please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
It can no longer be ignored - its gone. Gloried in being the centre of London Bridge Station Olympics and Paralympics and after that blaze of stardom has waned and gone. To be razed. No pubs in the station now.
Pipp popp
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This pub should be ignored - it is a very basic station pub which will be gone soon, because of the London Bridge redevelopment. Always has agency staff!
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Popped in here the other day for quite a while. Its much improved - staff are pretty efficient and know the words, "please" and "thank you" and all the beer seemed to be on. Only criticism - foul mouthed bloke is the corner; Italian or Spanish by descent I'd say (not being racist, just want to identify you) - short of height but high on swearing. Will be interesting to see what the station has to offer when the redevelopment is done.
Pipp pippp
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on_the_brightside (now there's a contradiction considering!)........I am sure that you are not going to the right place!! The staff at The Oast are always polite and saying please and thank you and even offering you crisps, snacks or peanuts with every round ordered!! What more do you require?......
Also, delboy55 does not in fact call The Oast his "local" merely refers to the people who frequent the place on a regular basis as "locals" which I believe is gramatically correct in that context.
As explained in my post - the fact there is not a toilet in there is down to National Rail whom, if I'm not mistaken, owned the pub before the current company and as The Shard project has been in place for many years now the cost of putting toilet facilities in premises that are going to be ripped down in any event seems completely pointless.
All-in-all, since the first post you put on here was in 2007 if you really do not like the place and find it that abhorrent, why on earth are you still going in there 3 years later?? Hmmmm....
I stick vehemently by what I said in my original post - keep up the good work Oasters! ;0) xxx
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Nice local pub on the station friendly service clean and well managed
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Gosh. I have to assume that the three immediately preceeding posts are having a chuckle? This place is a dump. To describe it as a 'local' is particularly funny. If it gets rebuilt then let's hope it has proper facilities (toilets) and that all the staff are acquainted with the words "please" and "thank you" these are alien to one of the women behind the bar. Manners cost nothing and have such value.
P-P
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Have to up my rating for this station pub. Friendly with quick service, correct measures (both beer and wine) and the cost of the drinks added up correctly. The staff of Betjemans at St Ppancras should pay a visit - it would be educational for them. I agree with the previous posters I sincerely hope the Oast House survives the rebuild. Whist waiting for a train I have met some interesting people passing through!
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I agree wholeheartedly with Nats 39. The Oast House at London Bridge is an ideal venue for people who want to meet en route, or in the evening after work for a swift few before catching their train or bus home. As a regular for the past 20 years, I have made so may long and lasting friendships with others who have used this bar/waiting room and have stuck with it despite the ups and downs of good and bad management. The Oast is presently much improved by friendly staff who put the punters first and by ditching the jukebox in favour of a backdrop of contemporary music not so loud as to impinge upon conversation, vastly improving the atmosphere of the bar (although it might be said that true atmosphere is what you make it). And since the new management have taken over, to my knowledge the beer has never run out. After all these years, still no toilet - an unfortunate fact which has no doubt played a significant part in the perception of persons who, for perhaps that reason above all others, may not have found The Oast as welcoming as they might otherwise have. Nevertheless, the importance of The Oast to the 'locals' who use it, sometimes daily, should not be understated and, on their behalf, I will state our sincere wish that when London Bridge renovations are completed there should be an equivalent 'watering hole' to The Oast House for all travellers to enjoy and in which we can all continue to meet.
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Well what can I say - I have been drinking in this bar for over 3 years now and the transformation since the new manager took over is amazing.
The staff have always been efficient and friendly but if you dont have a good team leader it doesnt matter how good the staff so it is unfair to blame them for previous managers' shortcomings (such as failing to order adequate beer for the week, not getting the cooler fixed, etc.). The comments left previously are correct, that I do not dispute, but that was THEN and this is NOW.
The lack of toilet facilities in the Oast is down to Network Rail I believe and not the pub itself - they deem it unnecessary as they provide toilet facilities on the platforms and outside on the station approach.
All I can say is the old place will be sorely missed when the building works inside the station start. I speak for myself and all my commuting colleagues when I say we are praying that Scott and Terese and the gang will find a new home for all who pass through at London Bridge Station!!
Keep up the good work chaps ;0) xxx
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Popped in here the other day for the first time in ages - no draught beer (lager or ale) at all. Chiller broken apparently. Went back the next day - chiller still broken. Blimey!
Pipppp-pip
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I'm not a big user of pubs inside station - my experience pretty much limited to the Wetherspoons in Victoria, the one in Marylebone and (the only one I found acceptable) the Bridge Bar in London Bridge.
Since the latter has now been demolished in order to build the Shard I dropped into the Oast House when I had half an hour to kill in London Bridge. It was immediately apparent that this is a dingy depressing bar with no toilets and a gloomy atmosphere. It wasn't even clear if ale was on offer (clips for Courage and GKIPA half turned) and my pint of Stella was foul.
Find somewhere outside the station if you happen to be caught round here.
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Every single draft ale and lager was off last night - just incredible! In my previous review I said "Not very nice. Only plus point - not quite as bad as the Boadicea at Charing Cross." However, I now withdraw that 'compliment' because at least the Boadicea actually sells beer...
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Would second those comments about quick pint. For some reason I was sitting in here for about three quarters of an hour watching the turnover and it is truly astonishing, the average stay must be about three minutes, I sat next to about fifteen different people.
Efficient service, no atmosphere, no toilet.
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Yes had a train wait pint in here recently - IPA I think. It was ok, pub...well a room really , overlit and lacking in atmosphere. The worst of the station bars / pubs that I know. Not even a sense of decrepitude - just mediocre. Somewhere to grab a pint whilst waiting...and then get the hell out.
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That's perfectly normal for the Oast House. We were in it yesterday afternoon. Everything off but 'beater. Some things don't change.
It's better than the Boadicea I suppose.
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5 pm Monday. 6 beer engines in this bar. I thought I was standing on the wrong side of the jump as all I could see was the back of the pump-clips. Pedigree - off! London Pride - off! Bombardier - off! Old Speckled Hen - off! Even GK IPA - off! There was one salvation - the Bass was on and ok if a tad too cold.
The reason for all these beers being off? Apparently (wait for it . . . . ) they had RUN OUT!!!! I was assured it was quite normal as they always all run out at the same time! Well that's alright then. As long as it's normal.. . . . . .
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Already reviewed by myself, yet I nipped in here, The Oast House, on Thursday evening (21st Feb) for a sneaky pint prior to meeting the girlfriend and thought it suitable to add an additional comment or two.
This must�ve been my first visit in probably a couple of years or so and I left quietly impressed. Three hand pumps were in operation (Bass, Pedigree and Speckled Hen) and the latter was reasonably priced and served just right. Interior was tidy, background music pleasing and those huddled within sat calmly nattering to colleagues and fellow commuters and of course, there were those like myself, waiting for their bird and catching up with the London Paper! Certain other station bars should really take note.
HTM69 - 23 Feb 2008 18:49 |
I had never been in here until the Bridge Bar closed. The couple of times I have been in there (last time was just before Christmas with the Salvation Army playing outside) I have found the service friendlier and better than the average station pub, and the beer well kept. I suspect there are a few regulars who pop in for a pint or two before the commute home. The lack of toilets is a problem in London Bridge Station in general - hopefully it will improve with the rebuilding going on. If you are going on to Gatwick/Brighton the ones on Platforms 5/6 are grim!
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I can't believe someone posted a picture of this place!
At about 17.30 one day last week there was only GK IPA on which I normally shy away from on principle, the Pride and Pedigree were reverse-clipped i.e. off. I enquired if they were being changed and they said they couldn't change them now because it was their busy period and they would be back on tomorrow. Doh!
Get a grip - busy means you sell more!!!
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On 1st July when no smoking starts, this bar will have both no lavs and no fag smoke!
Pip-pip!
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Not very nice. Only plus point - not quite as bad as the Boadicea at Charing Cross .
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Ahem. I meant the Oast House is tiny, not my bladder...
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I agree with the consensus, lack of toilet makes it only as good as the size of your bladder (if that - it's tiny) - a good 5 minute walk to the platform toilet. However it's not all that bad for a quick one or two - it's better than it's competitor across the concourse, which is chrome/wooden floors central. They do, however have a toilet there (the Bridge Bar).
To sum up - there are nicer pubs than this within a five minute walk, and they have toilets in them.
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I remember this place in the late 70's though I can't remeber if there was a loo.
I've since migrated to the US, and I find it hard to imagine that you can run a boozer without a loo.
Digusting!
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From what I've seen, most of the regular clientele aren't the type to concern themselves about fact that the nearest toilets are located on the platform. Just going where they stand/slump saves valuable drinking time and doesn't cost 20p.
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A slightly above average station pub with decent piped in music, The Oast House has a warm and welcoming feel and Id certainly recommend it as a meeting point or a drink before travelling home. The only downside is the lack of toilets.
HTM69 - 16 Jul 2006 17:21 |
It may be a station bar but I have spent whole evenings in far worse places than the Oast House. It rarely gets busy and service is usually quick. Most people call in for one drink, play the fruit machine and then leave. The high turnover of customers make it an interesting place to people watch. There is a decent selection of Real Ales although it is not unusual for there to be only 1 on at any given time. Prices are reasonably considering it is on the concourse of a main station. The only down side is that there are no toilets and you have to pay to use the station loos. Handy for meeting people before a good crawl of the area (and there are about a dozen good pubs within a 10 minute walk of the station).
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Small. Pokey. Smokey. Unkempt.
BUT I LOVE IT!!! It has an atmosphere all of its own..
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Yeah its a good gaff,..ive missed many a train watching the world go by in this dump. Dirty and shabby with no bogs,..but wicked for solo boozing and people watching...mind you....i'd rate you if you managed an all dayer in here.
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Where do I begin?
Good:Its very convieniently sited.
Bad:Generally awful service. Very often out of stock. I once went there and they had NO draught beer. The barman suggested we bought tins from the outside kiosk((now a bagel stall) and drink them from his glasses).
Wear a wet suit as the bar is never cleaned and positively flows with spills. Toilets on platforms. Smoke in abundance. Great caberet provided by drunks,tramps and staff posing.
I actually quite like it here.
Mark - 24 Oct 2004 14:09 |
A pub without toilets is like.......
Another world!
One to avoid if you have a weak bladder!
Rob - 25 Feb 2004 15:56 |
smoky, as everyone is catching a fag before the train arrives
oliver penney - 5 Nov 2003 16:37 |
They dont accept credit cards.
anonymous - 17 Sep 2003 12:45 |
This pub has NO toilet - what the bloody hell is going on there???!!!!!
Katie - 25 Jul 2002 16:03 |
