Search found 166 matches

by sparticus
3 Jan 2014 14:15
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Pavilion closed
Replies: 60
Views: 37761

Re: Pavilion closed

The Golden Lion is a lovely pub but it always seems empty and the landlord is not exactly a ray of sunshine. Blues on a Friday night was an attraction but that seems to have gone to Crystal Palace. Can't say a Rod Stewart tribute act does it for me. I have found the quality of the beer variable, but...
by sparticus
31 Dec 2013 12:57
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Burglary in Peak hill and surrounding Roads
Replies: 6
Views: 4312

Re: Burglary in Peak hill and surrounding Roads

Both early models of uPVC patio doors and street doors and windows are very vulnerable to break-in. In the case of the latter, the glazing unit is held in the frame with a plastic gasket on the outside which can be easily pulled out, and then the whole glazing unit can be removed. It takes all of 10...
by sparticus
17 Dec 2013 07:54
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Anyone used a tablet with GPS?
Replies: 6
Views: 2812

Re: Anyone used a tablet with GPS?

I have a laptop with a cheap GPS "puck" for marine navigation as a back up system to a dedicated plotter. A lot of people use similar systems with tablets for the same purpose. It uses off-the-shelf navigation packages and I have both a rather expensive proprietory package and a freeware o...
by sparticus
15 Dec 2013 10:22
Forum: Town Cafe
Topic: New ikea coming to Greenwich
Replies: 16
Views: 20993

Re: New ikea coming to Greenwich

Oh my god! I agree with Eagle! My idea of hell would be trapped in ikea in perpetuity, going round and round, never being able to find the way to the market and exit.
by sparticus
6 Dec 2013 20:04
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: 278 - 280 Kirkdale
Replies: 29
Views: 19458

Re: 278 - 280 Kirkdale

"Wine bars are called wine bars 'cos they're full of people whining"
Alexi Sayle

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by sparticus
8 Nov 2013 08:07
Forum: Town Cafe
Topic: The Albert
Replies: 4
Views: 2412

Re: The Albert

So I thought I would give it a try myself so I wandered down there last night. Oh dear! The good things were a decent pint of session bitter at £2.90 a pint, friendly landlord and a diverse bunch of drinkers. But there is no comfortable seating, it's far too brightly lit and has loud, conversation i...
by sparticus
3 Nov 2013 11:12
Forum: Town Cafe
Topic: The Albert
Replies: 4
Views: 2412

Re: The Albert

Oops! Got the name wrong. I mean the Alfred. So, what's it like?

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by sparticus
2 Nov 2013 16:37
Forum: Town Museum & Gallery
Topic: Mr Smith's Club
Replies: 5
Views: 12002

Re: Mr Smith's Club

Thanks chaps.

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by sparticus
1 Nov 2013 08:14
Forum: Town Cafe
Topic: The Albert
Replies: 4
Views: 2412

The Albert

I was at the Catford Bridge Tavern for a session with a mate last night. Shame it's closing, but at least Antic are developing the old Conservative Club down the road as a new venue. Something nearer would be nice. I've lost hope that anything worthwhile will emerge from the Greyhound fiasco, and fi...
by sparticus
23 Oct 2013 10:35
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Bishopthorpe Road
Replies: 1
Views: 1538

Bishopthorpe Road

New speed bumps in Bishopthorpe Road being dug up this morning?

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by sparticus
21 Oct 2013 16:25
Forum: Town Museum & Gallery
Topic: Mr Smith's Club
Replies: 5
Views: 12002

Mr Smith's Club

I've just read Charlie Richardson's autobiography and now reading Brown Bread Fred, the autobiography of Fred Foreman, another south London gangster and an associate of the Krays. Fascinating stuff and a window onto a London that has disappeared. Both books talk about a "stand-up" between ...
by sparticus
12 Oct 2013 10:44
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Deadline approaching in battle to save The Windmill
Replies: 208
Views: 85414

Re: Deadline approaching in battle to save The Windmill

Why did Weatherspoons pull out? If they couldn't make money there with their huge buying power then it's highly unlikely that anyone else could. But it's not the point really-lots of pubs which have been able to provide the landlord with a reasonable living have been flogged off by the freeholders b...
by sparticus
27 Aug 2013 18:11
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey
Replies: 734
Views: 319486

Re: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey

"thought you required diversity? Why move to a place where your neighbours are a reflection of your values?" I didn't say I wanted to live amongst people exactly like me. I want to live somewhere where there is a diversity of lifestyle and opinions ranging from the sensible and compassiona...
by sparticus
27 Aug 2013 16:19
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey
Replies: 734
Views: 319486

Re: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey

"Told you so" Shame that personal invective has to intrude into a interesting discussion. FWIW, we sold a house in Park Langley mortgage-free to move to Sydenham. We could easily have afforded to move to East Dulwich, or Dulwich itself for that matter. We chose otherwise. We wanted to live...
by sparticus
27 Aug 2013 16:01
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey
Replies: 734
Views: 319486

Re: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey

"The problem with that line of approach, and I have some sympathy with it, is that you end up arguing for all sorts of amenities you know you'll never use just for the sake of keeping your stock diverse. I requested a multiplex at bell Green as well as an Independent Cinema on the high street. ...
by sparticus
27 Aug 2013 13:58
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey
Replies: 734
Views: 319486

Re: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey

To get back to the substantive issue, here are some comments from a friend who lives in east Kent and has been a enthusiastic and knowledgable supporter of the micro-pub movement since its inception: "In practice, the community building thing goes quite deep – customers watching out for each ot...
by sparticus
27 Aug 2013 13:02
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey
Replies: 734
Views: 319486

Re: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey

I think this has been covered elsewhere on these forums but here goes. In a couple of words; Bell Green and the Internet. All sorts of other issues like traffic, parking, convenience, but it seems to me that a high street consisting of a row of shops is simply not able to compete with the big retail...
by sparticus
27 Aug 2013 10:43
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey
Replies: 734
Views: 319486

Re: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey

"I do like the idea of the Greyhound working as a micro-pub, but I think you are contradicting yourself here; if size doesn't matter, why should excessive rents and rates hurt micro-pubs any more than regular sized pubs? I don't know how much difference discussions such as these make, although ...
by sparticus
26 Aug 2013 11:34
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey
Replies: 734
Views: 319486

Re: Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey

Size doesn't matter! Anyone who thinks that pubs have to be big to be viable should follow up the growing micro-pub movement started by Martyn Hillier at the Butcher's Arms in Herne, Kent. There's lots of information on his website http://www.micropub.co.uk/ The nearby Tanketon Arms, which appears t...
by sparticus
8 Aug 2013 19:36
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Our MP
Replies: 1
Views: 1401

Our MP

What is Jim Dowd for?

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