A Stedders Guide

CHARLTON ONE PUB ONLY? Plume of Feathers CRAWLING FROM RAILWAY STATION TO THE GROUND? Greenwich station , Greenwich Union, Richard 1, walk across the park to the Plume of Feathers and then to Maze Hill station on to the ground SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT? Greenwich Union
MILLWALL ONE PUB ONLY? Borough Arms in London CRAWLING FROM RAILWAY STATION TO THE GROUND? Again drink in London and catch the train SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT? Trafalgar Tavern Ted Blair recommends THE RAKE at London Bridge Station
Ashburnham Arms 25 Ashburnham Grove Greenwich, SE10 8UH T 020 8692 2007 W www.shepherdneame.co.uk G Denis Ryan and Nalaka Kapuru F All home cooked international menu 12 to 2.30, 6 to 9 Tue - Sat, 12 to 8 Sun, No food Mon MP TV BM D O 12 to 11 The Ashburnham is the most modern of the real ale locals in the Greenwich station area. By modern I mean that it is refurbished with all the features of recent pub design, yet it has managed to maintain the essential qualities of being a real pub with log fires and great ale. Denis and Nalaka have created a friendly and welcoming community pub where families are very much at the heart of what they do. It helps to have one of the few play - streets outside the pub and a garden area that is both enclosed and has very recently been decked and heated. The locals really appreciate these attributes but it would be true to say that the Ashburnham is a great example of how to cater for all ages and sexes through good ale and food. To encourage the community feel the pub is frequently the host to interest and sporting groups. The local bell ringers, beer festival organisers, quiz teams and a pub cricket side; all are important in making the pub a place to meet other people or people watch. The regulars tend to be professional couples and local artisans. The football fans will support teams across London. On Saturday the mix will be very friendly, as was found last year by supporters of Leyton Orient and Manchester City. Charlton fans call in before, using the DLR or main line trains, just five minutes away. BWV 28.3.06: Shepherd Neame Early Bird, Kent’s Best, Master Brew, Spitfire
Greenwich Union 56 Royal Hill Greenwich, SE10 8RT Telephone 020 8692 6258 W www.greenwichunion.com G Andrew Ward and Mark O'Gorman F Freshly prepared, high quality modern European cuisine lunch 12 to 5,Sun - Fri, 11 to 5 Sat, dinner 5 to 10 Sun - Fri, 5 to 9 Sat MP TV BM D O 12 to 11 Mon - Fri, 11 to 11 Sat, 11.30 to 10.30 Sun The Meantime Brewery is attempting something of a revolution in drinking that has caused quite a stir among real ale purists. The Greenwich Union is one of their pubs that ask questions of lager and ale drinkers alike. The quality within this pub is found in the large range of non - pasteurised lagers that are served here and the concept of creating a European style café bar in the middle of a traditional back - street drinking area. The pub is a single bar; long and light - filled that has a bar along one side of the room and an impressive vista to a walled garden to the rear. The atmosphere is very relaxed and reminiscent of the very best high street café bars. The food complements the ales, and the friendliness of the staff helps to create a feeling that all are welcome to come in and try something new. This applies to sampling the lagers that include home brews of Raspberry and Chocolate as well as more traditional Pilseners and Wheat beers. I really enjoyed my late afternoon visit, the place was frequented by young couples, small groups of students and dedicated ale heads sampling from the beer menu. The brasserie - trained chefs are evidently popular with the “buggy brigade” who sweep in for Sunday lunch. By way of contrast, the Monday night live music will appeal to the student crowd. The beers are brewed in Charlton and so for that reason alone they deserve your attention. BWV 28.3.06: Fuller’s Discovery, Full range of Meantime Continental style beers UPDATE An early afternoon visit found Will behind the bar and pleased to offer samples of the Meantime beers. A great change has occured in the offer of three handpumps to augment the novelty of ten different mMeantime continental style beers. The pub itself has been remodelled a bit but still has the basic long bar shape with excellent garden space for those of use who smoke. BWV 24.10.09 Dark Star Hophead, Harvey's Sussex Best, Meantime London Pale Ale + Full range of Meantime Continental style beers
Plume of Feathers 19 Park Vista Greenwich SE10 9LZ T 020 8858 0819 W www.plume-of-feathers.co.uk G Sue Rose F Traditional international cuisine, all home cooked 12 to 3 Mon - Fri, 12 to 4 Sat, 12 to 10.30 Sun MP TV BM D Opening 11 to 11, 12 to 10.30 Sun The Plume of Feathers has managed to combine two different guises over the 28 years that Sue has been at the pub. It is one of those brilliant pubs that offer a warm welcome to the hoards of tourists tramping the streets of Greenwich and, at the same time, it is a locals’ local that provides good quality comfort for the regulars who make up the bulk of the regular trade. The key factor is undoubtedly the enthusiasm of a remarkable landlady and staff who create a place that shouts good service and genuine customer care. The pub is just 100 m from the National Maritime Museum, 2 minutes from Maze Hill Station and literally opposite Greenwich Park. The single room wraps itself around a central bar and is decked with maritime pictures and insignia on the walls and within the windows. The eye is drawn to the rear of the pub, to a beautiful garden that is surely a suntrap and uniquely blessed at night with the laser of the Greenwich Meridian beam passing directly overhead. The beer list is enlivened by regular guest ales to pander to beer drinkers like myself who can get rather tired of routine London ale found in the town. Add to all this the fact that Sue is a card - carrying Palace fan, who has done the 92 grounds in her time, and you know that footie fans will have found a real treat if they make the pilgrimage to the Plume. The Saturday crowd includes fans of all London clubs, it is famously friendly and only two stops down the line from Charlton. BWV 28.3.06: Adnams Best, Fuller’s London Porter, London Pride, St Austell Tribute
Prince Albert 72 Royal Hill Greenwich SE10 8RT Telephone 020 8333 6512 W www.theprincealbertgreenwich.co.uk G Peter and Janet Clements F All home - cooked traditional pub food. Pies and pasties at weekend 12 to 3 Mon - Fri MP SK JB P O 11 to 11.30 Mon - Sat, 11.30 to 11.30 Sun The Prince Albert is one of three pubs on Royal Hill in Greenwich. Near to the station, it is a couple of stops away on the rail line from London Bridge. The other two pubs are in the Charlton pages of the guide. This pub is run by Pete who is himself a Millwall fan, a season ticket holder and top bloke. The locals are very friendly and the atmosphere both sporty and traditional. The pub is a bit of a rarity in that it has two self - contained rooms both upstairs and down that are used for pool. The main bar has Sky TV that is strictly for the use of sports fans, there is no watching countdown in this pub. The support for community sports continues through sponsorship of local teams and regular connections to Blackheath Rugby Club, their players and supporters. The pub is also a place where local students come for their first pints only to find it is a proper local, no themes, no gimmicks; a local that if you treat it right will be your local for life. On my mid afternoon visit the Prince was buzzing. There were some watching the racing but most regulars were doing Greenwich things. There were people sketching scenes from the bar, others comparing thoughts on the national curriculum and most just supping over a good book. The pub gets very busy on matchdays but has the space to accommodate this. I really liked the busy nature of the pub and especially the keenness of the staff to make this stranger welcome. BWV 28.3.06: Adnams Broadside, Courage Best, Greene King IPA
Richard I 52 - 54 Royal Hill Greenwich SE10 8RT T 0208 8692 2996 G Diane Radbron F Good traditional English food 12 to 9.30 MP Opening 11 to 11, 12 to 10 The Richard I comes highly recommended by tourists, football fans and locals alike. It is the most obvious of three really good pubs to drink in on the Royal Hill area of Greenwich. Located away from the main town tourist traps, it, like its near neighbours, is more of a proper pub than those found in town and therefore, more likely to offer what we all know are the best attributes of a London suburban pub. There are two very traditional rooms; one is small and inhabited by the locals in the evening who like to strike up typical locals’ conversations and activities. The other is larger and similarly wooden floored with tables laid out to encourage drinking and good conversation. Then to the rear is the best of the Greenwich pub gardens, totally enclosed and large enough to host a barbeque on matchdays, weather permitting. Martin is one of the new generation of young landlords who knows a good thing when he sees it and is he is keen to protect what he has, i.e. a great traditional pub that also offers food, rather than the now so - frequent alternative. My visit was extended over the lunchtime because I enjoyed the relaxed nature of the pub. It was easy to strike up conversation but equally easy for regulars to come in and read their newspapers in perfect isolation. Tolly’s, as the locals call it, is a very friendly boozer. It will more likely have Charlton fans drinking in it before the game, and, as with most away fans, the successes of Charlton provoke great admiration amongst those who join in the chat, BWV 28.3.06: Young’s Bitter, St. George’s, Special UPDATE I visited pre match to find the pub as popular and pleasant as ever. Diane, a follower of real football is the new boss and has managed to continue the traditions of good banter with home and away fans. Ten of us settled in the smaller bar and a great time drinking what we all agreed was a better pint of Youngs than the stuff we had to suffer in the Wandsworth days. Several ventured into the other bar for good simple grub and then rejoined us at the Valley for a customary defeat. The pub offers a guest in addition to the Youngs range and is all the better for it. BWV24.10.09 Youngs Bitter, Special, St Austell Tribune
Trafalgar Tavern 6 Park Row Road Greenwich SE10 9NW Telephone 020 8858 2909 www.trafalgartavern.co.ukG Mick Abrahams F Traditional English / European menu, all home cooked 12 to 3, 6 to 10 in restaurant, 12 to 10.30 in bar MP TV BM D O 12 to 11 Mon - Thu, 12 to 1 a.m. Fri - Sat, 12 to 10.30 Sun The Trafalgar Tavern must be one of the most impressively located pubs in urban Britain. It is a grand mansion of a pub, literally on the river bank with the façade of Greenwich University as the next door neighbour. Across the river lies the Isle of Dogs and then downstream the Millennium Dome It is no surprise then to hear that 80% of the trade is tourist related and similarly large proportions of the trade here is in food and ale taken by people who come for the fantastic views from the picture windows in the pub. It is more than just a glorified restaurant though. It is equally distinctive inside. The building is made up of 5 large, high ceilinged drawing rooms from a classical country house. Four of those rooms are designed for maximum access to the views out of the windows. In the evening the numerous walkers give way to the locals who will be local professional couples enjoying a meal and a few beers On my lunchtime visit people came and went moving from table to table at times, just to get pole position. Conversation was very much Canary Wharf orientated; either that or based on the state of British education. It has a definite air of sophistication without become pretentious. I would enjoy this pub if doing the tourist things in Greenwich over the weekend. It is not a typical footie fans pub, but as an alternative for a great location and a good meal, this is just, well as I said, impressive. BWV 28.3.06: Adnams Best, Flowers IPA, Fuller’s London Porter, London Pride
SE LONDON CAMRA

THE VALLEY THE DEN
LOCAL BREWERY The Meantime Brewing Company Limited The Greenwich Brewery 2 Penhall Road London SE7 8RX Tel: 020 8293 1111 www.meantimebrewing.com LOCAL BREWERY ZERODEGREES 29/31 Montpelier Vale Blackheath London SE3 0TJ T: 020 8852 5619 www.zerodegrees.co.uk
WETHERSPOONS The Great Harry 7-9 Wellington Street Woolwich SE18 6NY Opening Times: Sun-Thu 9am-midnight; Fri/Sat 9am-1am