The Wishing Well on Bellenden Road

[Mick Mac]

Any improvement in the uplands would be welcome and its not far from where i live but i look forward to seeing what you do there.

Its great that you have taken such an interest in the area. The bishop was a great addition and i did not like the the old foresters.

At the end of the day you do what works. Even a few years on im still smarting about the demise of the magdela as a 6 nations venue and with each upgrade i hope somethins will come along to fill that gap. Untill then the edt prospers deservedly.

I in to the herne with the kids and it draws people from a fair distance away. That is partly due to the large kids area which is the safest available. If you can match that you are on to a winner.

Packaged product was a reference to what was said about the bishop when it opened. I remembed a reference to repeating the camberwell castle formula in east dulwich. I look forward to seeing the new pub and local people will no doubt go but i hope it has its own identity and does somethins sufficiently different to draw people from further away.

[cate]

Where is the Florence? I look forward to seeing the new incarnation of the Wishing Well. Can you get some good dry cider in please, not Bulmers or Magners. Maybe some French stuff like they have in Green and Blue. The pub at Denmark Hill Station has a great selection and they do Cider Festivals. They have a large selection and let me try a few samples before I ordered a pint. Franklins has Aspalls. The Drum had awful cider in my opinion.

Will well behaved dogs be welcome? When did kids start to be prevalent in pubs? Is it only since the smoking ban? I thought they were only allowed to be in dining areas for the purpose of eating at a table. It's refreshing to hear that there will be an area for adults only.

[scott]

They should both have their own identity. The Bishop, The Clarence & The Florence are all run with the same ethos but have completely different identities as this is something a pub tends to get from it's regulars.

We don't intend to match the Herne's play area as that is in their garden. After consultation with the pub's next door neighbour, who raised concerns about converting the external rear area into a garden, we decided it best for the immediate neighbour if it was a kid's room.

Cate, The Florence is in Herne Hill, 133 Dulwich road. We do Symond's reserve cider on draft with Aspalls in a bottle. Well behaved kids & dogs are welcome in all the pubs.

[Acid Casual]

I might be in danger of going off on a tangent, but The Upland has always been a bit of a curiosity for me.

I believe that it benefitted from new landlords a while back (a Kiwi girl and her partner if I recall?) and a real effort was made in all areas. When I first moved here about 4 years back I thought it looked quite nice and really inviting. From what I understand the landlords made a real effort which paid off for a bit. I also remember reading on here I think about how nice they were.

Trouble is that ever since that initial impression, every time I have passed by or dropped in very quickly, the clientele seems to have been exclusively made up of Jeremy Kyle-esque morons. Before someone gets the hump about that description, it refers not to a social class or situation, but a state of mind. In this case ignorant and anti-social.

One bloke in obligitory trackie bottoms and baseball cap encouraging his toddler daughter to kick the little statue of Buddah in the face, saying - "Fackin' batter it darlin! Always give anyone 'oo ain't christian a good beating!"

As I said, morons irrespective of class or creed. Such a shame, as with good landlords which I am led to believe is the case, nice premises and good beer (which it has both of) you would think it would succeed.

Can anyone shed any light on why it perhaps continues to be dysfunctional? Has it a long standing history which a series of reincarnations cannot overcome?

[daizie]

I'd be interested to know too . Iv'e posted on the forum before about the Chav's in the Uplands. You put it so much nicer than me Acid .

[????]

I don't mind the Upland and think the 'chavs' have been drinking in there far longer than most posters on here have lived round here...not you I know Daizie

[Bluerevolution]

Acid Casual Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I might be in danger of going off on a tangent,

> but The Upland has always been a bit of a

> curiosity for me.

>

> I believe that it benefitted from new landlords a

> while back (a Kiwi girl and her partner if I

> recall?) and a real effort was made in all areas.

> When I first moved here about 4 years back I

> thought it looked quite nice and really inviting.

> From what I understand the landlords made a real

> effort which paid off for a bit. I also remember

> reading on here I think about how nice they were.

>

> Trouble is that ever since that initial

> impression, every time I have passed by or dropped

> in very quickly, the clientele seems to have been

> exclusively made up of Jeremy Kyle-esque morons.

> Before someone gets the hump about that

> description, it refers not to a social class or

> situation, but a state of mind. In this case

> ignorant and anti-social.

>

> One bloke in obligitory trackie bottoms and

> baseball cap encouraging his toddler daughter to

> kick the little statue of Buddah in the face,

> saying - "Fackin' batter it darlin! Always give

> anyone 'oo ain't christian a good beating!"

>

> As I said, morons irrespective of class or creed.

> Such a shame, as with good landlords which I am

> led to believe is the case, nice premises and good

> beer (which it has both of) you would think it

> would succeed.

>

> Can anyone shed any light on why it perhaps

> continues to be dysfunctional? Has it a long

> standing history which a series of reincarnations

> cannot overcome?

Being a Manc, I should feel right at home there !

[Acid Casual]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I don't mind the Upland and think the 'chavs' have

> been drinking in there far longer than most

> posters on here have lived round here...not you I

> know Daizie

I made no mention of chavs as a term of description at all.

You can be extremely middle class, earn six figures plus a year, but if you lack basic social intelligence, a sense of decency, you are still an undesirable and are a possible liability in a public house. Just so happens that these lot were not of that social group.

When I worked doors in pubs usually the hardest ones to deal with were middle class because despite the fact that they were drunk, acting up and harassing other drinkers, their sense of outraged entitlement made them a pain in the neck. That said, they usually entered the premises fine and ended up becoming anti-social as the drink flowed a bit too fast, whilst the white reebok classic brigade would usually not get by the door in the first place.

Does that make me prejudiced or a bigot? Well I dunno and I don't care really. I can usually spot a likely trouble maker from a fair distance, so I'd always go with my instincts and experience. Experience from growing up, living next door to, going to school with, and generally mixing with folk like that. I'd say most would do the same if they had that experience to draw from.

I think that the active word above is PUBLIC house. You mix with other people happily and sociably in public. If you can't then you are a dick. it's that simple in my view.

[daizie]

Right .

[????]

Well I've never seen or had any crap in there

[daizie]

I've seen plenty of crap and i didnt even have to step foot through the door .

[karter]

The Mont, which is a little further up on Choumert rd does serves really great fish cakes. Good luck Scott with the Well.

[Acid Casual]

By the way, just before this thing sprouts arms and legs and runs away, I am not suggesting that The Upland is a violent, nefarious, shady den of criminality.

I am only expressing my bemusement that in spite of it having all the ingredients that make a great pub and it looking very welcoming, it still attracts a slightly anti-social element.

I am puzzled and wondered if any long standing residents of the area might enlighten me as to the past of this place and its likely influence upon it's clientele now.

[tommy]

Scott - really looking forward to what The Vic will look like and offer. When are you opening?

Good food, selection of ales and a family room is what we (and many others in the area) are looking for. Hopefully your establishment will kick start the road (and get someone to open up the restaurant across the road as well). Also looking forward to using the Vic for a coffee during the day as well

If you want a local family to try out any of your menu (or bar) - let me know...

Tom

[daizie]

Thanks Tom, another place i wont visit .

[woofmarkthedog]

The Talma

Is it possible to get lower locally ?

Not including The Two Brewers ,Camberwell

(I mean in this area, Oh yes I've spent a day drinking in the "Granite" in the Gorbals ,Glasgow. That place is a stella journey downward away )

W**F

[Roll Deep]

The Talma.

Situated on Wells Park Rd a stones throw from the park. A place where loyal patrons can leave their teeth behind the bar and sit in a heyday fug harking back to when the Luftwaffe loomed above, and Capstan unfiltered were smoked. Not much has changed in there since the Blitz except for the acceptance of decimalization and channel 5. There is however, still a faint - yet just legible - sign that dictates: No Jews.

I kid you not.

[woofmarkthedog]

See

I told you

W**F

[Roll Deep]

A stark contrast to the Capitol in Forest Hill where they wouldn't be ashamed to sell WKD on tap, so I'm told.

[Sharon_H]

tommy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Scott - really looking forward to what The Vic

> will look like and offer. When are you opening?

>

> Good food, selection of ales and a family room is

> what we (and many others in the area) are looking

> for. Hopefully your establishment will kick start

> the road (and get someone to open up the

> restaurant across the road as well). Also looking

> forward to using the Vic for a coffee during the

> day as well

>

> If you want a local family to try out any of your

> menu (or bar) - let me know...

>

> Tom

"Kick start the road" what exactly is that supposed to mean?

[EDKiwi]

...so you're told, of course you'd never set foot in such an establishment eh Roll Deep.

[Roll Deep]

Ejection of riff raff in favour of 'well heeled' clientele.

[cate]

Sharon, your post asking what tommy meant by 'kick start the road' 'is very funny. Perhaps he is looking for another Lordship Lane. I like Bellenden Road with what it has now and a better term might have been to 'enhance the road further'.

[woofmarkthedog]

to ruffle a few feathers...one area of the bar will be kid free and one family friendly with a purpose built Children's Room.

I welcome any questions but not over keen on the word 'hate'.

Cheers

Scott

----------------------------------------------------------------

No, me neither hate that word

Oh and KID free, what as in goats ?

How novel "NO GOATS" in one area of the bar, It's a first I'll give you that

Good heavens

W**F

[bob]

AC Re the history of the Uplands late 60's eary 70's live bands disco and Ramed at the weekend best place to pull in Dulwich just seemed to go down hill Scott good luck on both new ventures.

Bob S