The Prince Regent, Herne Hill

Crikey . A woman with an 8 month old son complaining because the bar staff hadn't heated his baby food up properly. Who takes an 8 month old baby to the local boozer? And expects it to be catered to properly by bar staff ? Perhaps one of the more unfortunate aspects of the smoking ban which has encouraged a plethora of unruly children and now even tiny babies into pubs, this attitude is part of the pub's problem. Many punters are expecting a combined creche,fine dining and family experience and other locals want a no nonsense pub with good food where they can have a pint in peace and quiet - yes , away from the family perhaps! At the moment the Regent seems to be satisfying no one. I've seen people breastfeeding in there on a Saturday night and toddlers sitting at the bar. At the same time the food is not up to scratch with the best gastro pubs ( Havelock in W London for example) but the prices are very high. Its not a creche or fine dining experience - IT IS A PUB!

People have all sorts of odd expectations these days but it would help if the Prince Regent also knew what it was, then they may have more satisfied customers.

17 Jul 2008 14:28

The Prince Regent, Herne Hill

I went again at the weekend and have to say that although the food was ok, they need to sort out that thing of allowing the kids to run riot in there.

i know kids are great, and like to express themselves in that creative herne hill way, and all that, but the place was overrun like a creche with 5 -8 year olds, seemingly numbering over a dozen, running all over, even in the bar area, which is a breach of licensing conditions i'd guess. even worse than in Piaf in Dulwich.

i know like i sound like a right miserable old git ( i'm only in early 30s) but when you can't hear yourself above shrieking younger children and multiple screaming 3 month old babies being breast fed milk at the neighbouring table, and you're paying �25 per head, its time to draw a line. How can this behaviour be acceptable in a local gastro pub?

The parents selfishly refuse to take badly behaved children home or outside, tell them to shut up, make them "stay sat down or we're going home" (what i used to be told only a few short years ago) or give them a smack so they behave.

And who takes really tiny babies to the pub, clearly not happy to be there, for the afternoon? swinging them up and down over their heads to pacify them, whilst harrassed waiting staff dodge the projectile vomit.

If they weren't wearing middle class clothes and paying middle class prices people would be shouting "child neglect" or "Vikki Pollard" at them.

Whilst there are many other people with kids there, and i welcome "whole family" civilised sit-downs, in pubs and restaurants generally, it doesnt warrant this totally unrully, out of control behaviour, with no respect to other diners.

The staff, they were tripping up over some of the kids while carrying hot food.

This is nuts. Sort it out, management, this place is not a nice environment to enjoy Sunday lunch at the moment.

it seems you can't go many places in Herne Hill / Dulwich these days without badly behaved / out of control children ruining the whole experience with the parents giving no thought to others.

Does the Regent experience have to be like going to a Harvester?

11 Dec 2007 16:27

The Prince Regent, Herne Hill

the food in this pub is good, but hugely expensive and not worth the money they charge - �14.50 for a main course sometimes - AND they charge service - bit of a no no in a pub. I went back to The Havelock in West Ken the other week - one of the first and acknowledged as still one of the best gastro pubs in London, and aganist which i judge all others- and it was cheaper and better quality than the Regent, sadly. Also, at the Regent, they do that booking tables thing, rather than "queue and wait for a table" as should be the case in gastro pubs - they'd serve more people and make more money (and could keep prices down) if they did this - it is a pub, after all. the best night in Prince Regent monday - 2 courses for a tenner. quiz nite on tues is fun. it is also too hot in this place, ventilation is dreadful - where's the air con guys - come on its 2007. but all in all, i like it. it just needs tweaking a bit and it would be even better.

29 Oct 2007 16:45