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Picture of Dial Arch
Image posted by paulof horsham
Submitted on Saturday, 16th December 2023
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Dial Arch, Woolwich, SE18

Pub added by B Lamb
No 1 Street, The Warren
SE18
SE18 6GH
Phone: 02031300700
Correct details

Served areas

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Reviews of Dial Arch (Average Rating: 7 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Malden man left this review about Dial Arch

This is a converted building forming part of the Royal Arsenal site, one of the old workshops I understand, it must be at least 60m long. The "Dial Arch" I presume relates to the unusual clock/sundial over the main arched central entrance. There is a claim, marked on a sign outside that this is the birthplace of Arsenal F.C., formed by munitions factory workers in 1886, the team being originally called "Dial Square" before renaming as Woolwich Arsenal. Probably the first example of franchise football when they relocated to North London.
You enter this historic building via a modern glazed atrium with a long bar on the back wall and exposed services and ducting above. The exposed steel beams supporting this recent addition are sympathetic with the largely exposed brickwork interior and open roof structure in an adjacent side room. To the right as you enter is a dedicated restaurant complete with the "Please Wait to be Seated" signage, to the left is an area internally of booth style seating. A separate front room has more natural light and a few bits of artwork and also a real fire which really didn't need to be lit on a warm July afternoon. The bar area itself is limited in seating apart from a couple of high tables and a pair of armchairs.
The pub is part of Wells' Young's stable but only had their ordinary bitter and Special on, otherwise there were Redemption Hopspur,(4.30), ELB Jamboree and also Cowcatcher, a cider from Aspells, Temple Moon with one pump remaining unclipped. Food looks to be important here, many were eating both in the restaurant and the bar area, table menus listed various pub staples such as steak and ale pie with mash and veg with ale gravy (13), no pound signs or decimals, thin crust pizzas around 9.5-11. Specials were listed on a chalkboard peaking at rib eye with peppercorn sauce and the trimmings for 22.
I liked the pub a great deal, it is a sympathetic and useful conversion of an historic building now put to public use. There is no doubt that it is expensive but it is not somewhere I would retire to for a session, more a pitstop on exploring the fascinating history of this area.

On 3rd July 2016 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Pub SignMan left this review about Dial Arch

This is a large Youngs pub with a most impressive setting inside one of the marvellous old Royal Arsenal buildings. You enter the pub through an impressive porch, past an upright piano and straight into the main bar area with the servery opposite along the rear wall. The room has a quarry stone floor and the servery boasts a chunky counter with a high mirrored bar back, a large black and white image of the building back in the day on the end wall and a rather disappointing mess of exposed pipes, ducts and wires above. A few high tables and stools can be found here but the space has mostly been set aside for vertical drinking, with a series of seating areas available in most other directions. To the right there is a sizeable formal dining area which was out of bounds for drinkers, so I was unable to get a good look around. The left hand side sees a passageway with button backed sofas and padded bench booths under bare brick walls adorned with more photos of local interest including some large images depicting local industry. To the front left there is a smart bare boarded lounge accessed through a decorative wrought iron doorway offering a mix of comfy sofas and standard tables and chairs. Mirrors seem to be the decorative item of choice for much of this room and there are some display cages along the wall separating the space from the aforementioned passageway, full of all sorts of random bits and bobs. A fireplace stands in the middle of the room under an extractor hood and this was lit on a chilly winter's evening. Music played quietly throughout my stay but I didn't spot any TV screens in any of the rooms. There is a large seating area out the front of the pub on the old cobblestones with a mixture of plush seats and hard benches, which would be a great spot on a warm summer's day.
I was expecting the usual Youngs dross and little else of interest at the bar, but was surprised to find the ubiquitous Ordinary and Special supplemented by Southwark Ruckin Red, By the Horns Hopslinger and Hop Stuff Fusilier with Adnams Broadside and Truman's Blindside due to come on soon. The bar staff were very friendly and chatty and explained to me that the Hopslinger was by far the most popular beer they had on at present, so I gave that a try and enjoyed a very tasty pint.
This is a great old building being put to good use by a pubco that doesn't always get these things right. The guest ales are a definite bonus and there is plenty here to explore, making return visits an appealing prospect. With so many Youngs pubs being given character-killing corporate makeovers, this place stands out as a rare example of them getting it right. A very enjoyable visit and, whilst it certainly isn't cheap in here, I would happily return nevertheless.

On 5th April 2016 - rating: 8
[User has posted 3093 recommendations about 3093 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rex Rattus left this review about Dial Arch

The real ales on here were Young's Bitter, Special, London Gold, Bombardier, Adnam's Ghost Ship, and Sambrook Wandle (£2 a half), plus Aspall's cider on handpump. The bar menu has main courses from £11 (London bangers, creamy mashed potatoes, caramelised onion gravy) to £21.50 (21-day aged rib-eye, etc, etc). Pizze are from £9 to £11.

This new-ish Young's pub is housed in a large old brick built building that was once part of the historic Woolwich Arsenal complex, but is now within the riverside development. There's a dining area on the right as you enter that's comprised of several nooks and crannies (although you can of course eat in other pub areas if you want); on the left are a couple more rooms, one with some booths and sofas/armchairs, and the other with a pretty equal mix of normal tables and chairs and more armchairs/sofas. This is a large place, but with the discreet drinking and dining areas Young's have not converted it into a drinking barn.

The walls are mainly exposed brickwork, and there are a few barrels around the place adding atmosphere, and a grand piano sits grandly in the entrance. But perhaps the nicest area of this place is the outside, with loads of tables and chairs on the extensive terrace at the front. When I was there it was a beautiful sunny afternoon, and many were sitting on the grassed area in front of the pub, surrounded by the ancient artillery pieces presumably left over from its Arsenal days.

The ale selection is pretty good by Young's standards. This is a nice enough place even if it's new enough not to have any traditional pub character, although it's in a historical setting which is a big plus. I reckon it's best visited on a warm day when the outside area can be enjoyed. I would visit again.

On 15th May 2015 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]


View more reviews of Dial Arch (7)
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Pub location see interactive map of local area
Map location corrected by S Armstrong
Woolwich Arsenal, 0.28 miles, 5 min walk (show)
Woolwich Dockyard, 0.84 miles, 16 min walk (show)
Plumstead, 0.88 miles, 16 min walk (show)
Latest updates View all updates for Dial Arch, SE18
16th Dec 2023, 22:15
Picture submitted by paulof horsham approved
 
16th Dec 2023, 15:00
Picture submitted by paulof horsham

Pub Details

Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.

  • Accommodation : No last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Bar Billiards : No last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Beer Festivals : Yes - May - last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
  • Beer Garden : Yes last updated 15 May 2015 by Rex Rattus
  • Car Park : No last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Child Friendly : Yes last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Darts : No last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 15 May 2015 by Rex Rattus
  • Function Room : Yes last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Hot Food : Yes last updated 15 May 2015 by Rex Rattus
  • Jukebox : No last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Karaoke : No last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Micropub : No last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Pinball : No last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Pool Table : No last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • Real Ale : Yes last updated 15 May 2015 by Rex Rattus
  • Real Cider : Yes last updated 15 May 2015 by Rex Rattus
  • Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
  • WiFi : Yes last updated 05 April 2016 by Pub SignMan
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