Charles Holden, Colliers Wood

I don't usually 'do' sites like this, but feel compelled to do so this eveing after an utterly dissapointing experience of this pub.

The Tup used to be my favourite boozer - landlord was doing an excellent job of running the place, and as a result everything seemed great - I certainly had no complaints, and recommended the place to everyone.

But (and previous posts seem to echo this point) the landlord is woefully abscent these days [he's leaving in March so obviously doesn't give a s**t about the place anymore] and as a result the place has gone to the dogs.

Service is abysmal. Tonight I found the bar staff ineffecient and rude. To cite a specific example: 10 minutes after the 'time' bell was rung we were unceremoniously herded out of the place. I realise that, legally, the establishment is within its rights to do this (I've done my research!) but frankly I've never been in another pub that doesn't allow you at least the traditional '20 minutes drinking up time', and this was, at best, a poor exercise in (regular) customer relations.

When I tried to negotiate for a few more minutes to finish my drink I was told to "f**k off".

A general point regarding the service: I can only reiterate what previous posts are saying - current staff seem to me to be inadequate, poorly trained, reluctant to do a proper job, and far more interested in chatting, gossiping, or even ridiculing the customers. (I have been on the receiving end of a rude and personal comment. You expect and accept it from your mates, but not from unfamiliar bar staff whose wages you are paying.)

I don't agree that it's "still the best pub in the area". Walk up the road for 5 minutes and you reach the Garden House which, since it's recent takeover, is getting better and better. I live and work around here, and Garden House has become my number one pub of choice.

The Colliers Tup is a sinking ship, which I, for one, will be abandoning immediately.

15 Jan 2009 01:23