The Greyhound - who is responsible?

The place for serious discussion, announcements and breaking news about Sydenham
Guest
Posts: 43
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 09:11

The Greyhound - who is responsible?

Post by Guest »

Like the site and was just searching for someone who has the responsibility for the Greyhound Pub as we live very close (unfortunately for us). It is turning into a nightmare, with a once a fortnight 'boot sale' that attracts about 4 stall holders and no customers (I wonder how long that will last? not long with any luck. A couple of 'would be entrepenuers' think they can make a bit of dosh from setting themselves up as car wash/mechanics/car park attendants.

They have no regard for the fact that it is a residential area - oh no we must just put up with it till it all goes pear shaped and they are off - hopefully quite soon then we can get back to enjoying the peace and quiet of our homes.

Mrs G
Tim
Posts: 5
Joined: 27 Jan 2005 16:01
Location: Sydenham

Post by Tim »

I agree, has it been sold seperately from the pub? The car boot sale has got to be the worst idea ever, whenever I've walked past there seems to be massive disinterest. The whole thing looks a mess with it's hand painted signs and surely the area could be used in a much more community friendly way. I can't imagine that it presently makes much money either.
fishcox
Posts: 628
Joined: 4 Mar 2005 13:55
Location: lawrie park road

Post by fishcox »

I walked around it a couple of Sundays ago (it took about 2 minutes) and found the whole thing a bit embarrassing. I dont think it will last.
danstevens
Posts: 116
Joined: 6 Oct 2004 09:46
Location: Sydenham

Post by danstevens »

greyhound should be knocked down. One of the worst pubs in sydenham. What amazes me is that customers think i nice thing to do on a sunny weekend afternoon is to sit on the benches at the front of the pub right next to the main road and round about. You might aswell suck on a bus exhaust pipe.
Guest
Posts: 43
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 09:11

Post by Guest »

We would be very interested in hearing more about the 'redevelopment' of the Greyhound car park.

We live directly behind this pub and it is a nightmare with its euro bins overflowing with rubbish and the lids left off. We have seen several rats rummaging around the kitchen back door. The kitchen extractor fan is left on 24 hours a day 7 days a week making it difficult to sleep in the summer and enjoy our garden.

As for the trees in the car park - although we would not want them cut down we have requested that they do get cut back to let in more of the sun in our gardens. We are still waiting! It appears there have been several changes in management in the past few months and unfortunately no one seems to understand or care that this pub backs onto a residential area.

I am attempting to contact the Brewery regarding all this since due consideration should be given to those adversely affected.

Gill
gillyjp
Posts: 300
Joined: 5 May 2005 18:52
Location: Sydenham

The Greyhound

Post by gillyjp »

Oh dear - bad news. :cry: Having just walked by the Greyhound we noticed 2 official looking blue stickers in the windows of the pub. We went to have a read and they are applying for 'extended opening hours and a 'relaxation' to their entertainment license'

This is seriously bad news for all residents in the vicinity of this pub and Sydenham in general. We will find out the finer details with a view to posting an objection and will update this site as soon as possible. It may be that we will need a combined objection with the help of others on this site with signing an objection - any support would be very welcome.

They should have at least informed affected residents by posting something about this through our doors surely?
Muddy Waters
Posts: 137
Joined: 2 Oct 2004 17:05

Post by Muddy Waters »

Did anyone clock the irresponsible fly-posting last weekend by the Greyhound publicising their so-called pathetic Boot Sale? A5's all over the bridge, disused phone box etc,etc - what an amateur effort and what a mess left behind!

Thank you anyone from the Greyhound - do you understand anything about trying to lift up an area? or do you want to drag everyone down to your pathetic level?
fishcox
Posts: 628
Joined: 4 Mar 2005 13:55
Location: lawrie park road

Post by fishcox »

i had a chat with peter in the newsagents opposite the greyhound, and the car boot sale is, indeed, organised by the current greyhound landlord.

it is (apparantly) an effort in increasing the revenue for the pub. how an extra £20 can be deemed worthwhile, is beyond me.

maybe, just maybe, if they actually made the pub itself a more welcoming place (selling a decent selection of beer, as opposed to lager, would be a bit of a start) then they could actually make extra revenue from being a pub.

as i have said in other threads, the place should have been left well alone, it was a fantastic pub in the mid 80's. now, the only atmosphere it has, is a slightly intimidating one.

there are ways and means of making a pub more inviting and appealing, and i dont think that arena inns have a clue about even one of them.

take the east dulwich tavern, for example, it has been revamped over the past 10 years, but still has a nice feel about it. without putting it too bluntly, the greyhound really is a khazi.

i would be happy to support anybody who opposes the extension of its opening hours, as it would not, currently, be a positive move for the area.
Illuminance
Posts: 84
Joined: 14 Mar 2005 16:49
Location: Tunbridge Wells

Post by Illuminance »

I recently contacted Mitchells & Butlers, the parent company of Arena Pubs regarding the above issues (plus the poor service); they are currently 'investigating' the situation.
Maybe if enough of us do this we might get a respectable, clean adult pub back in our neighbourhood.

Customer Services
Mitchells & Butlers plc
27 Fleet Street
Birmingham, B3 1JP

0845 700 5050

- That fly posting incident at the weekend cracked me up, they can't even do that properly, what did they use to post them, pritt-stick?? 8)
gillyjp
Posts: 300
Joined: 5 May 2005 18:52
Location: Sydenham

The Greyhound

Post by gillyjp »

Thanks Illuminance for giving us the address and phone no. to contact Mitchell & Butlers. I am sending a letter to them today setting out our concerns. We will also be taking some digital photos and sending these too. (Although there is no contact e-mail address on their website.) I might have to send ordinary prints by post.

I will keep all interested parties posted via this website.

Incidently the Dulwich Woodhouse at the top of Wells Park Rd has the right idea and is always a lovely pub to visit. They have respect for their immediate neighbours as in the garden there are plenty of signs reminding customers that it is a residential area and to please keep the noise down.
Illuminance
Posts: 84
Joined: 14 Mar 2005 16:49
Location: Tunbridge Wells

Post by Illuminance »

Gilly

Try guest.services(at)mbplc.com

Funny how Arena pubs aren't included in the drop-down menu on their 'Find a pub' section of the M&B website. I wonder why? :?

On a serious note, I hope this doesn't turn into a Greyhound hate campaign; I just wish they'd sort their act out and make it a comfortable place to drink once more. It's quite a nice pub without the chavs and turquoise paint.
Illuminance
Posts: 84
Joined: 14 Mar 2005 16:49
Location: Tunbridge Wells

Post by Illuminance »

Unconfirmed reports state there is another new licensee at the GH.
The fourth in the space of a year.
I may pop out for a pint later to investigate...
Muddy Waters
Posts: 137
Joined: 2 Oct 2004 17:05

Post by Muddy Waters »

Guess what - the idiots at the Greyhound have been fly-posting again!

Well, they will get their just desserts as it appears that Lewisham's Enforcement Team are about to fine them for their previous episode of fly-tipping two weeks ago. Good serve them right!

Their frontage is a disgrace,too - litter strewn. Dont they care?

Enough is enough. I, too, am going to write to the Brewery with a strong letter of complaint.
gillyjp
Posts: 300
Joined: 5 May 2005 18:52
Location: Sydenham

The Greyhound

Post by gillyjp »

The Greyhound car park is not the right site for a boot sale. It has been tried too many times.

What the pub needs is to be run by a couple to give it a nice cosy, family feel. I think they are targetting the wrong client group at the moment. As has been previously mentioned in this thread it used to a great pub and I can remember years ago in the early 60's my Dad - who worked in an office opposite (now residential flats) used to go there for a meal and sometimes took me. I can remember they had a restaurant in the tiled conservatory bit. I think the interior, or some of it, is listed.

Anyway - lets see this weekend how the 'boot sale' goes. I just hope they dont wake us up at the crack of dawn like last time - tying some poor dog to the fence and leaving it to bark away at 6.30am on a Sunday morning charming! If enough of us write to complain to Mitchells & Butlers I am sure they will have to take some action.

:D
Muddy Waters
Posts: 137
Joined: 2 Oct 2004 17:05

Post by Muddy Waters »

We could all object to the application for extended hours on the grounds that the management is already acting irresponsibly and local residents dont have any confidence in them. If they are prosecuted by Lewisham then that should be on record, shouldn't it?
Muddy Waters
Posts: 137
Joined: 2 Oct 2004 17:05

Post by Muddy Waters »

Did anyone see it?

BIG fight at the pub on Sunday afternoon!

According to an eye witness, " Someone was hit twice over the head with a wine bottle and bottles were thrown into the road (hard) just missing cars and pedestrians. No control from pub at all, nor any staff present upon the front seating area to try to break it up! Children present, women screaming, men running in the road etc – this was an extremely violent incident in which someone could have potentially been seriously hurt or even killed!

About 5 mins later things kicked off again with a middle aged passerby pushed / knocked to the floor next to the Turkish shop. 2 police cars arrived on the scene (obviously after everything had finished!)"

....and this about a local pub which has applied for an extended hours license.
Guest
Posts: 43
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 09:11

Post by Guest »

It is a grave shame that this pub with a lovely (if shabby) Victorian/Edwardian interior, has been allowed to be ruinned over the last 15 years. It can never be bought back and I am surprised local groups did not get it listed. I guess, it is a reflection of Sydenham`s downward spiral. From once proud English High Street of distinction to a run down ghetto where the shop owners could not give a stuff if they have weeds or grafiti on their shop fronts !

The people with any brains or refinement have already left, so who would bother to protect the pub ? Don`t see the same thing happenning at The Greyhound in Dulwich do you ? Exactly.

W.
annabel mclaren
Posts: 115
Joined: 1 Oct 2004 19:55
Location: thorpes

The Greyhound

Post by annabel mclaren »

In response to Guest - the Sydenham Society spent years trying to get the Greyhound listed during the late 80s/early 90s, before the refurbishment which resulted in the pub being re-named the Fewterer and Firkin. Sadly English Heritage did not consider the interior to be good enough for listing - so although they made some very positive comments they were not keen to take things further. We made strenuous efforts to save the beautiful mahogany bar and persuaded the brewery to retain this during its period as the Fewterer; at this point they turned it round, creating one large space rather than, as previously, the old public bar and saloon. At around the same time the two beautiful stone greyhounds disappeared from the front of the pub - we can only speculate as to where they have ended up! To give credit to the pub in its Fewterer period, we were kept in the loop about pictures etc - and a lot of Sydenham 'memorabilia' was included at that time. Things took a massive turn for the worse, though, when the pub became part of the Arena brand - the building was given its current horrific orange and turquoise paint job, the mahogany bar was ripped out and all links with Sydenham as a place dumped. The only good thing was the restoration of the name!
However, we are still 'on the case' and have complained forcefully to the brewery about the way the pub is currently being run. We are meeting with their representatives soon and hope that things will at last take a turn for the better.
Illuminance
Posts: 84
Joined: 14 Mar 2005 16:49
Location: Tunbridge Wells

Post by Illuminance »

A spot of news -

Mitchells & Butlers have contacted me to say The Greyhound is due for a major refurbishment; downstairs, upstairs, the function room, inside and out in the near future. No more Arena branding and a new management team.

It's obviously going to take time to restore its reputation but hey, I reckon this could be a positive step forward. Looks like our collective letter writing has made an impact.
gillyjp
Posts: 300
Joined: 5 May 2005 18:52
Location: Sydenham

The Greyhound - Notice of Licensing Hearing

Post by gillyjp »

Just to let you know we have been informed (as interested party and possible objectors) that there is to be a licensing hearing on Monday 20/6/06 at 7.30pm. We are going to attend and have our say - we are filling in a form requesting to speak at this hearing.

Not sure if it is a public hearing but anyone wishing to attend can make enquiries to Kevin Flaherty 020 8314 9327 (direct line) or email: kevin.flaherty@lewisham.gov.uk.

Although what Illuminance reports about Mitchells & Butler refurbing the Greyhound is positive I think we need to remind them that it is a residential area, and the resulting effect on residents any extension of hours, or license to play live music till midnight and beyond would have. The reported fight etc, last weekend, which spilled out into the street is a good example of lack of management and cause for concern.

I would be interested to know if anyone else decides to attend the hearing which takes place:

Date: Monday 20 June 2005 at 7.30pm

Venue: Committee Room 2, Civic Suite, Lewisham Town Hall, London, SE6 4RU
Post Reply