please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
You normally know what to expect in branches of Wetherspoon's. But, this was one of the worst I have been in. I visited on Sunday morning. Despite the station over the road being closed for engineering works, there were already about a dozen people in at 10am. All were drinkers. I was the first to order a breakfast. I wish I hadn't. A burnt sausage, dried up beans and burnt bacon were on the plate, with hash browns missing. The rest was ok! Service at the bar was also poor. The solitary barmaid had no idea what a real cider was. I ordered a pint of Cotleigh Osprey. But, she soon advised that it had not been pulled through. So, I ended up with a pint of Hanlon's Stormstay. Again, I wish I hadn't bothered. Other ales were Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best, Sharp's Doom Bar, Stonehenge Great Bustard, Truman's Runner, Long Man Copper Hop & Oakham Citra. For a better 'spoon's experience, head to the Greyhound the other end of town instead.
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My first visit here for well over a year and I'm pleased to report that on this visit the service was very swift, I was served by a pleasant young lady who seemed to having a good day, makes a big difference from previous visits when its taken ages to get served and then its by a surely bar person!
Still the clientele has remained unchanged and the whole pub has a slight air that any minute there might be a fight.
From the medium sized choice of ales I had a pint of Dorking Breweries Pilcrow Pale @ 4.0% which was a decent pint.
Only stayed for 1, this is a fine pub spoilt by the clientele and believe me it gets much worse in the evenings and at weekends, handy for the station but that's why it gets so busy.
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Why dont the staff serve down the other end of the bar ?
They seems to be connected to the coffee machine and never venture far from it.
Even if they customers waiting they serve the customers in line like a queue, and make a point of avoiding eye contact with anyone but other staff.
Ladies toilet is a dump, tables need to be cleared more often,
Also the staff need to have words with the old fogies that stand at the bar and just get in the way of the beer pumps.
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I visited twice last night and...the first time out of the 8 ales on tap only 4 were available and only one of these was not the normal 'Spoons ales.
On my return about 3 and a half hours later there were 7 beers on...much more impressive and exactly what you would expect from this establishment.
Still soulless on a Tuesday night (both times) but at least the staff were on the ball.
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Since this place opened I have probably used it at least once every 2 months…and each time I vow not to return unless I’m blinking desperate….well I must be desperate as I keep returning when I’m in Bromley!
The choice of ales is always good and I’ve never had a bad pint.
Service can be very slow sometimes, even when it’s not a Friday or Saturday night, I suppose serving food is more important than the paying alcohol drinkers that keep pubs afloat.
Nearly always packed to the rafters at weekends, normally several under age looking drinkers. Occasionally there’s also trouble hence why the pub employs door staff.
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Large cricket pavilion like pub , light and airy,an impressive new wave Wetherspoons.The service was slightly worse than average, the beer selection was very poor most ales were either 2coming soon" or "had just gone off" ,the three left on werea couple of Adnams and the Caledonian Golden Sun, the latter being almost drinkable. The Food was an absolute disaster of monumental proportions, very slow to arrive,cold congealed, off colour dried out carrots, some parts of the meal not on the plate( a 'spoons favourite trick at the moment). I was told in comes in packs, I replied that the meal was badly cooked and food should be served in an edible condition. Enter this pub at your peril and do not just order because it is architectually pleasing to the eye.0/10 a complete disaster. How did it ever get to 4.3??? The mind boggles!!
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Too funny...I thought about this pub when I got back from my London holi's in October. Got off Bromley S vs. North, so I had a few moments to knock down a bottle of Becks waiting for my mate to pick me up. I have never seen a pub as big as this. Maybe being used to city pubs, don't know. For some reason it looked a bit intimitading, but I think it was because of the size and how it might be different when it was rocking at night. Anyway...nice young lady at the bar who was friendly, and the rest of the bar staff seemed to be polite.
Joseph65
USA
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Popped in on Saturday for a quick drink and lunch. Pub was busy with a mixture of bar flies, shoppers and what looked like a mother-and-kids group in one corner. Reasonable selection of ales. Fairly standard Wetherspoons all-in-all.
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very impressed with this Lloyds bar,from the exterior it did not look great however inside was a different story. large and airy open plan style place with a mixture of seating options,the bar manager was very welcoming and when i asked about a couple of the weltons brews on he offered tasters,the pint i had was delicious and very well kept/served,turned out that he used to run a pub in my home town 100+miles away tis a small world haha anyway def a credit to the JDW pub directory,8/10
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It's a Wetherspoons drinking barn, pile it high sell it cheap...........don't need to say any more 0/10
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Yes it's a Wetherspoons - not somewhere you go for a quiet date but where you go for a) breakfast and a pint - I think the best in people and when I see people drinking at this time think they have been night workers on their way home and not alcholics who are already on their way to oblivion. b) a decent cheap coffee anytime of day and somewhere to wait in the warm for the train to Victoria c) somewhere to fill up on cheap grub when payday is still a week away d) somewhere to start the night on cheap booze before heading across the road to El Patio where prices are three times as much, and e) the place where the young ones go after work to pull the office slapper....
I give it a 5 as its not the worst and its not the best - the changing beer is generally of interest and you can usally find a comfy sofa to rest a while.
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My last and only visit was ruined by a barman refusing to change a pint that tasted awful- after tasting it through a straw he explained that was how it was supposed to taste.....Obviously its usual for a beer to taste vinegary then....shame as the decor, food and atmosphere in the pub was enjoyable.
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Nice pub, one of the largest wetherspoons in the country. My favourite place in up on the poop deck. bar service can be a bit variable, they seem to have either just one person serving, or 6.
Food can be variable as well, just check the chips are hot when you get them. The best offer is ham egg and chips for �1.99. Special offers on the bar, but here there is just a slight reduction.
Nice family area right at the back, or if you want action, just keep towards the front tables.
About 7pm on Friday and Saturdays the whole place changes, the lights go down, the music goes up, and lots of young girls come in that have forgotten to wear thier skirts. Its just worth it just to hang arround and see the fashion/leg parade.
You do get a few of the desperate drinkers, but thats just par for nearly all wetherspoons.
But all in all, a very nice pub with excellent beer.
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Quite why its branded as a Lloyds No 1 bar is beyond me as it looks and feels like many other 'spoons around the country. Also had plenty of choice on the real ale front, including a tasty Horsham Old and another from Weltons Brewery. Went in early when there was only one barman on duty, but he was very efficient; not only serving people in the right order but also recognising many of his customers and remembering what their usual was - just like in a proper pub!
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I was about to give them a 0.5/10. Nah - on second thoughts that would be flattering to deceive. A big fat zero from me too.
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Typical wetherspoons. so thats a 0/10.
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Unofficially Bromley's best gay bar apparently. it is a bar that welcomes so many differnt people. Curry night on a Thursday is very good. you can get 2 meals, 2 sides and 2 drinks for about �13. the Curry is far better than the same deal in the George in Hayes and you don't get the free drink in there.
the amount of weird and different people you get in there makes fun people watching. you get chavs, old couples, commuters, student and tarts in there. They should call it Bromley Social Club.
Eating out there seems to be cheaper than going to Tesco and the washing up is done for free.
the bar service can be very slow at times but the bar staff are allways very polite. it is the most popular bar in town. it's funny to see so many people make an effort to dress up for this place but there is no dress code and it doen't try to be classy. if you like a very down to earth place with good cheap beer and food then you will like it. Scum rub shoulders with the ordinary people.
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This place is great for me, as it attracts all the Bromley chav's at the weekend, so I can go to another place and enjoy my evening. I do have to applaud this place though, for it's selection of ale's, and their prices, which are incredibly cheap. There was 8 different ale's on at one time, I can't honestly think of another place I have ever been to with such a wide choice. Just a shame it feels a bit pikey, and lacks atmosphere
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It seems to be getting a lot busier in there lately. I don't know why. It is full of quite a mixed crowd these days. A good mixed crowd. The younger crowd seem to be mainly of fashionably dressed student types or graduates. There is also a smarter older crowd in there. There used to be a lot of chav types in there but not so much any more. Monday evenings can be very lively which is surprising.
They open the side doors now. I don't know the reason but that can only be a good thing. To be honest I think all the trouble happens in Beckenham now. Bromley has got quieter so a more pleasant place to go out in the evenings.
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Went there today and found the food and service well below standard.
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Reasonable enough Spoons. Beers well kept for the festival. Totally unremarkable as pubs go but I enjoyed the festival beers.
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As annoying as Lloyds can be we always go back. it's convenient, it's by far the busiest pub in Bromley Town and the prices are very good. IPA and Samiguel are both currently 99p. I think a bottle of rose is �4.99. With something like 40 pubs closing a week in this country this pub chain is making the effort to rival the supermarket prices. In Lloyds you can enjoy a pint or two in a social environment with friends without worrying about how expensive it is.
As a moderate drinker this is great. the Government should be punishing the heavy violent drinkers and not try to make sensible drinking expensive to all.
Some of the meals are as cheap as �2.99. If you consider some pubs in Bromley are charging nearly �3 for a pint you can't ignore Lloyds for too long.
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Massive Lloyds bar with no Atmosphere looked more of a nightclub than a pub with the Dancefloor and DJ equiment spattered round the place.
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Very large modern Lloyds bar. Good selection of real ale on as it was Wetherspoons ale festival. Not much atmosphere and not enough staff which seems par for the course for Wetherspoons.
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Went here last Saturday evening. A rather over the top security guard metal detected all the men going in, and asked us if we had any penknifes on us. Our female friends walked straight in.
Needless to say we had a drink and turned straight around.
Drinks are very cheap, which is why it is packed out, but the security measures suggest a lot of trouble and fights.
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Situated opposite Bromley South train station, The Richard Compton is a large Lloyds No 1, yet in places, has more of a regular Wetherspoon feel to it. With heaters, tables and chairs etc, the patio entrance is smoker-friendly. Interior is everything you'd expect, yet the middle section (by the long bar) seemed recently refurbished to me. There is a 'family area' situated towards the rear of the pub. There were plentiful ales on offer, including several guests, though, as in an unadventurous mood, opted for my beloved Guinness. The staff were friendly and attentive enough. All in all, I found my experience in here last Saturday (12th Jan) to be pleasant enough. Here is most definitely not quite how some here make out. IE, a complete dump.
HTM69 - 16 Jan 2008 15:27 |
I won't lie to you, this bar isn't perfect, you do get some sticky tables and the odd hilarious fist fight between Preppy lads. However, this bar is always packed on the weekends for a reason. It's well run, the owners care about the bar and your hospitality, so they may not always have an ale. Nowheres perfect but they're one of the most popular bars in Bromley for a reason.
Yes I did used to work here and yes I work somewhere else. Which a complete sh*thole and totally at odds with this place at how well its being run. After what Im experiancing now, I'd suggest everyone visit this place at least once on a Saturday night (to start your night off that is) if friday is too busy
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Unusually for Wetherspoons this one did not have the familiar �not available� signs up for the guest beers. I chose one, but was told it was �not available!� I asked for another and was told it was also �not available.� Fortunately my third choice WAS available, because I would not have asked for the fourth as it was from the Wickwar brewery whose muddy water I do not drink but that is another story. The bar staff don�t bother cleaning the tables and glasses and empty crisp bags are still there long after the people have gone. I agree with the previous comment about sticky tables. As usual I was only here with friends and would not have chosen a Wetherspoons had it been my own choice.
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Oh dear. What more is there to say.. An Ersatz Wetherspoons, so at least you know what you are going to get.
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Didn't like this place but I am over 15.
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Horrible, grubby pub. Most real ales not available. Takes an age to get served. Teenage meeting place, most under age.
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this is by far the best place in bromley on a thursday, friday or saturday nite!! bouncers good, music good, prices good and company is great... what more could you want!!!! is alright other nites of the week although there is no music!
ka666 - 31 Mar 2007 09:51 |
Went in here at lunchtime on St Pats day (yesterday) for the first time. This was a bog standard Lloyds bar. Apart from the Guinness there was sod all on in the way of real ale. Two of the real ales were off and the Old Speckled Hen was substandard and we waited ages for it. That said the food was fast and it was OK.
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How many more messages of mine are going to be removed about this place? This one does not breach the guidelines so whoever is trying to hide the truth about this establishment - you can run, but you can't hide.
The place has bouncers even on a Sunday night. Make of that what you will. Young teenagers can often be glimpsed leaving the pub who are barely able to stand up. Make of that what you will. A sign outside proudly proclaims how cold its lager is. Make of that what you will.
In the words of Frank Drebben of Police Squad - the truth hurts doesn't it? Maybe not as much as jumping on a bike with its saddle missing, but it hurts!
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I can assure Petra that the "engglish beer" in here is far from tasty oK.
Becoming a Lloyds was a death sentence to the ale in this place. Cask Marque hurry up & take another visit.
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.do Wetherspoons actually pay the local Police for their time?? I have never been in there fri/sat nights and I don't ever wish to, the sight of the cop vans is enough. The sooner they make it a completely non-smoker, the better, still got that scummy element because of it. Was in there one sunday afternoon, a group of blokes out of their head drunk and a bit abusive, and it was only 3pm, no staff getting them out, oh no, that would mean loss of profits!! Saying all of that, I agree with earlier, get their early and you Ok, but forget weekend evenings.
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hmm lets see- get far too over crowded ,those muggy bouncers just keep letting people in,far too hot its like a sweat box in there,takes AGES to get a drink on a friday or saturday get ready to wait for about 30 mins nuff said
anonymous - 19 Aug 2006 13:11 |
If i go out in bromley this is where i like going. i wont go into bromley on friday/saturday nights because its horrible, but that aside i think its always a good laugh to go out then. �1.50 for a wkd aint too bad conciderin my local is �2.85.
On the food note, i love the bacon cheeseburgers, i could have one everynight. They're proper munch!! Big thumbs up to lloyds!!
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Okay - so its very busy, but at least it has atmosphere, and freshen up in the WC... get the drinks in early, and then have a good night, is my advice....
But dont come here expecting a lined route straight to the bar after 6pm on a friday night!!
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This pub is the best and worst of many. It's cheap and inviting earlier on in the afternoon and evening. And curry club is always worth doing but only if you're there decently early. For later on this pub undergoes a change. The police turn up and watch and wait for trouble as the overcrowding begins. Last friday i witnessed people packed tightly to the door and the sweat was condensing on the windows it was so hot in there. There were clouds of watr vapour pouring out of the doors. Took half an hour to get a drink according to one of my homies in the pub and was just far too crowded. That aside WE LOVE IT !!!
Tubes - 29 May 2006 22:36 |
Inoffensive during the day, I found, but I don't harbour any plans to visit of a Friday/Saturday night as I imagine the atmosphere's slightly different. Decent range of beers, and spacious, but that's as far as I'd imagine the redeeming features go.
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Again another chain pub that you know exactly what you are likely to get. Relativley cheap drinks - �2 for a Vodka Redbull and cheap food. I went here on a Sunday night and it was ok, not really busy and it didnt take that long to get served.
As for it being the "Worst Pub in Bromley" it is miles better than the Greyhound or the Bell.
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Went on Saturday, waited half an hour at the bar to get served by the rude bar staff only to leave without a drink and go up to Henry's instead. What a joke!! This could be the worst pub in Bromley!!
anonymous - 13 Feb 2006 14:18 |
If 'Spoons ( as a chain operator ) could be compared to a compost heap, and I suspect it probably can, then this particular example would be the biggest weed growing from the top!
I can scarcely put into words how I feel about this place. It has nothing to redeem it whatsoever.
This place is so soul-destroyingly depressive. The usual assorted mix of in-bred, grazed knuckle ( from dragging along the pavement ), feckless, fake Burberry wearing troglodytes and their Kappa slappers. I swear I saw a "Staffy" with a club foot!
In addition the other "regular" variety of pond life was also in evidence the late afternoon/early evening that I visited.
I'm tempted to return with my two friends, the Purdeys, and a serious amount of napalm!
A big fat zero out of ten, and apologies to all cave dwellers everywhere. For troglodyte, kindly substitute window-licker!
Apologies if I have upset anybody who actually likes this dump, but I'm only posting what is my opinion of it.
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Not sure when bigboy20 was in there but I was there early Saturday evening and the place was a mess. Service was awful and most of the girls in school uniforms.
Wetherspoons by a different name with higher prices and poorly trained staff (something Wetherspoons usually get right)
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well have any of you been there now the there is no chavs in there as the door men are the best they chat to ya and can hav a joke with they check every 1 under 21 so there is no 15yr olds trying to be 20 the bar is packed but thats just points out how good it is there is loads of tv,s with wot i think is mtv on it the staff are rude some times but get over it.one thing wot i did fined funny was the small door man he is such a gazzer he gets on well with every one there is no fights when his there
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This is a very serious contender for the "Worst Pub in Bromley" award. Despite being opposite the Police station, there has been a fight every single time I have visited. The staff couldn't give a shit about the customers, the bar is swimming in spilt drink and the toilets are as you would expect. Customers are chavs or pensioners depending on the time of day.
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rubbish. proper sh*t. bouncers i.d'd me i am over 24. thought it was a school disco the amount of kids in there. do not go here - tell your friends, your family, your colleagues, spread the word - this wetherspoons is BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!!
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Horrid, absolutely horrid. This was one of the worst Wetherspoons before it became a Lloyds, which has only made it worse. The worst pub I know for having a line of interesting pump clips on display, only to find out half of the beers aren't on when you finally get served. The atmosphere is about the same as the KwikSave that used to stand on the site. After 7pm, you have to be under 18 and of a similar IQ to get in. Avoid!
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Now a Lloyd's No.1 renamed the Richmal Crompton, Wetherspoons are trying to make this a better place to spend an evening. TV screens show rnb videos, the lighting is more subtle & seating more comfortable. New police station opposite has had a massive effect on the leniency of the doormen. Nice area to sit out front in summer. Still gets very busy at weekends. Food is now slightly better than Wetherspoons bog-standard but more expensive too. Cannot fault the ale. Always a good selection of about 10-12 high quality casks at about �1.70-1.80 a pint, with regulars like Marston's Burton & pedigree cheaper still. Lager fans note a good pint of Staropramen is now served along with several other new additions. Still can't be beaten on value.
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Nice place to eat during the day, and not as townie as some of the other Bromley venues. Nice atmosphere and cheap drinks. Would be perfect with a bit of music, but this might turn it into another Greyhound.
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Better than it used to be, I have to say. They are making an effort and if you have a shit time there nowadays, it's more likely to be down to the clientele this chain attracts than the staff that work there.
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thankfully big chested so not too much of a problem! The barstaff are cool once u get to know them, and the drinks are obviously cheap. People do seem to get things stolen in their if not careful so peeps shud keep an eye on stuff. Generally a reasonable crowd drink in there and not too full of attitude most of the time. Not the best place to b on a fri nite tho
Amy - 1 Sep 2004 23:25 |
u only get served if u have a big pair of boobs or long blonde hair. if you do ever mention to the nearest member of barstaff your next/been waiting for 20 mins/have a dirty glass etc you get told where to go! this is a rank, chavy place.
kel - 19 Aug 2004 15:11 |
Poor service, dirty glasses and I felt truly sorry for my batman who had to work in there. Table was dirty for an altogther unpleasant meal. Pub full of chavs - not surprising as it is a Whetherspoons so I only have myself to blame there. Awful, awful, awful.
Matt - 18 Aug 2004 10:51 |
This is quite possibly the MOST overrated place in Bromley. My only reason for going here is that it acts as a kind of social club - half the people I have ever known in my life used to be in their on a friday or saturday night - but that says nothing for the pub itself (which is bad considering it is its only saving grace).
I feel SO sorry for the staff - I used to work in the good old Beechtree of Bromley north and my job was an utter joy to the hell that those poor kids have to put up with over the weekend. I'd been waiting at the bar for nearly an hour one night, and I nearly got my head bitten clean off when I finally tried to attract some attention - this says more for the clientelle than the barstaff, who must put up with so much abuse!
For me there is no joy in going to drink in a place where you are constantly tense, sitting in someone elses vomit, completely void of atmosphere, eating or drinking suspicious tasting food/drink. It's cheap...but so is the supermarket. Park drinking anyone?
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The staff seem to change every day so they never know what theyre doing. On Fri and Sat evenings be prepared to wait at the bar for about 30mins, unless you're Jordan. David Beckham look-alikes are often found sauntering around with their cubic zirconia earrings, lovely. Crime is horrendous, two people in the past month have been hospitalised after stabbings (as i was told by one of the bouncers), and my �80 jacket was "chavved" from there. Anyone who wants to wind up in a gutter, police station or coffin needs to go there.
Julia - 20 May 2004 19:22 |
spoons bromley is THe greatest pub in the world!!!
Chris - 30 Mar 2004 19:03 |
Hey ex-member of staff???? How often did you have cans and coins thrown at you?? No one has ever thrown anything at me, and I've been working there for 10 months
member of staff - 16 Mar 2004 13:35 |
As an ex-member of staff (I like to think I was one of the polite ones, although having cans, coins etc thrown at me usually provoked a reaction) I can honestly say that it's as bad for the staff as the customers.
Clearing up sick at least twice a week, rude, arrogant customers doesn't exactly endear the staff to the customers. And on the pittance we were paid, and the awful management it's hardly surprising that staff aint exactly tapdancing on the bar.
As for the age thing, those of us who DID try to ID people were (a) putting ourselves up for abuse from the 14 year old kids who were upset by that and (b) trying to bail out the Titanic with teaspoons.
Mind you, as most of the people have said, if you're into Burberry, Louis Vuitton fakes and children, come on down.
Ex-Spoons Staff - 24 Feb 2004 13:16 |
The glasses are dirty, the food was inedible. The staff don't seem to care less. All that in a sunday lunchtime!
babs - 8 Feb 2004 16:35 |
always go here for about a about 1hr and half to drink a load coz its cheap! But other than that, bar staff are rubbish and takes ages to get a drink - so but 3 or 4 a one time!! Birds are usually fit as in there... on a friday night, but i wouldnt stay there past 8.30 - 9!! Atmosphere - create your own, it all depends on who your with!!!!!
Daniel - 6 Feb 2004 15:00 |
Man, I think this is the worst pub I've ever been in... anyone over 23 should look elsewhere. It is full of idiots trying to be "cool", and weekends are a joke. About a billion bacterially enhanced blokes trying to shag equally dim-witted females. God help humanity if this lot get out. But then, that is Bromley at the moment.
Davey Boy - 11 Dec 2003 21:49 |
Maybe ok for a cheeky lunch time beverage if you dont mind an above average share of wino's and dropouts. But after around 4pm the place turns into a catwalk for JD sports; tracksuit bottoms, baseball caps and reebok classics. Where do these people come from? STAY AWAY AT WEEKENDS!
sean - 6 Dec 2003 18:41 |
smells like a urinal, although cheap the service is that bad that you wont manage to get more than a beer an hour during the busy times, stay away
Jay - 28 Nov 2003 14:52 |
Probably the worst Wetherspoons in the country. Rude barstaff for the most part (occasionally you might find someone polite if you're lucky!) and even worse customers. Townie paradise though. If you choose to go in there, don't say you haven't been warned.
Chris - 24 Oct 2003 12:54 |
Like drinking in an air craft hanger. No atmosphere. Go somewhere else.
Jim - 13 Oct 2003 14:59 |
huge place lots of good looking people cheap dronks but no music?!
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Not the best Wetherspoon in the world. Beer quality is variable and I've rarely had a meal which has arrived quickly and hot. And I always seem to be served by someone on their "first day"...
Gary - 4 Jul 2003 13:47 |
who ever wrote the last comment smokes too much crack. There's no music in Weatherspoons you grease monkey!
King Kong - 1 Jul 2003 13:42 |
very big place, lots of people, cheap booze and loud music
Char - 20 May 2003 18:41 |
