Royal Standard, Deptford, SE8

Bucking Fastard left this review about Royal Standard

A street corner pub which has been ruined inside,someone has used a machine to abrase all the wooden window frames,panelling and doors into a mottled pattern.Weird.The interior is open plan with cheap pine furniture,some worn sofas,a large flatscreen off,and Sky Sports playing silently on three small screens above the bar.The rear has a kitchen with a small window and a tatty corridor containing the loos.
As I walked to the bar all eyes were on this stranger.No handpumps,so half a Stella at £2.60 in a Madri glass and flat as a pancake.The south asian barmaid didn't want to make eye contact,probably because her two brothers were pertched on bar stools and watching closely . In the main body of the interior there is a side door with a punch code leading to the hostel upstairs which is the main reason d'etre for this dump. Some words in urdu were exchanged among the bar staff and shortly afterwards several residents from the hostel upstairs just walked outside .Maybe they thought I was a snooper for the Home Office.The only other white face,a middle aged woman hurried to finish her tea and then disappeared upstairs while another punter just came into the pub,sat down but did not order a drink and seemed to be waiting for me to depart.
I finish my terrible lager quickly,something is not right here and members of the bar staff's community are not know for their love of pubs nor alcohol.I'm never returning and would advise caution if you are in a completist mood.

On 4^th January 2026 - rating: 2
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