The Rising Sun, Eltham, SE9

A Greene King pub on Eltham High Street that clearly was a public and saloon bar set up back in the day as it retains the two entrance doors into either side of the pub. But nowadays it is one internal space that wraps around the U shaped bar with the half carpeted left hand side more like a lounge area with padded seating along the wall and then the wooden floored right hand side initially dominated by large gaming machines, but then opens out into an area more set for dining. I got the impression that this one had been spruced up since previous reviews and the interior is now a bit more modern, but the stained glass above the serving area remains the most interesting feature. All four front facing hand pumps in operation for my visit with IPA, Abbot, OSH and Golden Hen from the Greene King stable, so sadly no guest ale policy here. It’s a comfortable enough pub, but for those after an ale there is much more interesting choices to be had in the towns three micropubs or the nearby Eltham GPO and Park Tavern.

Modernised pub with an island bar in the middle of a shopping street. Some nice windows and a bit of tilework but not much else of note. On pump were API an Abbot plus a couple of Lilley's ciders. Generally innocuous and undistinguished.

This is a Greene King pub, which had on only IPA and Abbot (£1.75 a half). The usual colour illustrated pub grub menu is available - the steak & ale pie is £8.99. Meal and drink deals are available as well. It's an Edwardian pub according to the previous reviewer, and it looks it. There's some original tiling on the dado just inside the entrance on the right; a couple of curved etced/cut glass panes in the front window that could well be original; plus a mosaic depiction of a rising sun on the floor in the right hand entranceway. There's a central island servery, with an illuminated canopy above it, glazed with turtleshell(!) and is another original feature according to the landlady. There are tall tables/tall stools in the front area, and normal tables and chairs at the back, and of course it's bare-boarded now. I actually quite liked the place as a pub, but with a choice of just GK IPA and Abbot real ales, it doesn't win any prices for ale choice.

Official site of Rising Sun - www.risingsun-eltham.co.uk

Official site of Rising Sun - www.risingsun-eltham.co.uk