please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Yes a very short tenancy.All boarded up suspect based on location it will be developed for flats
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Went passed the Widmore yesterday and its closed down. All boarded up and surrounded by fencing
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A lot of money and effort went into smartening this pub up around 18 months ago, and the decor has been kept appealingly traditional. As a bonus, we saw that they were now serving Harvey's Sussex Best and Fuller's London Pride. But what a disappointment - unfortunately the people who run the pub lack experience in keeping real ales. They are always in disappointing condition and often have to be sent back. I suspect the problem is that the lines are not getting cleaned properly enough or often enough. It's such a shame - all the real ale drinkers are deserting this pub, when in fact the pub could have built up quite a following.
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methinks Sir Adam of Downham is writing from memory and not a recent visit. Is not The Bird in Hand anymore it is The Widmore. Completely redecorated, very good food and certainly NOT a crap pub anymore.
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crap pub that could be good - massive building and garden let down by the chavvy clientelle and rubbish drinks.. 3/10
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This pub has had quite a turbulent past over the last few years. Lets hope the new refit will set it on the right course and it can finally be a decent pub. It has an amazing garden and is in a very well to do area so it is surprising that it has had such a troubled last few years.
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The Bird In Hand reopened on Saturday 21st Feb 2009 as "the Widmore". Went there the next day for Sunday lunch with my wife and daughter and the food was very good and exellent value for money.My pint of Sussex Best was spot on. For the first Sunday it was suprisingly busy at lunchtime and no doubt when the comments on the food goes around it will be bookings only.
This pub has been redecorated and needs the locals to support it in order for it to grow. Spoke to the very pleasent landlady who also runs the Jail House at Biggin Hill ,so with a fair wind I'm sure they will make a resounding success of it. Can't wait for the spring/summer for the lazy evenings in the huge garden. 10/10
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Just drove past - looks like it has new name. Makeover or new managers/owners? From earlier reviews I'm nervous to pop in and try the waters. Someone more intrepid needs to take a look. Its a very well heeled area so if its any good then it should do well.
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Just been past this pub which has been totally redecorated externally. It is now starting to atually look like a local village pub. I await the opening to see if my local from the 70's can turn over a new leaf. Fingers crossed!
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An unlikely spot for all-in knife fighting, but clearly exerts some strange attraction for the chav flying columns.
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Currently closed and covered in police tape due to the machete attack a couple of nights ago.
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Only one real ale (Pride) on when I visited, although there was an Adnams pump with the clip non-reversed (why?).
Weirdly, the Sky Sports on the TV was Greek. I asked the barman when he brought my pint why this was and he said it was cheaper (i.e. they watch it illegally). I said I hoped the beer was at Greek prices (about �2.70 a litre) but he charged me �2.90 for a pint. Sigh...
I sat in the garden which was full of fat chavs smoking and shouting into mobile phones. Yuk.
Later on I met someone who recommended the Oak, a little nearer Bromley on the same road, as being the better of the two pubs.
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Lovely place, keep up the good work! Having moved to the area recently, hubby and I were looking for a good reliable place for food and drink and it looks like we've found it.
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since the new owners took over last september, this pub is absolutely fantastic, the real ales are great with no after taste the lines are obviously cleaned regularly these days. the new menu and wine list is fantasic the food is really great especially sunday lunch if you are thinking of popping in for a sunday roast you should definetely book as is gets very busy, with a fantastic atmosphere,lively background music and children made very welcome. Hurrah finally somewhere like this to go in Bromley, with their friendly staff and possitive attitude no wonder they are always so busy.
anonymous - 21 Feb 2007 11:03 |
I moved to near the Bird In Hand last January and used to pop in there occasionally for the odd pint. The beer was rubbish, the staff were worse, and the food was inedible.
In October '06 a new couple bought the pub and have been steadily building up the business.
There is now a good atmosphere, the beer is good, the food is excellent.
Worth a look to all that had written it off.
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What a disappointment this place is, especially considering the potential it has. Popped in on a saturday, expecting it to be reasonably busy. To my initial surprise it was nearly empty apart from the Kappa tracksuit wearing brigade in the corner. I soon realised why. It's not often i drink Guinness but even to the occassional drinker of the black stuff there is some knowledge on how to poor a pint. I can safely say that without a shadow of a doubt it was the worse Guinness ever poured. I ordered three pints. All were poured straight to the top with no time to settle. One in fact had a head half the depth of the glass. And i do not joke that if we had not asked for a top up that one would not have been offered! I had to check the date just to make sure it wasn't the 1st of April. The bar staff looked totally disinterested in the whole thing. I don't know what the food is like but as nobody in the place was eating I think that tells it's very own story. Who ever runs this place is surely losing hand over fist? Such potential wasted. I also see that a prior comment posted some time ago mentions the litter situation in the garden - well I can inform everyone that nothing has changed. If you want a pub with a decent atmosphere, that does half decent food you're better off walking into Bromley and stopping at The Oak. In it's current state the Bird in Hand should be given a wide berth
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A great little find in Bickley, staff are a little slow on serving, but could be understaff when I popped along at the weekend. Food okay with a new menu. Tables in the back offering non-smoking area, leather sofa's etc.
anonymous - 1 May 2006 19:10 |
Used to be awesome up until a couple of years ago, however was then refurbished and ponced up a bit. Looks ok but the bar stools were removed from around the bar meaning that the regulars soon moved on and the atmosphere died.
Nice but litter-strewn beer garden and average pub food. I went soon after refurb and after enquiring about bar snacks was offered olives or cocktail sausages. I politely declined and went to the oak instead for a pint of cold guinness and some pork scratchings.
Porcelain bowl of olives, my arse. You're a pub, have some self-respect.
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