cherry Tree as it became yet another cloned ED pub for the Stepford husbands.

[LondonMix]

The Mag isn't in the middle of nowhere. There are pubs further up the drag that do much better than the Mag. And TGE has also shown that you don't need even need to be on LL to be successful. They are going to have to find something interesting that sets them apart but there is no reason why the location should hold them back.

[Jeremy]

It's actually a pretty decent location IMO. Easily walkable from pretty much anywhere in ED.

[Rianoo]

For what it is worth I think it is a great location as it is away from the main drag. There is a bar in Chiswick called the Roebuck that is almost identical in layout and very popular albeit expensive but where isn't now. It is also one of the lasts pubs on the main High Road drag. To get the Mag up to that sort of standard would require hefty investment.

[susiq]

there was a thai restaurant upstairs at one time, a film club used to meet and show films there courtesy of Reg Buckley - Mag. owner, who played a "John Cleese lookalike" soldier escorting Jesus with cross to Sainsburys carpark to be crucified "report South London Press",there was a Stargate Club upstairs - very scary people. It was also "drug central" in SE London, held Rock Nights, hosted a(real) gangsters wedding-no names, had firework parties for local/not local kids, charity auctions and events, like the worst underwear streak, the bucket of water fight etc., great times, great people (of their time) sadly gone, and much as I disagreed with James on his description of regulars and locals, there was a comradeship, not just in this pub but between the pubs and customers up and down Lordship Lane, that will not be found again in Dulwich (judging by such comments as his) it is time to move on.

[stacey-lyn]

http://i42.tinypic.com/2wfofis.jpg

[Sue]

So - anybody got any further news on the future of The Mag/The Patch?

[BigED]

M&S Food? Waitrose?

[DulwichFox]

Funeral Parlour..

Would get more people through the door.

Just walked passed.. Doors open. No one inside. Not even staff.

Not sure if they were open..

Foxy.

[Sue]

BigED Wrote:

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> M&S Food? Waitrose?

xxxxxx

Second branch of Iceland?

[Sue]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> Funeral Parlour..

>

> Would get more people through the door.

>

> Just walked passed.. Doors open. No one inside.

> Not even staff.

>

> Not sure if they were open..

>

xxxxxx

Not sure there will be many people in any local pubs at 5pm on a Wednesday, Fox?