please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Following relayed from Jamie Hooper:
'Sadly Hoopers will be closing on Sunday 23rd December. Usual variety of reasons, locals more content to sit on sofas watching whatever cxxp the TV channels put out, managers who have no commitment to doing their best, many local Camra members rarely seen outside of an occasional organised meeting, recession, competition with supermarkets, etc.'
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Went in to watch the England game and found a disapointing beer range which ran out on full time, with no replacement beers ready.
You would of thought with extra people coming in to watch the football they wouldf have more beers ready.
Has gone dwonhill in the past year.
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popped in hear after hearing good things on the grapevine ,i have to say very dissapointed the beer in not in very good condition.I heard from some locals that the pub is looking for a new manager well lets hope they find one soon otherwise according to the london drinker the pub will be closed.If the owners read this contact me because i know a very good landlord who i am sure could help get this pub back to its former glory.
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Landlord is incredibly rude and harassing. Do not book any functions here.
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visited and stayed here during great british beer festival, friendly owners and welcoming local. beer choice excellant and in great condition. exmoor gold was particularly appreciated. a must visit pub if you are in area. great selection of bottled beers and beer related memorbilia.
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I used to love this pub. When Nick was running the bar,always an excellent choice of real ale and well kept.
Since hes left and the new bar manager has come in, oh dear. Has no idea how to look after the beer, more beers off than on, including onethat tasted like vinegar last night.
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Great beer - always seems to have at least one beer I've never tried. And friendly too. Shame it's such a schlep for me to get to - but I make the effort once a month or so.
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According to the Hoopers website they open on Saturdays from 1230 to midnight.
As the Royal Wedding opening times are given it's obviously up to date.
More than can be said for the GBG.
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On the upside, a friendly welcome from the landlord and good service while I was there; and an excellent range of well-kept and well-chosen beers. On the downside, strange opening hours (not open during the day on Saturday, according to the Good Beer Guide), rather a subdued atmosphere and tricky to find if you don't know the area well. I agree that it's better than the Gowlett (no DJ or dear little children, for example).
On the whole, a good thing, but I doubt whether I'll be back unless they start opening on a Saturday lunchtime.
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I come here occasionaly and have done for years. I like the place - generally. Interesting to note that its going to have its own Beer - Ivanhoe Ale (the pub was previously called the Ivanhoe). The ale is to be brewed by Redemption Brewing, and I look forward to supping some.
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Poppedin today for their beer festival. Very nice atmosphere with a good range of cask ales available. My pick was the Saltaire triple Chocoholic.
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Whilst similar in character to the Gowlett Arms, which I had visited previously, I found this pub to be far more to my liking. The welcome from the barman (possibly the landlord) was friendly, and he was obviously keen about his business and had an excellent knowledge of the products he was selling. The beer range was good - Daleside Pride of England, Rudgate Ruby Mild, Batemans England Expects in South Africa, Ha'Penny London Particular Ruby and Titanic They Think It's Ale Over. Westons Traditional Scrumpy was the real cider. There were also plenty of bottled beers and ciders from around the world. Trendy music was being played. The decor was traditional with a modern slant. Well worth seeking out in the back streets of East Dulwich/Peckham. Pub of the day for me.
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Our new local - I love this pub. Service is brilliant, prices reasonable, the footie's on but not too loud, you can usually get a seat, and they have backgammon. Win. A welcome escape from the hustle-and-bustle of Lordship Lane.
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Smart "traditional" backstreet boozer, Jamie & Viv are very friendly and hospitable hosts.
I've just been enjoying another of their frequent beer festivals. Six or seven well chosen ales were on at one time, plus always plenty of bottled beers to choose from. Only real complaint is it's a bit pricey at �3.20 a pint. I also enjoyed the recent series of blues gigs on Saturday nights, although these seem to have come to an end for the time being at least.
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This place is definately my favourite pub of 2009. I only wish I lived a little (well actually a lot) closer. Keep up the good work Jamie!
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Excellent pub. Very tastefully decorated.
Went to the folk night (turned out to be more Blues) on Friday 27.11.09 and the guitar man was first class.
Wish I lived a bit closer, as this is a much nicer pub than my local.
Have to say though, it's not really in the best location, but still.
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Struggled to get here in the deluge this evening but was glad I did. The affable "guvnor" made me and my friends very welcome; we drank some fine beers including some rare (for London) German bottled beers, One of those "I wish it was my local" pubs that are too few and far between these days. I will be back.
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Just missed the beer fest here -were loads on tap and 50 bottled -but still a lovely pint of Hammerpot from Sussex this eve - good crowd as eve drew on. V cilvilized people.. Rugby on mute on telly for those sport buffs - good local bar / boozer / pub . Do come along and join us. On E Dulwich and Peckham (nice bit ) borders - a real find if you like a pub thats not corporateised. Bar hangers, lots of couples, lugubrious barman, some grub. Nice beer.
Say no more.
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A gem of a pub. Not long lived in the area and searching for somewhere to watch the football on Weds and found this place. Small crowd of chatty fella's watching the match (who complimented me on my tankard :0) ), good beers including one brewed by my old local when I was a student in Wales which was a lovely surprise.
Football didn't infringe on the pub cos it was just in the one area and there wasn't loads of us. The knitting club were in too but they wern't too roudy either.
Only downer was the �.10 pint price but that wont put me off frequenting.
MrHew - 27 Feb 2009 14:20 |
I have been meaning to go here for ages and am glad I did today. Well kept ales (four on today) must say I really enjoyed Ascot Ales' Posh Pooch. A very comfortable relaxed atmosphere and a charming owner too. Seek it out , you'll be glad you did.
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Fair play to the couple who opened up this pub. They're nice. Previously it was hmmm, bad! Now its empty. Real ales are the theme to this pub. Its emptiness suggest the demographic analysis (ooer) wasn't spot on. Camberwell - high court judges/ tv musos, art college kids, hospital & research unit researchers ie scientists and medicos as the main en bloc employees/ populace. = wine for the Camberwell Grovers (probably from their favoured handful of importers or vineyard), lager and so forth for the studes, cheaper wine, spirits and cocktails and lager and occassional bitters for the medicos and scientists. I admit, SE5 is poorly served with real ale pubs barr this one, but there is no institute of engineering, heavy industry etc etc around. Seems like the wrong product for a dipolar rich or young population. (Although down the hill there's a Stalinesque 3 big block council estate). Its a while since I've been though and I hope they do well, but prob need to alter the dynamic from rare but appreciative side burn wearing real alers to something a bit more generally appealing. Ergo women don't give a stuff about real ale (or lager on the whole), no women, means no men, no men means no continued spending. Maybe some live music? The Wurzels?
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Hoopers are running a beer festival for the next 2 weeks with some intersting micros shown on the list in the bar including Adur Brewery, Brewery at Dorking, Thornbridge Jaipur IPa,Rectory,Otley & Acorn. They will email a list out if asked.
The beers on last night were Old Hookey, O'Hanlons Yellowhammer, Otley 01, Brysons Westmoreland Bitter and Slaters Voortrekker Laager, and all were in good fettle.
They are also started doing live music, and are advertising a band on the 19th and a Blues band on the 20th.
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As a Chelmsford City supporter, I visited this bar along with about 50 odd fellow supporters before our game down the road at Dulwich Hamlets ground where Fisher also play.
Jamie made us all very welcome and we had a cracking couple of hours before kick off trying out the many real ales and vast choice of bottled lagers. The food was also first class and not rip off prices. A cracking bar and look forward to paying another visit next season if The Clarets don't get promotion this season.
Just a shame the locals do not show it the interest as it deserves.
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Very comfortable and spacious pub. Only had one ale on when I visited unfortunately, but I understand that they often have up to four on offer. Good range of European bottled beers. Tried the food which was standard pub fare; good portions and reasonably priced.
In response to previous comments, it probably is worth taking a map with you the first time you visit, but after that it's fairly easy to find.
Hope to visit again when they have a few more draughts available.
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Betty Stogs and Weltons in a relaxed, comfortable pub which is a credit to an area that is a surprising den of good food and drink these days. Get off the 185 bus at Dog Kennel Hill and go straight up the road. Friendly welcome, nice little pub that I suspect doesn't do food given the Asian takeaway opposite for which there are menus on the pub's windowsill!
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Hoopers has had some realistic beer prices this year. Throughout one month there was a changing real ale at �1.99 a pint. Last month Harveys was on sale at �2.40. There is a pub policy of obtaining hard to find micros, this weekend the pub has Cottage from Somerset and Weltons. It also now accepts debit and credit cards.Definitely worth a visit, there are public transport details and a map on the pub's website.
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What - you mean there were punters?? Wow! Needs it. He's been trying for over a year now. Very nice place. Its just that a lot of folk just dont want to go. With me its his prices but with others, who often earn so much more....well... dont know. LISTEN: IT IS NOT, I REPEAT NOT HARD TO FIND!! Again, use a street map. Literally 5 mins walk from Dog Kennel Hill opp Sainsburys mega store. I've heard so many London people saying can't can't can't about this place....just be honest - if you dont want to go - DONT!
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Visited again last night, and found a very convivial atmosphere, created by friendly banter about the merits of the three cask ales on offer: Rooster/Outlaw "Wild Mule" (3.9%); Red Squirrel "Dark Ruby Mild" (3.7%) and Hart Brewery "New Rose" (3.8%) All three were ideal for a session in the sultry weather being experienced in London at the moment.
Tasty snacks appeared on the bar at regular intervals, and the owner enthused about the coming beer festival starting Thursday. Sounds like a good selection of ales wil be on offer over the 3 days, including Oakleaf "I Can't Believe Its Not Bitter" 4.9% (a prize winning cask conditioned Lager)& beers from Dark Star, Nethergate, Stationhouse and All Gates.
I hope it goes well for them!
Worth a visit
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This is the kind of pub you want, an ideal place to relax, a proper extension of your front room, which essentially, is what a public house should be.
The ale is great, normally 4 pumps with ever changing themes from around Great Britain. There is also a wide selction of bottled continental lagers. Even the normal brand lager on tap is well kept.
On my visit the Harvey's was top notch.
Ultimatley, Hoopers is clean, respectable and a credit to the community of the East Dulwich-Camberwell border.
Note however, that the lead barman can be a little off but that's the Basil Fawlty in him, I think.
Good Pub!
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I agree with Uncle Gareth, an asset to the area. They currently have 3 cask ales on, Harveys Best, Itchen Valley Godfathers & Stonehouse Cambrian Gold. Beers coming up are announced as Harveys Old,Dark Star Spring Equinox,Moor Revival & Merlin's Magic,Wolf Ale,Ramsgate Gadd's No5,Springhead Liberty,WJ King's Mother-in-Law,and Hepworth's Sussex Bitter. If that is not an interesting choice, I don't know what is.The pub has recently attained Cask Marque status, and don't wish to compromise the quality by offerring too many beers at once. Give it a try!
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What an outstanding moaner the last poster is. No wonder he thinks there's no atmosphere if its full of him and his mates trying to get out of date offers from old posters after they've paid the price written on the pump..
There are two beers at all times, and they are both nice. I usually have a couple of each, and if I don't like them there are nice bottles available too.
And the barman is always very amiable, chatting with customers who wn to chat and leavng people alone if they don;t.
As I said before, such a change from the old Ivanhoe and an asset to the area.
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I�m starting to give up on this place after a very promising introduction at its first mini-fest. Subsequent visits have produced a sliding choice and consistent lack of atmosphere culminating Sunday20th when the barman condescendingly explained that, despite four handpumps carrying clips, only two were ever on offer outside festivals. When I spotted a blackboard outside offering Harveys at �1.99, rather than the �2.90 we paid, he smugly suggested that no-one walked past that side of the notice and the current offer was on the other side (admittedly shown at the pump). I admire what the owner was aiming for by avoiding mainstream-only beers, and heaven knows the area needs a decent pub, but he�s not quite there and is unlikely to build up any sort of custom with rude staff putting off the few people who do venture in.
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We were impressed by the selection of proper beer when we visited, including Hop Daemon and Bear Brewery ales. Jamie the guv'nor made us toasted sandwiches and made us welcome.
Not a particularly cheap pub, but well-kept, smart and modern in a traditional sort of way, if that makes sense...
A fine pub a short walk from East Dulwich station.
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Sundancer, Maldon Gold, Oakleaf HoleHearted, Oscar Wilde Mild: that�s a pretty good line-up and with Hophead & GingerBear to follow, the Guv has things going nicely for his �mini-fest�. Thought that one of the 3 goldens could have given way to a more autumnal colour, but thoroughly enjoyed all on offer. Pub interior is a little modern for the traditionalists but you�d have to travel some distance to beat this beer selection. I suspect there is no skytv here, but fortunately England beating Oz today was shown on regular plasma, Come On!
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People saying "bit off the beaten track" - help promote it, why don't you! It isn't! Just have to walk 5 minutes through residential streets, thats all. Anyway, to echo Camraboy, Thanks Jamie for the help at Catford. Keep it up. Mind you, are you accepting card payment yet? Food 4 thought when not busy? Wish I could afford to go - oh well, theres the Dog & Bell, I can afford that!
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A nice comfortable back street pub only two minutes walk from the bus stop half way up Dog Kennel Hill; has a clean, modern interior without losing the traditional feel. A bit pricey @�2.80 a pint, but the Harvey's Best has always been in absolutely peak condition whenever I've had it, therefore worth paying a bit extra.
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A big thank you to Hoopers for sponsoring some beer for the Catford Beer Festival this year. If you haven't tried this bar yet, perhaps the following will tempt you. These beers will be appearing through July and this is a good selection of decent ales. Each time I have been there, the Harvey's Best, has been in tip-top condition.
Next on is Dark Star Best Bitter , followed by Oakleaf Bitter, Alton's Pride,
Rebellion IPA, Crouch Vale Brewers Gold, Harveys Tom Paine and Dark Star's Summer Solstice
They will also have Weston's Scrumpy Cider
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Nice to see Hoopers is finally on here. A welcome antidote to the pretentiousness of most of the East Dulwich bars - a spruced up, old fashioned pub without the sticky carpets, overflowing ashtrays etc. Nice, friendly guvnor and bar staff who know their beers, and what beers they are - there's usually a couple of Harveys beers on alongside two or more guests. An interesting Belgian selection in the fridge as well. It's not that far off the beaten track (about 3 mins walk from the main road) - go on, give it a try!
EmmaS - 26 Jun 2007 23:58 |
Here's hoping this place takes off. The Ivanhoe was indeed a scary place - the new Hoopers Bar retains the lovely wood panelling, adds some comfy soafs and a range of great drinks. Anyone for another Ashbourne Brewery English fruit beer? I've been in a few times now - the real ale is always well kept and the welcome is genuine. No need to go all the way to the Gowlett now. Pass it on!
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A brave attempt in a bid of a wilderness I am afraid - good beer (four on, of which three were small independents), heaps of bottled beer, will hopefully be providing good food in a few months, friendly staff, a modest makeover and they had Weston's to make up for that dreadful ubiquitous Magners. But a little off the beaten track and did not get critical mass of customers tonight. Hope it works out James! TRY IT!! Look forward to Karloff's more detailed review which can't be far off as he alerted me to the place. Website is the name hoopersbar dot co dot UK
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Just had my first visit to this pub, newly opened as Hoopers Bar and Cafe. Friendly landlord; clean and refitted; bright and airy PLUS good quality beers on sale. They are having a beer festival from 4-7 May including a range of foreign beers. This place has to be an oasis in this area. Well recommended.
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This pub closed last year, and has recently been refurbished and re-opened as Hoopers Bar and Cafe.
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