The Hill

I think this picture says it all. Some pretty strong competition for the bird in hand id say and to a lesser extent the bricklayers.

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Yeah… I’m not exactly blown away by the typeface/design and the prominence of the sport channel logos. Surprised it doesn’t just say ACME PUB.
Was hoping it would be more of a middle ground between Spoons/Bird and Sylvan/Dartmouth… not wanting to be presumptuous but it’s looking like they’e aiming for the former.
Will have to see what the interior’s like of course etc etc… but if that uninspiring typeface is anything to go by… hmmmm.
Having said all that, I’m sure someone mentioned live music there previously, that would be good!

Yeah the typeface stuck out at me. The sports logos are personally a turn off - but was expected. When they say “Craft” Union - does that have anything to do with Craft beer ?

Was hoping it does but then 'spoons supports quite a lot of small breweries so…
I suppose we’ll have to wait and see!

Well other threads have reported this new venture will be a sports bar. So I’m unsurprised by the logos.

Ah really? Fair enough…

Yep. It could’ve been so much worse.

I fear the long term plan for this building is for it to be sold by Ei Group ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ei_Group) with a restrictive covenant to stop it from being used as a pub in the future - and eventually to be converted into residential units. That sign has been made with absolutely no love for the English pub!

What is the basis for this fear ?

It may be their goal but Lewisham has has a different opinion on this.

Hi weepy, check my post on the other thread relating to the hill. There is a bit more information there - hopefully I’m wrong but i suppose we’ll see! Thanks

Also worth reading the link to the wiki article and page 15 of this document which shows that in the past, almost a quarter of pubs sold on by Ei Group were sold with restrictive covenants in place. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/8468/1957901.pdf

The practice you suggest is not “the plan” - it sounds like remedial action if a place underperforms. It would be an awe ful lot of time and money to fit it out if the plan is to sell it as flats !

Ei Group have a Net income of £72 million so the cost of doing up the hill to run it into the ground is peanuts to them. It sounds ridiculous, but it really does happen.

But there’s a difference between doing it to recoup some losses and intending to do it from the off don’t you think?

There is, and that’s why I suggest there could be a long term plan to sell the property on with a restrictive covenant. But of course, I am only speculating and only time will tell.

I’m also not a fan of the signage but I do like the idea of a nice, comfortable refurbed pub offering reasonably priced drinks and showing a bit of tennis, rugby, football, etc on the telly.
I hope it manages to pull in a wider cross section of local people than the Bird in Hand appears to.

I suppose I’m just echoing the concerns of the CAMRA guy quoted here…

Made up this is opening. Hoping for sports and well price drinks. Have found a lot of the pubs in Forest Hill to be very expensive.

Is bird in hand and spoons expensive ?

Does the Capital show sports?

Depends on your definition!

I’m not interested in viewing desperation. AKA English football.

I hear its going to be a disco, wine bar type pub, something for everyone

Could have been a large nail bar and/or estate agent!

Hi does anyone know if this place has opened yet? Just looking for somewhere to watch the Europa Final tonight and thought I might give it a try if so since there aren’t many options showing the football.

Nope!
I just spoke to the guys in there and taps aren’t even up & running yet.
Try the Bird in Hand - it’ll be good for the game.

I was so excited when the old pub on Dartmouth Rd was being done up, the area has been up and coming for a while with independent shops and cafes sprouting up. I was so disappointed today to walk past to see the “Hill” has been bought by a cheap chain that looks more like a weatherspoons inside, with Sky sports on tap. What a huge disappointment. At least the Dartmouth and Sylvian Post have it right, trendy, great food and cater for families without the chav.

Right according to who? You can’t please all the people all of the time.

The Signal is pretty good too

Of course different people want different things. Maybe it will be good … despite the carpets. I don’t know if there’s enough of a USP given the bird I hand / spoons / bricklayers. But I’m not the target demographic so might be wrong

True

Just walked past the Hill and it is definitely open. Assume taps are running as well as doubt otherwise wouldn’t have been as busy.

Sorry for the bum-steer earlier.
They must have put their A-Team on it.
Good luck to them - I hope they get a good cross-section of local people in there.

Well makes sense to push ahead to be open for tonight and Saturday for sure if they are interested in picking up the football market. So clearly got their act together asap. Will be interesting how it differentiates itself from other pubs. The pubs/bars we have so far in FH are a nice diverse mix some show sports, some have interesting food menus, some good for meeting big groups, intimate, cheaper, more expensive etc. Atm main contenders for this one is bird in hand and bricklayers judging by outside impressions. But it is early days, let’s hope there is space for everyone, certainly better than an empty space!

If it has more than 3 screens and I don’t get conned by paying more than a fiver for a pint then I’ll be frequenting. Enough £6.20 glamour pints in town already.

What a horrible comment. Many of my friends and I drink on the spoons and the Bird and we are not chavs. Just because we like football please don’t make assumptions. My dad and his friends who have lived in Forest Hill all their lives like these places and as they are on a pension they can afford a night out there. Their certainly are not Chavs either.

Forest Hill always used to be quite comfortable with its diverse demographic and, for me, this melting-pot of characters and totally different types all mixing together in a relatively small town centre is one of the things that adds that little bit of spice, charm and interest. I know that there are a lot of people around here who might feel a little bit uneasy with some of the, let’s say, perceived rough & ready types that you see with a cigarette and a beer outside the Bird, but none of them are gonna bite - and you could have a good laugh with all of them.
It’s unlikely that those lower-paid working guys could afford to go to the Sylvan Post or Dartmouth Arms, so you won’t be seeing them there for financial reasons, but there should be no barrier for many of our new, higher-earning people to economise once or twice a month and mix it up with the other locals in the Bird and The Hill. I’d love to see it.

Jessica - you may want somewhere trendy and catering for families but not all of us living in the area do!

Lots of valid points expressed here, and everyone has a right to their own opinion. Can commenters ensure that we stay friendly and welcoming to all members, even if we disagree with them, and let’s keep the discussion focussed on The Hill. Ta!

It’d be great for a venue to be a bit of everything for everyone and bring the community together. That said it’s a tough call, you might end up making it appeal to nobody. Interested to see how they proceed and in particular how they differentiate from the bird in hand. Personally if they are cheap and do good family food I’ll be there occasionally. I like the sylvan posts but it’s a bit uncomfortable in there. Also perhaps there is space for a disco / events ?
Which ever way it’s better than a shuttered up old shop and the old Hill was kinda cute but definitely a bit weird.

Soooooo… now that it’s open (I have just only read this now, otherwise would have popped in last night), has anyone actually been inside yet?

We’re above (and part of) The Signal and do tonnes of events and disco-type nights! https://www.thesignalpub.com/control-room/

Just popped in for a pint (2 Coors light for £5.30!!!). Loads of drinks for around the £3.50 mark and at least 6 screens I could count with the cricket highlights on. The decor was decent and the staff are good as gold. Will be popping back for sure.

I had a quick look around in there today.
It’s cosy and clean - now it’s for people to shape what it becomes.

Sounds promising. Will probably go next week for the England game

Been there - lots of screens and reasonably priced beer.

Not massively appealing to families, but as a dad of small children, that’s exactly what I’m looking for sometimes! FH needs a mix, not just endless “character” pubs selling decent sunday lunches and over £5 for a pint.

I’ll definitely be checking it out! Haven’t ventured into the Bird in Hand yet but perhaps this new venture will give me the confidence to broaden my pub shortlist in SE23!!

Went on Friday night for a quick pint, limited choice of main stream beer on tap, more variety by bottle, Wetherspoons prices. Friendly enough staff. Cash only. Asked if this was a permanent thing but couldn’t hear over the DJ playing very loud 90s R&B!

Lots of screens showing Sky Sports.

Passed by on Saturday lunchtime and music was very loud again. Another thread on watching the rugby back this up. Reasonably priced drink, could be a good place to watch sport but reserving judgement - loud music isn’t that inviting from the outside.

Cash only is interesting - surely that can’t be permanent, with some business opting to go cashless these days I would be surprised!

Does anyone know if they have a late night license? Just come back from honeymoon on Friday to two nights of people hanging around outside the Hill shouting until about 1:30am…

I know I know, I moved to a high street, I should expect noise. But not once have I complained about noise from the Bird or Sylvan Post despite living next to them for 5 years! Won’t be happy if this is how it continues to be honest…

Complained to The Hill?

Hi there. I live very near and meeting with the area manager tomo to discuss the noise and disruption. They sound like very reasonable people so hoping we can get the noise killed

Ah, that’s good. I don’t want to be ‘that person’ and I want businesses on Dartmouth Road to succeed, but I do think the loud music and rowdy people outside until the early hours are a bit much. The music was very loud even on Sunday night!

That’s exactly what I say (re ‘that person’) but the music on Friday, Sat and Sun from 6.00pm - 1.00am is going to be my main beef.

Hello there I have lived round here for over 15 years and they don’t play music loud from 6pm till early hours! It is a pub and they play music the music isn’t loud at all coming guys.The staff are lovely, the pub seems very nice and it is good they have got there wifi working now they are taking card payments which is great. There is new management new decor and the staff are very friendly and that is what we need in Forest Hill as a nice community pub and for there prices. It is a good nice place that needs the community to support it.

And I’d be very happy to support it but I don’t think it’s fair on local residents to play loud music at anti social hours and not police people shouting outside it until 2 in the morning (absolutely no exaggeration)

As much as we have to support local businesses, so too do they have to work with us and not alienate the local community.

I have had a meet with The Hill and they are going to monitor the music. (Which between 6.00pm - 1.00am on Friday and Saturday was very loud to the residents behind the building) The manager ‘Mel’ is very approachable if you have any issues. Hopefully, this meet will help but if you have noise or disturbance and the front of the pub (I cant hear that from my street), pop in a see her.

Thanks Lee. I will keep an eye on it for the time being and pop in if it gets out of hand again.

I know it far from ideal, popping in when its busy and in full flow but at 12.00 midday it was near empty for a chat.

Friendly staff, cheap drink prices . . Sounds good to me. Loud music is not s problem . . . As long as it is not 90’s R&B (groan) . Good luck to the new owners, I say!