Did mention this yesterday in another thread but in these days of austerity and pubs closing down left right and center I thought I'd give it it's own thread as a couple of much needed good pieces of pub news.
The Lord Northbrook (near Lee Station) has been completely refurbed and opened last Friday.
I popped in there yesterday on my way to the game (not a local for me), great improvement and boy didn't it need it, it's 29 years since it was last done up!
5 real ales....full menu not yet available, though will be quite shortly.
Will be opening a conservatory and large decking area in due course...........those who know the pub will know of the large garden.
It's owned by the same fella that has The Oak in Widmore Road Bromley. Small chain of about 10 pubs.
I liked it.
Secondly, the impressive looking and fantasticly located Imperial Arms in Chislehurst has new owners who are making considerable improvements and all the right noises, once again sorely needed.
Not sure if it's actually open whilst they carry these works out........it might be? Drove past on Friday night and all the lights were on but there were several people in there working away stacking up furniture and generaly moving things around etc, so in the short term it may be closed.
I assume the wonderful Courtyard Thai Restaurant behind (which is part of the pub, though run independently) is still open.........I should imagine it is, as it's so popular.
Comments
As you say the Imperial has needed work for years but hope it doesn't go the same way as The Ramblers of late. Full of complete Pondlife in their Lonsdale Gear. Think it's fair to say The Bull and The Crown are the nicest pubs in BR7 by a mile.
That said the landlord is a decent bloke and these things tend to go in cycles. No doubt it will pick up again, The Bull tends to have a much more welcoming crowd and atmosphere at the moment.
On the theme of local pubs in that end of Bromley The Widmore (formerley the 5 Bells) is being converted into flats. Never recovered from that tear up a few years back.
Yes, it never did.
Was very nasty wasn't it!
On the subject of rugby one of his first ventures was in partnership with some lads from Parkhouse who clubbed together to start the Beckenham.
The pubs chain and brewer Marston's says its continuing expansion means it will need another 1,000 employees next year.
The company said it had build 19 new pubs this year and planned to build 25 a year from 2012.