The Greyhound, Sydenham, SE26

Facebook page of The Greyhound - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Greyhound - www.facebook.com

A pub has stood on this site for around 300 years, or at least it had until 2012, when some unscrupulous property developers illegally demolished this place with the view of building new flats on the site. A local campaign and prosecution by the council helped to halt the development and forced the developers to rebuild the pub - a feat finally achieved in February 2018, six years after the place was knocked down and a full decade since it pulled its last pint. The new building is an impressive affair, replicating the pub's original design and layout, but presented in a high-spec, contemporary fashion. You enter past a patio seating area of dubious appeal due to its proximity to a busy roundabout, into the main bar area with the servery directly opposite along the rear wall. The bar has a nice traditional counter and well stocked bar back and has a series of high tables and stools arranged opposite, most of which were taken up by a large party during the course of our visit. the pub opens out to the left, where a spacious seating area, used more for diners in the evenings, can be found. This space is filled with regular tables and chairs and has a nice feature window at the far end which looks out towards the aforementioned roundabout and is good for a bit of people watching. The walls here have been decorated with a few nice old pictures including some of the pub in is pre-demolished state. Also of note are a few sections of original tiling which were thankfully salvaged from the only wall that wasn't initially knocked down, now appearing on the rebuilt front wall. The fixtures and fittings are all very smart and befitting a pub that perhaps leans a little towards the dining end of the spectrum, without really compromising too much on that crucial 'pubby' feel. There were four handpulls on the bar, all operational when we arrived, presenting us with a choice of Dark Star Hophead and American Pale Ale, Taylor Landlord and Adnams Old Ale. I tried the APA, which was in god shape and my father also enjoyed his pint of the Old Ale. The staff here were very friendly and helped us secure a table on a remarkably busy Saturday evening. We enjoyed a meal here to and whilst the proices are maybe a little steeper than you'd expect for this part of town, we al enjoyed our dishes very much and had no real complaints. This is a great story of a pub seemingly lost forever being resurrected at the cost of greedy developers and deserves to be well supported on those grounds alone. The pub presents itself well and whilst it may feel a little to food oriented for some, I still think you could settle down for a session here quite comfortably. A great addition to Sydenham's ailing pub scene and I look forward to a return visit sometime soon.

Official site of The Greyhound - www.thegreyhoundsydenham.co.uk

Official site of The Greyhound - www.thegreyhoundsydenham.co.uk

CLOSED & BOARDED (03/03/09)