The Florence, Herne Hill

Liarlandlord,

I think you've missed the point here. Intentionally or not, The Florence WILL exclude certain sections of the community. You may prefer the Florence to Ganleys, but I don�t think you can argue that the Florence brings more diversity to the area. We already have The Commercial, The Escape, Number 22 and a selection of wine bars/restaurants selling a wide selection of beers and wines etc. The back room of the Half Moon has now been turned into a Pizzeria, and the barman tells me the big screens are being taken out of there soon too. Ganley�s was far from perfect, but it did catered for a different demographic and for that reason it was valuable

I myself am from a middleclass background, but I want to be able to drink with people from all walks of life, and that�s why I feel strongly about this. There�s nothing wrong with a few rough edges, that�s what keeps things interesting - not middleclass wannabes with aspirations of celebrity, and this relentless sanitization which is creeping into every aspect of our society.

14 Jun 2007 09:49

The Florence, Herne Hill

Hi scott - thanks for your response,

Firstly, I�d like to point out that the fact the pub was sold has little reflection on it's previous ability to pull a crowd. My understanding is that the last owners were made an offer they couldn't refuse. That's all fair enough in business, but let's not try and pass it off as something other than a buy-out.

Secondly, the football season may be over, but I'm still left having to bus it to Clapham for the England game tonight. I won't be too quick to pass judgement at this early stage tho, and if you say there may be screens in the future, well time will tell. However, I have a funny feeling when next season does arrive the new clientele will NOT be baying for the Merseyside derby.

Thirdly, If I'm wrong about your prices and menu then I apologise, but if your pub's giving off those kind of vibes then maybe there's a separate issue that needs to be addressed. I personally was not the biggest fan of Ganleys. While I enjoyed the atmosphere I always felt there was room for improvement in terms of service, decor etc. I think compromise is the key word here, but sadly I do not believe this has been achieved.

Finally, when I use the term �traditional pub� I am not talking about some thousand-year-old inn from a time long before any of us were born. Equally my idea of a �traditional Christmas� is not a medieval get-together where everyone receives a walnut in a sock and a nasty dose of smallpox. My definition of traditional would be a relaxed atmosphere, laughter, wine and song. You get 1 out of 4.

And with all due respect I can�t see any �weary travellers� popping in for refreshments anytime soon, because they probably wouldn�t get past the bouncers. And besides, you wouldn�t want them scuffing the leather!

Your comments are appreciated tho and I wait with baited breath for the arrival of the big screens next season!

Cheers,

Beans.

6 Jun 2007 16:25

The Florence, Herne Hill

Congratulations to the new owner of Ganleys who's probably set to make a lot of money, but considerably fewer friends. While I appreciate there is a growing demand for wine bars and gastro pubs, and understand the pressure on landlords to diversify their businesses in preparation for the no-smoking laws coming into effect this summer, I am also a staunch believer in the need for local pubs. In this increasingly homogenised society community spirit is in decline, making the role of the local as a meeting point and social hub more important than ever. For me, the only positive is that this kind of establishment will attract people to the area, thus increasing the value of my property. But do I really want to live along side people who are happy to drink in a "pub" like this? If that's what I wanted I would have moved to East Dulwich.
So what is it our local community needs? Another 3 wheeler pram park serving over priced ciabattas and "cool" beers at �3.50 a pop, or a good old fashioned boozer serving hearty roasts, a good atmosphere, and the possibility of some interaction with real people?
Surely business owners have some responsibility in maintaining diversity in the local community.

1 Jun 2007 15:16