What is happening with the historic Grove Tavern?

[Martin W.]

Can anyone shed some light as to what is happening with the Grove Tavern? Closed for over a year and nothing on the Stonegate Pub's website except that it is temporarily closed. Rumours abound that is going to be a Tesco but I've heard nothing concrete.

For this remarkable historic Tavern to be closed is truly sad for Dulwich. Once a college where Lord Byron was schooled

and renowned in the sixties for its modern food. Displays of hams and charcuterie were laid out alongside home-made potato salad and coleslaw, something that few locals had seen, let alone ate, at the time! Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton would come in for a plate alongside celebrities of the day such as the cast of 'The Avengers' and the obligatory politician or three.

For it to have become a lowly 'Harvester' was bad enough but to see it boarded up is terrible.

Any clues/information would be gratefully received.

[Siduhe]

Some discussion here with a bit more info. Apparently no Tesco!

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1257810,1258253#

[JohnL]

Is in Derelict London now

http://www.derelictlondon.com/south--south-east-london.html

So many pubs in there that I've drunk in - then next visit they've gone.

[Sue]

JohnL Wrote:

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> So many pubs in there that I've drunk in - then

> next visit they've gone.

xxxxxx

Some pattern forming there?! :))

[Otta]

I just looked at that link, and now feel rather depressed. Had some really good times in some of those pubs over the years (several of them when I was barely of legal drinking age (or possibly below it).

There are a few on there that I'm not surprised about or sorry to see gone though. I worked in Woolwich for 8 years, and some of those places were propa rough.

[grace3]

Whats historic about an old Harvesters? yes we know all about the old 'coaching house' bollo.

[JDR]

Would suggest contacting local Tory councillors. Takes top billing on quite a few leaflets I've had from them....

[Pugwash]

A travel lodge or Premier Inn would be nice

[Louisa]

grace3 Wrote:

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> Whats historic about an old Harvesters? yes we

> know all about the old 'coaching house' bollo.

It's not just an old harvester though is it? It has a long history and should be a listed building IMO. To see the site turned into anything other than a eatery/inn/pub/hotel combination would be awful. The Dulwich Estate won't let that happen I'm confident in that.

Louisa.

[NewWave]

Funny, I was passing that place today and thinking how nice it would be if it became a decent pub/resturant perhaps with Deli attached.

[hertburs]

Now that we are well into election season, it would be good to hear what each of the candidates has to say about the future of this building. I think it will be 2 years in August since the building closed after a fire. So come on candidates post what you have done / intend to do about this important Dulwich Common building.

[Mazza6]

Unfortunately the Dulwich Estate also leave derelict buildings for years, you only have to look at the Old Unigate Dairy site on Croxted/Park Hall Road which has been an eyesore for 10 years left to go into disrepair. Until of course they finally get the planning to go through to maximise their asset.

[malcolmchurch]

As the original poster of "The Capitol (Forest Hill) is closing theme in the New Cinema in LL thread" I did have good sources, pub manager telling the staff it was going to close and become a cinema in 3-6 weeks, and so thought it was 99% likely happen. Especially as most of the staff were offered jobs in other pubs.

I would now estimate the likelihood at about 90% as things seemed to have slowed down at the negotiation stage.

However, here is some completely unfounded "heard it in the pub" gossip - Wetherspoons will take over the ex-Harvester Grove Tavern.

Has anybody else heard this rumour?

[jimbo1964]

No.. I wish they would though. The CEO of Wetherspoons was quoted recently about the North/South drinking divide whereby, to paraphrase; everyone oop north is poor and would rather buy supermarket own brand lager and sit in front of the telly, everyone down south wants to go to a nice pub and eat delicious steaks washed down with a fine Claret. If this is true he maybe looking for some more sites in good areas. It would be great to see it open again.

[Louisa]

If you go onto the Wetherspoons 'contact us' section of their website http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/about-us/our-pubs/a-wetherspoon-near-you there is a section where they take suggestions for new sites. I'm sure if enough people contacted them they would consider this site. I'd rather see it restored to it's former glory under the ownership of Wetherspoons than left in the sorry state it's currently in. As a company they are often very sympathetic to ancient historic inns.

Louisa.

[jimbo1964]

Me too. I'm sure they're aware of it but I'll suggest it anyway. It's a terribly sad sight at the moment.

[Jeremy]

Still think it's a bit of a poor location. Spoons don't really have much to offer except cheap drinks. The food certainly isn't going to attract anyone.

[jimbo1964]

It's better than you think. I used to work next the the Lloyds Bar in Camden lock. Food was ok. Also:

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/456706/Pub-fry-up-is-names-best-breakfast

[dollydaydream]

I remember The Grove Tavern when it was a Pub serving lovely

food lovely comfy chairs and in the garden

there was a sheep called Mint Sauce.

[kristymac1]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> The food certainly isn't going to attract

> anyone.

The food isnt great I agree but at last its honestly priced - there are enough 'gastropubs'in the area selling poor quality food and charging a mint for it!

[Jeremy]

That is true... certainly a lot of the pubs charge too much for very average food.

[Louisa]

Wetherspoons food isn't amazing but I agree they don't pretend to be something they're not. And they will restore the pub aesthetically speaking at least, to it's former glory. However, I too am concerned the footfall just isn't there in this location. It really needs to be a go to destination for food or music or beer festivals etc otherwise it just won't work. The fact it's been empty so long speaks volumes, it's clear the easy route out would be residential/retail development, and the powers that be are struggling to justify any other route, and I guarantee they're trying.

Louisa.

[Jeremy]

Fullers pub (quality refurbs, good beer) with 10 or so hotel rooms upstairs. Could work.

[Louisa]

Jeremy do you think they could squeeze a 10 bed boutique style hotel in the rooms upstairs? What are Fullers like for food?

Louisa.

[StraferJack]

I would say Fullers overall are pretty decent for food - they seem to allow more leeway with tennats rather than imposing a blanket Brake Bros arrangement

Good enough to divert people to a site like this? Wouldn't have thought so

re: accomodation - If the Victoria in peckham can squeeze 8-10 rooms, I'm guessing a company could do 10-15 rooms easily above this place