SE23 Forum

Competition is a good thing, especially if it is the customer who benefits

Following a recent visit to the new RT I don't think it offers much competition. Maybe the hype had led us to expect a Dartmouth Arms type environment but we were all decidedly underwhelmed by what we experienced. Maybe midweek is not it's best time but we are holding out for the HOP being up to the standard it reached in its early days.

I think I may not have been around in 'its early days', can someone tell me when this actually was? The Honor Oak was never brilliant going back as far as I remember

Thursday night steak night was always excellent - but the tables always felt a bit sticky!

Erekose, I have to say the dinner we have in the RT restaurant at the back was excellent. Haven't tried the 'bar menu' yet but it looks pretty good too. I think the bar area is more comfortable than it used to be but, more to the point, if I recall correctly there is a fairly major refit coming towards the end of July.

When it first reopened as a gastropub but before the management changed and definitely before it developed a zoo in the back garden....

when was that then?

Im probably wrong but I think the HOP opened (after the Old St Germains pub closed down and was boarded up for ages) about 8-10 years ago.

I agree with Erekose, I thought it was good back then (although I was never particularly overwhelmed by the food) but it went rapidly downhill after the two Jamies left.

Haven't been into the new RT yet - I'm waiting for the refit and hoping they do great things as it still looks a bit uninviting externally.

Yes that would be about right. May have been even longer but memory fades. Around that time there was also the odd bar on the corner opposite the Pharmacy which has cropped up in the discussion before. That was never good......

Ah ok, I go back about 5 years, always seemed a bit echoey and sterile, hope these guys do a good job on the refit. I see also that it says they are an owner managed pub, does that mean Punch Taverns have gotten rid of it? I hope so

So pleased that we will be getting the honor oak and it sounds as if the new ideas and plans will be great. It seems that the plans are a little different to what was envisaged earlier this year when drawings were submitted to the council as the logo on the new website does not appear to fit with those drawings. I hope so and as has been pointed out above, it now sounds as if punch taverns will not be involved. Really really hope the venture will be a success as it will be great to have some good place to go out around this area. As others have mentioned the Railway Telegraph is also on its way to being another great place close by. Menus looks great and the changes that have already been made go some way to showing what is planned nd really hope that after the full refit in July it will be a marked difference. V excited that we will have two great venues in our little bit between FH centre and Hop.

It would also be great if both these places start to become successful if someone sees the potential in the restaurant premises on the corner of stanstead rd and brockley rise. A great local restaurant or cafe would be wonderful.

Competition is a good thing for the 2 local pubs. Can only benefit the customers but I don't think the 2 pubs would agree! I am looking forward to the Honor Oak opening and I hope they re-introduce the weekly quiz. Not really too much going on at the RT except the food.

Saw this from Brockley central - a whisky room and Honor Oak champagne at the new Honor oak. Methinks that the Scotch Eggs and pork scratchings will be be Borough Market prices, but after all, the area is on the rise.

"Get ready for a new British Gastro Pub designed to get The Honor Oak back to its former glory days as a popular community hub in South East London, frequented and admired by locals and people from wider afield.

After a £600,000 refurbishment we are reopening in August 2014.

Notable additions will be a Whisky Room with hundreds of different varieties; a specially commissioned and specific and labelled for The Honor Oak branded Brut Champagne at £6.95 per glass and £39.50 a bottle; over 30 fine wines and the All-Malt British Beer – The Governor, created by Marco Pierre White and JW Lees Brewery.

New owner Justin Wallace says:

“The main thrust will be on the local community and our local residents who, in the past, held The Honor Oak in great esteem as a huge focal point for their community. There will also be a big concentration on the “family’ and to that end our customers will be able to enjoy a large outdoor beer garden, a dining terrace, a soft play area for children – and mums will even be able to have breakfast or a coffee as our doors will be open from 10 a.m each morning."

There will also be an emphasis on local produce including craft ales and locally sourced ingredients for its gastro pub food, which will include homemade scotch eggs & pork scatching’s, ploughman’s lunch, a wide variety of grill steaks, homemade pies and an abundance of other traditional British dishes.

Other notable additions will be multi-purpose function rooms, which will be used for a variety of different activities including: “City Speed Dating” nights; whisky tasting evenings; cheese and wine parties; quiz nights; private functions and lots more.

b****r. I knew there was a reason I should have had kids.

Mums can visit the pub from 10am? Sweet.

I drove past it today and it looks like they are totally gutting the place!

'Main thrust' will only be on certain parts of the community if champagne at c. seven quid a glass is anything to go by. However, it's good that it is to remain a pub.

The big banner displayed on the pub puts "British Food" at the top, then "locally sourced" which sounds a great idea to support local farmers, but does that mean there wont be any Pizzas, Pasta, New Zealand Lamb, Bananas, Tuna, Olives, Olive Oil or any other "foreign stuff"?
There's nothing wrong with British Food but a bit more diversity would be a good idea.

I love it when something good happens to the area (on this occasion a £600k investment) and people can do nothing but moan about it, seriously, I love it

No moaning from me!- all sounds very good.

Sounds brilliant - be great to have a local again