The Londoner is closing

[rgs2001uk]

A soulless dark dungeon popular with TEFLr types, wont be missed.

Have tasted better tasting "home brew" than what was on offer.

I don't want to put words in the mouth of the brewmaster but he explained to a bunch of us one night that he could move the beer more toward western tastes but the Thai customers won't like it anymore. And Thais/Indians/other Asians make up easily 70% of the Londoner customer base most nights of the week. That's no exaggeration.

Thanks for the explanation, I has always (wrongly) assumed the glasses hadnt been cleaned properly.

[Thanet]

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Go back to the UK?

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Better off in Thailand if you want a landlord...mostly crappy chain pubs now in the UK.

Where my dad lives in North Yorkshire, they mainly have 'proper' landlords - and nice ale! There is a Wetherspoons in Whitby now but I understand that all they've done is soak up the riff-raff with their cheap prices leaving an even more pleasant atmosphere for everyone else!

Ditto for Norwich - great pubs, not too many franchises

[Thanet]

Went to The Londoner last night with Mrs. Millwall_fan and Junior and is was heaving! Good beer, a portion of their excellent steak 'n kidney pie, bumped into a few old friends and even the Thais singing Western songs weren't bad - or was it just the beer that made them sound OK! Everything a pub should be! Now where to transfer my allegiance after next Wednesday?

1. Good beer - a bitter on draught at a reasonable price.

2. A good atmosphere and a 'hands on' Farang landlord.

3. Good Western food.

Thats about it really. Any ideas?

I'll miss their steak and kidney pie.

Agreed that the Londoner was a good place, but I was never keen on their home brew. The friendly service from the Thai staff there went off a bit in recent years too, with a rather scowling manageress, or head bar tender, or whatever she was. Not sure whether Pattanakan Road is a good location - certainly will be off the pub crawl list but might get a regular following, as not too many other pubs in that area.

Bull's Head & Barbican gone. Now the Londoner. O'Briens is not a patch on O'Reillys (a few years back, before it changed hands). Robin Hood, and the place that usurped the Bull's Head, both seem a bit boring.

Is it just me getting older, or has the expat pub scene in Bangkok gone off.

Shame.

Edited June 29, 2014 by Thanet

[Thanet]

A Thai friend inquired with the landlord's agent today about putting in an F&B establishment in The Londoner space at UBC2 basement. Was advised that both McDonalds and MaxValue have already expressed interest. (The rental sought is apparently 650 baht psm p/mth). With the 7-11 opposite having closed down earlier this year, seems like it may ending becoming a MaxValue outlet.

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Another McDonalds? You've gotta be joking!

[khwaibah]

A Thai friend inquired with the landlord's agent today about putting in an F&B establishment in The Londoner space at UBC2 basement. Was advised that both McDonalds and MaxValue have already expressed interest. (The rental sought is apparently 650 baht psm p/mth). With the 7-11 opposite having closed down earlier this year, seems like it may ending becoming a MaxValue outlet.

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Another McDonalds? You've gotta be joking!

A Hooters would add some needed class and style at that location.

[Genericnic]

So much angst over the closing/relocation of a bar? You would think it was a death in the family.

David

[millwall_fan]

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So much angst over the closing/relocation of a bar? You would think it was a death in the family.

David

Well you could put it like that! A good pub is one of life's essentials - it should be on the UN list of 30 human rights - the right to enjoy a nice pint in a convivial tavern.

I tried a few this weekend:

Chequers: old stalwart, usually a decent crew at the bar. Friendly on-site landlord, no decent beer on tap.

Hanrahans - friendly staff, no crowd at the bar - all tables meaning you only get to talk to those on your table. Kilkenny on tap - not my favourite. Good happy hour prices.

Bully's - no crowd at the bar. Expensive - 200 baht a pint for Heiny if you include the ++

Kiwi Bar - friendly staff. Good crowd at the bar, on-site landlord, no decent beer on tap

Queen Victoria - friendly staff, on-site landlord. Old Speckled Hen on tap, reasonable crowd at the bar later on, decent happy hours.

Result: 1. Queen Vic, 2: Kiwi Bar, 3: Chequers, 4. Hanrahans, 5: Bully's

[Seelow]

A boring, soulless, overpriced boozer frequented by boring expats who look down their noses at the cowboy/nana crowd.

Won't be missed.

You mean the bottom feeding pond dwellers that can't have a life without resorting to prostitution?

Sounds fair to me!

[ExpatJ]

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So much angst over the closing/relocation of a bar? You would think it was a death in the family.

David

Well you could put it like that! A good pub is one of life's essentials - it should be on the UN list of 30 human rights - the right to enjoy a nice pint in a convivial tavern.

I tried a few this weekend:

Chequers: old stalwart, usually a decent crew at the bar. Friendly on-site landlord, no decent beer on tap.

Hanrahans - friendly staff, no crowd at the bar - all tables meaning you only get to talk to those on your table. Kilkenny on tap - not my favourite. Good happy hour prices.

Bully's - no crowd at the bar. Expensive - 200 baht a pint for Heiny if you include the ++

Kiwi Bar - friendly staff. Good crowd at the bar, on-site landlord, no decent beer on tap

Queen Victoria - friendly staff, on-site landlord. Old Speckled Hen on tap, reasonable crowd at the bar later on, decent happy hours.

Result: 1. Queen Vic, 2: Kiwi Bar, 3: Chequers, 4. Hanrahans, 5: Bully's

Robin Hood is my new local- always good crowd (i.e. almost full) during 5-8 pm so a good atmosphere for after work drinks and great people watching (aka leering) through the windows which look out on sukhumvit.

[rott]

Interesting bit, how did the owner manage to brew his own beer? Always thought that was outlawed in Thailand?

Obviously not. It's brewed on site since it opened.

Another Thai urban legend perpetuated by the ThaiVisa rumor-mongers.

The 5-star Pullman Hotel in Khon Kaen brews it's own beer, and has done so for more than 10 years.

Fookhaht, never heard of the exception that proves the rule?

[rgs2001uk]

^^^^^,

heres another one for you,

http://www.tawandang.co.th/

[SoiBiker]

Tawandang is a fun night out, but it's not really a pub type experience.

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[onthemoon]

Tawandang is a fun night out, but it's not really a pub type experience.

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It certainly is a fun night out. It is what Thai people think a German pub is like. In fact, it is far from it, but it is still fun. Go with your Thai friends, I do that several times per year.

The beer is good, and so is the Thai food there. They have the obligatory Eisbein, order it for fun. But don't expect exquisite German cuisine.

[ryanhull]

Did a decent roast (bit small mind), remember giving our las a spoon of horse radish saying it was tasty... she still hasn't forgiven me for that

[davee58]

Anybody know if the Londoner is still scheduled to re-open, or have they given up?

The November 2014 opening date for the new premises slipped to February 2015, and there is still no news.

[NickJ]

Good ridance to the best of the best tourist traps that trapped locals as well.....I mean really?????????? Really??????

[bkkjames]

Good ridance to the best of the best tourist traps that trapped locals as well.....I mean really?????????? Really??????

Never eaten or drank there but how was it a tourist trap? Did people fall down the stairs and couldn't get out? It was a pub from what I can tell, one with doors, you could either choose to enter or not, it wasn't hotel california.

[smokie36]

Good ridance to the best of the best tourist traps that trapped locals as well.....I mean really?????????? Really??????

Never eaten or drank there but how was it a tourist trap? Did people fall down the stairs and couldn't get out? It was a pub from what I can tell, one with doors, you could either choose to enter or not, it wasn't hotel california.

I don't think his favourite sauce is HP James.

[theoldgit]

davee58, on 16 Feb 2015 - 19:45, said:

Anybody know if the Londoner is still scheduled to re-open, or have they given up?

The November 2014 opening date for the new premises slipped to February 2015, and there is still no news.

They had a stall at the Ploenchit Fair in November, they advised me then that they were going to open their new place in March.

[jacky54]

Absolutely the worst pub in Bangkok, it had all the atmosphere of a multi story car park, no loss.

[bkkjames]

Absolutely the worst pub in Bangkok, it had all the atmosphere of a multi story car park, no loss.

Lol and no doubt why it stayed open for so many years. But please give us your ice bucket list of really good ones.

[SoiBiker]

I always thought it felt more like an American bar than a London pub.

[jacky54]

Absolutely the worst pub in Bangkok, it had all the atmosphere of a multi story car park, no loss.

Lol and no doubt why it stayed open for so many years. But please give us your ice bucket list of really good ones.

It was popular with teflers, tourists and the clueless, but then so are many other sub standard places.

[hanno]

And there FB page hasn't been updated since November.

I thought the food was decent for those rare times I fancy some pub grub but the service was hit and miss. Though this seems to be common with these English-styled Pubs; it is my pet hate at my regular, the Black Swan.

[bergen]

Tried to leave after one pint once, but was forced to have another............

Didn't realize they had a 2 for 1 promotion

[SamSipEt]

And there FB page hasn't been updated since November.

I thought the food was decent for those rare times I fancy some pub grub but the service was hit and miss. Though this seems to be common with these English-styled Pubs; it is my pet hate at my regular, the Black Swan.

Went into the Black Swan once.

No drinks price list visible and when I asked for one they said they didn't have one.

Sounds like they just make it up on the spot depending on how much they think you will pay.

I smiled politely and left never to return

[hanno]

And there FB page hasn't been updated since November.

I thought the food was decent for those rare times I fancy some pub grub but the service was hit and miss. Though this seems to be common with these English-styled Pubs; it is my pet hate at my regular, the Black Swan.

Went into the Black Swan once.

No drinks price list visible and when I asked for one they said they didn't have one.

Sounds like they just make it up on the spot depending on how much they think you will pay.

I smiled politely and left never to return

Never actually paid attention to that. I was given the food menu often but I just cannot remember if beer prices were on it, too.

[jacky54]

And there FB page hasn't been updated since November.

I thought the food was decent for those rare times I fancy some pub grub but the service was hit and miss. Though this seems to be common with these English-styled Pubs; it is my pet hate at my regular, the Black Swan.

Went into the Black Swan once.

No drinks price list visible and when I asked for one they said they didn't have one.

Sounds like they just make it up on the spot depending on how much they think you will pay.

I smiled politely and left never to return

That's a pokey hole, last time I went there there the owners, or workers kids running around making a racket, never went again. Robin Hood is not bad.

Edited February 20, 2015 by jacky54

[bkkjames]

Absolutely the worst pub in Bangkok, it had all the atmosphere of a multi story car park, no loss.

Lol and no doubt why it stayed open for so many years. But please give us your ice bucket list of really good ones.

It was popular with teflers, tourists and the clueless, but then so are many other sub standard places.

Don't know, never went but am anxiously waiting for your approved list....

[smokie36]

The Black Swan is moving to Soi 15 next month.