The Kings Arms, London Bridge

King's Arms is a great little pub that manages to attract lots of different people of lots of different ages without losing it's atmosphere. It has gone slightly more edgy than a traditional pub with the decor etc. but it still has a proper pub feel. A fantastic place to while away the hours any day of the week. The food is good as well and the service is always of a good standard - friendly and fast. Slightly pricey food and beer but it is a place to enjoy a drink rather than one where you neck as much as you can as quickly as you can, so it is OK.
Only negative is the toilets. The ladies (don't know about the mens..) are foul. Even a tiny effort here would go a long way.

17 Sep 2008 13:18

Spice Island, Rotherhithe

This being the very closest pub to me, I come here quite often. It is not a very good pub, but major steps has nonetheless been taken lately to change this pub for the better. Certainly the horrid and rude manager of last year is gone and the current chap is quite nice. Also they have somehow managed to stop the incredible turnover of staff and now have some bar staff that can serve you properly and a bit faster than before. They have also finally decided that it is OK to serve food downstairs in the bar area, where they previously were trying to send everyone upstairs to the completely dead restaurant. Also they have taken steps to get rid of all the riff-raff which previously came here. The bouncers and the manager is doing a good job of keeping out 17 year-old chavs and the like these days.
I would say, not quite there yet, but a vast improvement on last year and the year before. If it continues it may end up being a decent place for a quick pint...
Not sure that changing the name to "Old salt quay" is doing a lot though... Not sure what the motivation behind that is? Maybe they think the chavs are so thick they won't recognise it or find it with a new name...???

5 Nov 2007 18:17

The Anchor, Southwark

This pub should be reported as a criminal offence against tourists. They have not only ruined what was a nice old pub by attaching some sort of modern chain-pub look-alikey where there previously was a beer garden, but they have the worst service anyhwere in London. Rude staff, overpriced, no hope of getting served in less than 15 minutes even when the pub is empty. It is just awful.. The only reason this pub makes any money is the location and the fact that it is a trap for tourists. Such a shame...

5 Nov 2007 18:09