I was so sad to hear that the Man of Kent in Sydenham is closing down, in fact all the local pubs that I remember as a child are all making way for apartments. I was born in Laurel Grove and the Man of Kent was just on the corner of our street and as a teenager I remember going there with Mum and Dad to play darts, Dad always managed to make a pint last him all night, don't have to be drinkers to enjoy the pub atmosphere do you? I'm going back to 1947 and from a toddler I remember that pub. Does anyone remember Cutmores on the corner of Laurel/Hazel Grove and the sweetshop opposite the pub, just on the main road run by twin sisters? Not to mention the lovely waft of vanilla as you went past The Criterion Ice Cream shop.
The Tigers Head is also going, The Green Man - in fact all our local landmarks.
It's very sad Maureen, but unfortunately there is obviously less call for pubs these days. Not sure why, maybe the cheap bars that do lots of promations have led to the demise of some of our pubs.
Off course there is also the yobish element that follows some groups that put people off going to pubs these days.
I'm not suggesting that the case for the Man of Kent though.
I think I've asked this some time ago but I would love to contact people that I worked with in Sydenham around 1964 to about 1966. The company was either R F or R W Sturges and were just a couple of doors up from the Criterion Ice Cream parlour. I'm just hoping more people might be logging onto this site and might remember anyone that worked there. Ellen Shepherd in particular, she was the secretary and I was a junior in those days. My boss was Ron Sturges, his wife was Jan and they had two children a boy and a girl. Ron sadly died around 1965 and the company closed soon after.
I was so sad to hear that the Man of Kent in Sydenham is closing down, in fact all the local pubs that I remember as a child are all making way for apartments. I was born in Laurel Grove and the Man of Kent was just on the corner of our street and as a teenager I remember going there with Mum and Dad to play darts, Dad always managed to make a pint last him all night, don't have to be drinkers to enjoy the pub atmosphere do you? I'm going back to 1947 and from a toddler I remember that pub. Does anyone remember Cutmores on the corner of Laurel/Hazel Grove and the sweetshop opposite the pub, just on the main road run by twin sisters? Not to mention the lovely waft of vanilla as you went past The Criterion Ice Cream shop.