The Plough Pub

[citizenED]

Good riddance to the Plough. Its the only pub in ED to go downhill in the time ive lived in these parts. When i first got here it was OK with its conservatory and the plants above the windows - even took my mum and dad in there once... and survived. As all the other pubs got gentrified i guess the regulars had to end up somewhere. Long live the New Plough.

citizen

[Mark]

So where will the regulars go now then I wonder...

[*Bob*]

They'll make a bee-line for The Bishop, surely?

[James]

There's always the Castle... ED's last bastion against chandeliers and flock wallpaper.

What brewery is it Nero? I am excited now.

Sean - Rubber Band wasn't one of his laughing gnome/mime act thingies was it?

[Tom]

Great news that it is to be refurbished.

It is a dump - and could offer both worlds - for new and old dulwich, its certainly big enough.

My fear is that if it doesn't change hands, the Just so Pub co will try and gastrofy the Plough badly, whith naff panelling and more patterned carpets, more 'promotions' and the same unpleasant atmosphere.

If anyone from the plough reads this - pls introduce real food - not reheated brakes catering packs (yes I know they do a gastro range - not good enough). Pls also try and tidy the place up and add some character to what was once a pleasant building. It would also be nice to have a flexible space for music, events, functions, safe outside space (for adults - not kids!) and finally - sort the useless bar staff out.

Hope thats not too much to ask. I would be willing to pay ?3 a pint if all of the above changed.

(Hoping bribery works!)

[Jah Lush]

Hear hear! Well said Tom, you're right on the money there. I may even start going back in there if all that happens.

[James]

It's amazing they haven't realised what a moneyspinner it could be. I mean the village is a stone's throw away, as is Lordship Lane

[Ko]

It gets so many people passing by at the weekend - lots of families out walking to Dulwich Park and the library.

It would be great to see the place tidied up and serving good food.

[ratty]

Where am I going to go for a punch up now ffs?

[Jeremy]

ratty Wrote:

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

> Where am I going to go for a punch up now ffs?

Maybe try freeganism?

[BarryRoad]

I heard the Plough got smashed up last night.

[TillieTrotter]

Blimey, I hope it wasnt you lot creating mayhem on the way back from the Clock!

[bawdy-nan]

posted in error

[JADED]

Yep, there's chipboard nailed to several wondows and doors, looks like the locals gave it good send off(!) Where will the underage teens and old men smelling of wee go now? Signs in the windows say that it's closed for "refurbishment" and will reopen in July.

Following what Tom was saying earlier, I doubt whether the Just So Pub Co will be involved as they were the ones who ran it into the ground in the first place. Apparently it was quite a nice pub before they got their hands on it. It's changed hands twice since then but never really recaptured it's glory days - it may be hard to believe, but it was once one the oldest and most famous pubs in London.

With such a distinguished heritage, the site deserves something better and I'll be interested to see what develops.

[Jah Lush]

I remember when the Plough was a quite a good pub but it's a long time ago, the same could be said of the Grove Tavern, further up the road which has been a Harvester for far too long. Both of them need to change with the times.

[Keef]

It is NOTHING like it was when it was a pub, I remember it having nice seperate bars and a really nice garden. Going back to the Inside 72 thing, I agree that it would be great to have a cool music based place... However, I think the reason 72 works so well is because it is a tiny place, not sure you'd get the same feel in a big airy bar.

[citizenED]

Barry Road said "I heard the Plough got smashed up last night." (Friday)

Walked past on the way home from the Clock after Forum drinkies. Cop car outside, Ambulance, usual suspects... Hope no-one seriously injured.

Goodbye Plough. Good riddance.

citizen

[SeanMacGabhann]

8 white vans as well as a big removal van parked up in the car park today. That's some serious work going on in there...

[VickiB]

On friday night they were selling the beer for a ?1 and a lot of kids thought they'd take advantage and of course everybody got totally smashed and it all kicked off, several people were bottled, the whole place was smashed up. It was total mayhem apparently.

[redrouge]

I only live across the road... how did I miss all that!? :\ Goodness!

Although my 176 on the way home did get its window smashed in by a brick just before we got to the Plough and there was bus chaos with the driver... etc etc... I thought it was a tad unusal to get bricked at on the way home (was about 11.30pm)

I remember all the protests when the Just So Pub Co bought the Plough and turned it into the Goose and Duck (or something like that) then the buses went to "Dulwich Library" instead of "Dulwich Plough"!

A nice grotty pub would be nice. Somewhere homely, relaxing, big open fire in the winter, sunny garden with Pimms in the summer. I've never even been in there! I've actually never been to a pub on LL because none of them appeal to me at all... I look at them from the outside with their fancy writing and I just could never be arsed...!

[Louisa]

The Plough was once a great family pub, I have some wonderful memories of it, however the refurb done by the "just so pub company" in 1996, ripped the heart out of the place, and turned it into a wetherspoons style pub and not the spit and sawdust as claimed by many on here.. I would like to see the place return to what it was, but I fear with all these posh folk round here now, it will no doubt carry on as a heartless middle class drones gastropub.. It's so sad the way ED is going..

[BarryRoad]

redrouge - it's a little silly of me to post this because several people on here know I work there, but have you tried the CPT (Crystal Palace Tavern) on Crystal Palace Road?

Walk in and turn right (the left side doesn't sound like it would appeal to you), and you'll certainly get the winter pub you're after. No lovely garden for Pimm's in the summer, but the tables outside on the street are quite quiet unless it's a really hot day (meaning the tables outside on LL are full).

I was a local there before I started working and loved it then, so perhaps you would too :-)

[SeanMacGabhann]

Louisa

Don't think many of us on here have described it as a spit n sawdust pub. And we know it was the Just So pub co that ripped out the heart of the original Plough. But most of us didn't like the place because... well it was always to easy to beloeve that what happende on Fri night would happen at any given time -

And middle class drones is... generalising a bit isn't it?

[*Bob*]

The lack of old-fashioned pubs in ED is a shame. But that's down to the short-sightedness of developers over the years. I disagree that 'ED posh types' (whatever they are) demand gastropubs and flocked wallpaper. Indeed, the (proper) posh types to be found in Finsbury, Islington, Chelsea and Ken etc etc love their good awld pubs, and the developers there had the foresight to realise this. The "Just So's" of this world.. didn't. And the damage was done!

Here in ED we can only choose between what the developers put on offer. And personally, seeing as my ideal night doesn't finish with a punch-up, I'm happy to settle for the current range of pubs and bars.

[Tom]

Sorry - I can't understand what you mean by old fashioned pubs. Do you mean the empty sh!t holes populated by a couple of miserable old gits who are only there because their own houses (wives) are so miserable. Do the new 'posh' ED type demand gastro pubs. I don't think they do. I think what the average person would like is some where clean, welcoming, warm and well stocked that they can get a decent bit of food at if they so choose. If good old pubs means a closed enviroment with menacing enviroment then its no wonder they are closing down. To me a pub is a public house where anyone should feel welcome and comfortable - The decor is not essential - but it is nice to see the orriginal parts of the building. I like what the herne did - it works well when the kids aren't over running it!

Without getting going on the class thing - this is not a middle class or 'posh' rant, this is about basic civil amenities. If the local drug dealers or hooligans like a pub that accepts fights and drug dealing in the toilets, then East Dulwich is a better place when it shuts down and forces those people to move on.

I look forward to a pint of of something interesting, maybe some food and hopefully no fighting!

Do we know any more about who is doing the refurb??