The Liberty Bounds, Tower Hill

This was quite a good pub until recent changes - A) restricting the upstairs bar to table-service diners only, B) designating ALL the window seats as "no smoking". The result is as window seats tend to be always occupied by tourists, one inevitably has to stand near the bar, which despite having a low mezzanine roof above is also the smoking area. So the 'smoking' part of the premises has the lowest ceiling and is also nearest the counter, hardly good H&S policy. Also since the Pommlers Rest Wetherspoons on the other side of Tower Bridge went 100% no smoking this place has got far more "chavvy", presumably as Bermondsery's finest tank up before "largin' it". I actually wrote to Wetherspoons re. this and got a patronising form-letter back referring to "mystery shoppers" and passing my comments on to the local Area Manager. I was in there last Sunday, the bar was three-deep after a tourist boat had docked, staff run of their feet on food orders taking 10 mins each to process while the Duty Manager went around collecting the odd glass. Packed downstairs yet the upper bar was empty and off-limits to all apart from a few holidaymakers! What a way to run a business!!!

18 Aug 2006 00:24