The Castle, Camberwell

Oh dear oh dear oh dear... I loved the Castle so much, the food was simply awesome - good ingredients, simple but satisfying combinations... And the atmosphere was great, classy but chilled out, just like Camberwell should be. Really nice staff too - polite, friendly, made you feel all warm inside.

Then, I went in the other day, and I was heartbroken, and that's no exageration. I'm seriously upset to see what it's turning into.

First the menu is now four times the length, full of generic uninspiring pub grub (from the seventies), in that horrible "menu font" that unclassy people think adds a touch of class to a venture, but really just makes it feel like a Travel Lodge.

Then the service. Gone were the nice friendly people I've seen for years, and in were the miserable newbies.

And the trees outside, adding that touch of a downmarket All Bar One to the place.

And then the website, an awful thing, threatening to turn the Castle into a "Soho style bar" NO NO NO. There's enough of them in Soho.

Now what I don't understand, is that the Castle was super popular, and always good quality. All the new management had to do was keep it the same, or similar.

Instead, as it is, when I walk past now (even on a sunday afternoon), it's totally empty.

I don't wish the new management luck at all. I hope they bust as soon as possible.

And I suppose I'll try and make the trek down to The Bishop for the food, beer, service and atmosphere I've come to love.

14 Dec 2006 18:40