I bet you can’t wait to find out what Mrs RM (seen above about to tell me off) thought of the Prince Albert, can you ?
We’d passed Rose’s on the way up Hare St, and Mrs RM must have known there was no way we’d avoid it on the way back to the Thames.
Perhaps it was that magical sign.
Yes, an authentic ’80s Heineken livery.
So, after a brief look at the newer architectural highlights in Woolwich,
and a flat white and stodgy cake (but not the Laughing Yoga) in the exceptional ArtFix Café,
we headed for one of my favourite London boozers..
There were six blokes in at 2.30pm, and three hand pumps. That’s a better ratio than you get in most pubs on an afternoon these days. Beer priced to go, too.
Rose’s has dropped out of the Beer Guide in recent years, but still shows a commitment to cask that’s a bit more than token. The Hop Back Red Ember is an unusual find, and an easy choice when Black Sheep and Cottage appear with handwritten pump clips.
Let’s be honest; Mrs RM preferred the Tap Room, but her phone worked just as well here and those chairs were surprisingly comfortable. She though the Hop Back was good, I reckoned a marginal NBSS 3. We’re not that far apart on most things (apart from Chinese takeaways).
- Craft Coke for me
A bit of a party atmosphere, like you get in the best east London pubs, though also a place to hide away from the chain shops starting to dominate Woolwich High Street.
And the music. Wow. We’d had Deep Trance in the Tap House, and the Beach Boys Stars on 45 here.
You’ll remember Stars on 45…
To cap it off, classic loos…
And a proper pub pet, though Mudgie may disagree.
Best pub reptile outside the Blisland, which I see is out of the Guide this year.
That was our lot, save the obligatory Ice Cream Bear photo.
So we waved goodbye to SE18 for another year, and enjoyed one of London’s great bargains (i.e. it’s free), the ferry back to North Woolwich.
It was a fairly uneventful trip back. Perhaps they can add a bar to the boat ?
I never had you down for having one of them done mate? Like I always say – different isn’t wrong, but my eyes are still watering just thinking about it! FFS don’t stray too far into the piercing world, with your obsessive nature you’ll end up like a pin cushion.
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You’d be amazed how much goes right over my head, Richard 😱
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I remember the Beatles Stars on 45 but this is my first time hearing the Beach Boys one– sadly might serve to confirm some people’s idea that an awful lot of Beach Boys tracks sound like the same song with a few of the notes moved around. 😉
I vote “Days of Signs and Rose’s” as one of your top 10 best titles. And you’ve got me curious now, what is the difference of philosophy when it comes to Chinese takeaways?
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There were quite a few of those Stars on 45 singles in the early 80s, the original Beatles one was a US No.1. I didn’t remember that Beach Boys one ?
Glad you appreciate the time my team put into making up blog titles.
Chinese takeaways – sweet and sour pork balls not allowed in the house by Mrs RM. To be honest it’s normally crispy shredded beef, squid and Singapore rice nowadays
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“I vote “Days of Signs and Rose’s” as one of your top 10 best titles.”
Seconded. 🙂
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Mention of Stars on 45 reminds me of this immortal classic.
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I’d forgotten that 😱
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I bet you’re really glad I reminded you of it, then 😛
I think you had to be there at the time to appreciate it 😉
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😞
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Up there with Snooker Loopy….
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Talking of Signs and Rose’s there’s a joke doing the rounds here in Ireland at the moment that Sinn Fein and the Greens are considering forming a new party together called Guns N’Roses.
I’ll get my coat.
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I’ll bet Gerry has a better singing voice than Axl.
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But he’d deny ever being in the band …
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Did you see the fuss about my post on “Eire pubs in the Beer Guide “back in January ? Don’t go there.
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“Yes, an authentic ’80s Heineken livery.”
Funny; I was just thinking along those lines. 🙂
“Functional Loos”
But not the condom dispenser apparently.
“Perhaps they can add a bar to the boat ?”
Seconded!
Cheers
PS – “Ice Cream Bear”
Is that a twin to the one in Ilford?
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Well spotted that man. It is, and we saw a third one in St Albans yesterday !
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I went in Roses on the 2nd May 2015,there were four real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Hop Stuff Session IPA,which was a very nice drink,there was one other Hop Stuff beer and one from Cottage and of course Doom Bar.
I had to knock my Wellington crawl on the head on Friday night after a map had been drawn and everything planned,the wife had even made my Sandwiches.
I am having bigger problems getting anything down apart from liquids and chocked twice on Friday and once today.
But on a brighter note we both went down Nottingham on Saturday for our Christmas drink and really enjoyed it.
If you went to these pubs on public transport like i do,you would be able to have a proper drink and not a glass of a sweet fizzy drink,i last had a drink of that when i was about 12.
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We went on public transport, Alan, but I tend to restrict my drinking to 3 days a week, and never drink at home. I enjoy the pubs more than the beer.
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Sorry about that, Martin,i assumed that you were not drinking because you were driving.
Both me and the wife always drink at home but we do restrict it to 7 days a week.
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I laughed out loud just then, Alan.
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“Cottage appear with handwritten pump clips” – didn’t Cottage Brewery go into administration in May? That’s not the only mention I’ve seen of their beer being on in pubs recently; I wonder if the brand has been revived (I mean, why would you?) or there’s just a lot of their beer still sitting around.
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Bit like Archers, then ;-(
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Rose’s sounds and looks very much like the York Arms in Oakleigh Park (https://whatpub.com/pubs/ENF/7401/york-arms-whetstone), Like the social club on a caravan site c.1986; you’d love it.
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I really would. Amazingly, N20 is one of the very few London postal districts I’ve never been to a Beer Guide pub in !
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Oh. I’m at Ally Pally in Feb. Will drop in then.
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