Antic is a brilliant little chain. They have a few in and around south east and south west London. The one in Catford is ten mins from me and it is so nice to have a decent local in the area. They also want to take over the GPO in Eltham and The Job Centre in Deptford. Their website shows current and planned developments and they are/ will be worth a visit.
The Antic website says the Catford Bridge Tavern is closing "in the next few weeks" - sold to another pub company. Is that recent news? I hadn't realised Antic had leased so many landmark pubs in half-forgotten suburbs. If you are near Catford, the Blythe Hill Tavern on Stanstead Road is well worth a visit: nicely old-fashioned with three small bars, good beers, very friendly staff and convivial punters.
Hopefully the website hasn't been updated for a while as that was due to happen a few months back. Tesco were keen to build a Tesco Express but Antic, locals and the council fought against it and won. I think they are there for a few years lease wise.
The Blythe Hill Tavern is excellent. Hopefully that is safe from any developers plans.
Antic is a brilliant little chain. They have a few in and around south east and south west London. The one in Catford is ten mins from me and it is so nice to have a decent local in the area. They also want to take over the GPO in Eltham and The Job Centre in Deptford. Their website shows current and planned developments and they are/ will be worth a visit.
Antic also took over a dying old sports pub near Lewisham hospital, refitted it, put in some good ales and renamed it the Ravensbourne Arms. Anyone tried this one yet?
Interesting review of the Ravensbourne here by MrRight
Lewisham Council helped the Catford Bridge Tavern survive, led by Councillor Liam Curran, head of Lewisham Council’s Sustainable Development Select Committee, which produced a report on ‘Preserving Local Pubs’. "For a long time I’ve been worried about the fate of the pubs in Lewisham," he says. "We’ve lost about half in the last two decades. In London it is about the land the pubs stand on and how much it is worth to developers."
One of the recommendations in the Preserving Local Pubs report is that any pub must be marketed for three years before its use can be altered. Councillor Curran explains: "Developers might initially seek planning permission to build flats above pubs, which ultimately means the pub ends up closing, as people don’t want flats with pubs below or pubs with flats above. Or developers will demonstrate that a pub isn’t wanted or valued in a planning application. We’ve seen examples of planning officers being misled, by being given reports highlighting how other comparable pubs in the area are on their knees, while completely omitting to mention a close by pub that is a great success."
Credit to Lewisham Council for making a stand on this; most councils leave the conversion of pubs to market forces. SJH points out above that the Antic website entry on the Catford Bridge Tavern must be out of date - its future seems to be assured for a while at least. And yes, let's hope the Blythe Hill Tavern continues to thrive.
Credit to Lewisham Council for making a stand on this; most councils leave the conversion of pubs to market forces. SJH points out above that the Antic website entry on the Catford Bridge Tavern must be out of date - its future seems to be assured for a while at least. And yes, let's hope the Blythe Hill Tavern continues to thrive.
Not so sure that it is out of date - here's an extract :-"After our fight last year during which we were almost turned into a supermarket, the building has now been sold to another Pub Company".
I think you're right, Eddie. Seems to be the case. However at least it is staying as a pub and Antic are looking for another in the area. The lease is with a company called Camden Bars. Anyone know anything about them?
Quite a few of the pubs mentioned have changed hands numerous times in recent years I understand. Each time someone ends up losing a load of dough. All seems a bit odd to me.
That's what they've been saying for about a year, now, but there's no sign of anything happening!
Yes was supposed to be open in July but nothing going on. Greenwich Council turned their licence application down originally but a few local bloggers got their voices heard and a petition was set up and they approved the second application. Shame that after all Antic seem to have stalled on this one.
One day last week I walked the length of Plumstead High Street and counted just three pubs still open: Dowds, the Volunteer, and the Plume of Feathers. My pub guide of 1994 lists eight open then. Architecturally, the best one in the area may be the Star, on Plumstead Common Road, with 1920s panelling and some original fittings - and it was thriving when I visited last year.
Porcupine was an absolute hole of a pub, last went in there a few years back on a 'family day' on a bank holiday, literally full of parents off their faces, could barely get in the toilet for queue's of blokes snorting gear - that place is no loss at all.
Porcupine was an absolute hole of a pub, last went in there a few years back on a 'family day' on a bank holiday, literally full of parents off their faces, could barely get in the toilet for queue's of blokes snorting gear - that place is no loss at all.
This. know the people that maintained the gardens and looked after all the birds and animals back in the 80's. Was a proper nice place to drink then. Hardly recognisable when I popped in about 3 years ago.
One day last week I walked the length of Plumstead High Street and counted just three pubs still open: Dowds, the Volunteer, and the Plume of Feathers. My pub guide of 1994 lists eight open then. Architecturally, the best one in the area may be the Star, on Plumstead Common Road, with 1920s panelling and some original fittings - and it was thriving when I visited last year.
And the landlord is a season ticket holder.
Nice to hear that, Curb It. After a game at The Valley last season a pal and I walked to the Star because I'd read about its unusual 1920s interior. We were impressed by this, and the friendliness of the staff and punters. Better all round than the Mill, over the Common. I'll be back.
Can't recall the type of folk that would frequent the Porcupine but if they are anything like the wrong un's from the royal then I wouldn't bother with it.
That said, Surely Mottingham is more worthy of an ASDA or Tesco as opposed to a Lidl?!
The Plume was all boarded up when I went past a few weeks ago. Is it open again?
Beautiful old building, must be around 300 years old. A real period piece - love that big old Georgian half-round bay window.
Harks back to the days when Plumstead was a "Rising Village With An Air Not To Be Equalled", as described by Mr H Batt an important resident in the early 19th century.
Sounds the pub could do with a new lease of life rather than shut & demolished, make it over 25's, decent grub, no sport on tv etc.
Fantastic beer garden in the summer would be good for local families etc.
I think it's been tried a few times over the last 3/4 years, unfortunatly most of the people who frequented it looked like they were on day release from somewhere.
Antic is a brilliant little chain. They have a few in and around south east and south west London. The one in Catford is ten mins from me and it is so nice to have a decent local in the area. They also want to take over the GPO in Eltham and The Job Centre in Deptford. Their website shows current and planned developments and they are/ will be worth a visit.
Antic also took over a dying old sports pub near Lewisham hospital, refitted it, put in some good ales and renamed it the Ravensbourne Arms. Anyone tried this one yet?
Interesting review of the Ravensbourne here by MrRight
Comments
here by MrRight
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/20/2088/Ravensbourne_Arms/Lewisham
Lewisham Council helped the Catford Bridge Tavern survive, led by Councillor Liam Curran, head of Lewisham Council’s Sustainable Development Select Committee, which produced a report on ‘Preserving Local Pubs’. "For a long time I’ve been worried about the fate of the pubs in Lewisham," he says. "We’ve lost about half in the last two decades. In London it is about the land the pubs stand on and how much it is worth to developers."
One of the recommendations in the Preserving Local Pubs report is that any pub must be marketed for three years before its use can be altered. Councillor Curran explains: "Developers might initially seek planning permission to build flats above pubs, which ultimately means the pub ends up closing, as people don’t want flats with pubs below or pubs with flats above. Or developers will demonstrate that a pub isn’t wanted or valued in a planning application. We’ve seen examples of planning officers being misled, by being given reports highlighting how other comparable pubs in the area are on their knees, while completely omitting to mention a close by pub that is a great success."
https://twitter.com/catfordtavern
will check it out for the latest information on the future of the pub.
Found a Facebook page too:
https://www.facebook.com/catfordbridgetavern?fref=ts
http://anticlondon.com/
know the people that maintained the gardens and looked after all the birds and animals back in the 80's.
Was a proper nice place to drink then. Hardly recognisable when I popped in about 3 years ago.
That said, Surely Mottingham is more worthy of an ASDA or Tesco as opposed to a Lidl?!
Harks back to the days when Plumstead was a "Rising Village With An Air Not To Be Equalled", as described by Mr H Batt an important resident in the early 19th century.
Fantastic beer garden in the summer would be good for local families etc.
I think it's been tried a few times over the last 3/4 years, unfortunatly most of the people who frequented it looked like they were on day release from somewhere.
I have never, ever, seen anything like that.