A few facts and considerations regarding getting this pub back on its paws.
It has been closed since about 2007, possible reasons are it lost punters to the Weatherspoons and failed to look after itself décor wise. One review on Beerintheevening suggested it was about 20 years out of date.
Even though it’s called the New Tigers Head the site was used as a beer shop called the Tigers Head from around the 1830s. turning into a pub in the late 1800s.
This site (not sure how old it is) shows what it looked like inside before it was completely boarded up:http://www.spacedup.co.uk/se3_
In 2013 it was listed at “could be yours for £1.8m”, it does have water, gas and electricity. But looking at it's inside, it would cost around half again to get it back to what it should be.
Google maps show no outdoor space.
Other pubs in the area:
The Old Tigers Head – right opposite. Locals’ boozer best describes this place, recently lost its blue exterior and is now a wonderful shade of peach (big surprise when I saw this after coming back from holiday). Something of outdoor space (according to Google), shows all major sporting events, has back room for live bands. There is food here, not sure what it is like, probably very traditional pub grub.
The Edmund Hally – Burnt Ash Road. It’s a Weatherspoons…
The Duke of Edinburgh – Lee Road by the river. Locals’ boozer much smaller with a beer garden shows a lot of sporting events, not sure if it has live bands. There is food here, not sure what it is like, probably very traditional pub grub.
The Lord Northbrook – Burnt Ash Road by Lee station. Once voted South East London’s worse pubs it won Pints and Pistachios (Shortlist) 1st prize in 2013. I’ll fess up I drink here a lot and love what they have done to the place. They have extended into the back for a separate dining area but you can eat by the bar. It has a similar look to what the NTH must have looked like, horseshoe bar in the middle, iron pillars hold up the ceiling. They have also downstairs space as well as a beer cellar. Food is very good almost restaurant standard with a small number of pub standards like burgers. They sell beers from smaller independent breweries, but serve a couple of the usual suspects too.
The Swan – Lee Road. Recently shut down and reopened as a sports bar. Know very little about this place, but have been passed a few times around 7pm and it’s been rather empty.
The Woodsman – Lee Road – shut!
In Blackheath both The Railway (I have been known to drink in there on a few occasions) and Hare and Billet have undergone renovations, H&B more dramatically than The Railway. The Railway beer ethos is not the same as the Northbrook, but does have a few drinks you wouldn’t normally see in a Weatherspoons.
Hare and Billet has undergone a similar transformation as the Northbrook (and again I drink here a lot) restaurant level food, a few bar snacks, no live music and will rarely have the TV on. Run overall by The London Pub Co, but allow their landlords to make the pub what they want it to be. Used to be a Greene King – great outdoor space – the heath!
Could this be like the Ivy in Nunhead?
Honestly I don’t know, looking at the area where the Ivy is, it’s a very residential road, with no other pubs nearby. NTH is on the Lee Green junction with a large number of flats around. Would there be enough “community spirit” to get this going, or would this be a more commercial enterprise?
What’s would the pub unique selling point be?
Perhaps look to the Northbrook to see what they have done décor and beer ethos wise, but perhaps there is a place for more traditional pub grub, over gastro-resto pub food. What’s wrong with a good sandwich, burger and chips or dare I say more retro classics like kiev or (beans on toast?!). Maybe offer a café feel to it as well, for during the day.
Is there a need for another pub in the area?
If it takes a leaf from all the refurbs that have recently happened, YES there is. It’s well connected for transport and with Lewisham throwing flats faster than you can spell flat, there will be a need for more drinking places! Good quality ones.
This is not a "can't be done" but a "very long term and high cost" project. I firmly believe that there is place in this world for everyone and I don’t want to take away the pubs like Old Tiger and Duke of Wellington, as they are part of the community too!
Alexa
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