The Brockley Barge, Brockley Road
Large, cheap and friendly staff. The Barge is a Wetherspoons pub and what it lacks in atmosphere it makes up for with garish posters, advertising drinks promotions and special offers. Pleasant little beer garden, so long as you don't have to share it with a leery alcoholic.
36 comments:
Remembering the grim days of The Breakspears Arms, the Barge was certainly a positive addition the area. But it's a pretty depressing experience going there.
However, I loved the chart on the wall comparing drinks prices with the Jam Circus, Honor Oak and others: makes you realise how much the gentrifying bars are getting away with murder!
erm never dared go on, probably never will
sorry should have been in, don't think you can go 'on' a pub
This was a somewhat tough place before it became a Weatherspoons. I am a bit biased against Weatherspoons but must admit to prejudice on my part and they have done good things as well as bad, as a chain. This year has found me here a few times as it is very cheap and I am a bit down on my luck this season (Bob's comment about prices spot on!). The cocktails are not very nice, but then what did I expect for the price....
Weatherspoons do cocktails! - do they come in bottles and cost 99p?
From what I recall (haven't been in recently) it was fine - just like any other boring Weatherspoons. Cheap drinks, loud locals and the odd drunkard.
Perhaps this could be the location for the next BC drink-up!?
No they come in vast jugs for about £6 - enough to sink an army
Can't find the suggestions thread. When are we going to inaugurate monthly BC drinks?
@Hugh - I thought you would already be planning drinks with your new mates at Ealing Central?
Dear fruit, to correspond with me online is to want to buy me a cold one.
Current thinking is to aim for something in early Feb. Options mooted so far are the Barge or the Rivoli...
The last was at the Wickham, but it would be good to spread the love around.
The last time I spread my love around I got 3 years.
Shouldn't the drinks be at either The Brockley Jack or The Talbot so we can do before and after reviews?
That's if either is still open in early February!
Rumor is the Jack will be closing sometime next week for 5 weeks.
More news on the Jack. Will be shutting at the end of the month for 5 weeks. Plans have been changed however. The theater is staying downstairs and the location of the toilets will be relocated.
The Barge is cheap, not particularly cheerful but does the job. The pub is too big to be a locals-only place so is always a reasonable venue for a quick pint. Not for anything longer. The Wickham Arms on Upper Brockley Road is the nearest 'proper' pub in that part of the world, IMO.
Anyone on Facebook should check out the Brockley Barge's very own group
It claims that visitors come from miles around to sample the large range of watered down beers, and microwaveable food that the barge offers.
But surely the Barge is full of dreadful poor people.
You think it, I say it.
God you sound like a punch of predjudice twats.
whereas you just sound like a twat...
now now
Oh dear. Who let the chav in?
Please Headhunter, can we limit the snobbery on this site to Hugh's particular brand of faux-elitism and - anons - this is a place of love for our fellow brockleans.
Is a 'punch' the collective noun for a group of prejudiced twats?
I dont mind being called a Chav, but I have to confess I do cut off my price labels and do not wear a baseball cap or shell suits.
so not really a chave at all LETS JUST MAKE THAT CLEAR but pls call me a chav if you like!
Prefer 'chav' to 'estate agent'
Chav is such an unenlightened word. It doesn't speak too well of the values of people who use it.
This is off topic, but opposite this pub there is something called Gulen's Winebar that never gets a mention on here - it looks shut to me but just wondered if anyone has gone there? Being a chav who goes to Brockley Barge now and then it might be up my street!
The Barge is fine during the day and in the early evening. Their food is an attraction for its price. Its all re-heated fayre, but it fills the gap.
The clientele...well that depends on where in the pub you sit. Like most Wetherspoons places it has a lot of space and people gravitate to different areas depending on the company they prefer.
Some of the regulars have rough manners and I have witnessed them insult the staff at the bar. I have heard that Wetherspoons moves staff on regularly when the abuse gets too much.
I remember when the place was the Breakspears Arms and all the drug dealing and violence that led to its closure. I am sure some of those characters are still around and would prefer the place as it was.
Wetherspoons is very experienced at managing this sort problem, their cheap beer and food will always be an attraction to allsorts.
The place is also big enough to avoid characters that make you feel uncomfortable (most of the time.)
The pubs in Brockley are generally pretty dire and unwelcoming. The harder drinking locals are not fond of having their social space invaded by people who are not like them. But times are a' changin and so are the pubs. I expect the Barge will remain much as it is.
Hi All,
My girlfriend and I are thinking of moving to Brockley in the next month or so. I lived there a few years back and found it a pleasant, quiet and nice place to lay my tired head. In fact I loved it!
I realise from past comments that the local nightlife hasn't really exploded since I've been gone, but this is not a major concern for us. We just want to go out for dinner every now and again, go for a coffee or a quiet drink etc, go to any local music nights, poetry etc etc.
Anyway, one of my friends said Brockley has turned into a bit of a muggers paradise....is this true? I never felt this whilst I lived there, just wondering if things have changed?
Thanks.
PS. I bloody love Brockley!
Dunno.... I really don't get the impression that it's especially dodgy around here. Mind you may feel like you've been robbed when you visit one of the new posh shops around here.
Only kidding Blue Dandelion/Degustation - we love you really.
Maybe my shabby appearance means I don't look like a 'Rolex' kind of guy?
Thanks, we went there recently to check it out and didn't feel it was dodgy either - in fact its all gone rather nice down there.
cheers for your help....I'll probably get mugged on the day I move in now.
Oh, and any open mic nights in Brockley or is that more New Cross?
The curious thing about this pub - what only one? - is that when you go the loo you have the sensation of being 'watched'.
It was only when I stood at the urinal with Old Rambo in my hand that I noticed a camera to the right of me buried into the ceiling. I asked the barmaid about it, saying that I though it might be a tad...invasive? And, dare I suggest, illegal. 'It's in case anyone tries to sell drugs,' was her response!
When I go now I usually take a large sausage with me.
Can I just say that I have NO connection to 'The Flying Monkey' which is, in my opinion, a stupid name.
Quote: Brockley Barge Wetherspoons is very experienced at managing ????
well, that definitely counts the brockley barge manager out then, the worst manager ive ever see, got a face like Hitler never gives any kind of smile to anyone, if its so pist about working in the pub then get out, Ive heard so may complaints about the way the manager speek to the customers everyone's leaving, or they've been barred by it, the pub is dead most of the time.
This pub is ok, the toilets are very clean, there's wifi, free, I believe which is handy for the uber hot deskers in Brockley..
The Barge has large windows which make the most of its central location. From here you can see a large portion of Brockley's residents beavering about, going to the station, post office and costcutters, getting the bus into town. The location is handy for meet ups station.
The atmosphere is fine, mostly older men killing time. As a perfunctory drinking hole The Barge does the business.
The pictures of the food look nice, and the dishes are keenly priced with fish and chips at £3.10. and English Breakfast fry up for less than 3 quid. Though I have yet to actually take the plunge.
Two steaks and a bottle of wine for £15 on Valentines day - and throw in a jager bomb aperitif. What's not to love?
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