Robin W.

Review of Conran Estate Agents

03 Aug 09, 16:14

Bad, even by letting agent standards.

My experience of Conran was as a (potential) tenant.

I am not the biggest fan of Letting Agents (worse than Estate Agents). However, Conran are possibly the worse of the lot.

They seem friendly enough but really, they dont actually DO anything. We had 6 visits booked with Conran; 5 were scheduled with the existing tenants to show us around the property, and the remaining viewing was meant to be with a Conran agent. Only the Conran agent did not turn up.

One of the properties we DID view we liked enough to put an offer in for despite it being a Conran property.

They informed us on contract signing day that we HAVE to sign up to a utilities company who will sort out our gas and electricity. We didnt want to, we can sort out our own gas and electricity thank you. But no, in order to get the contract, we HAD to sign up and basically give our details to a third party, equally scrounging company called Utility Warehouse, who within 4 weeks, signed us up to an E-On Age Concern tarriff, with winter payments. The problems with the tarriff that we were put on include:

1) All of the tenants in the property are in their 20s. So do we qualify for an 'Age Concern' tarriff?

2) We were quoted for Gas AND Electricity, using how much the previous tenants paid for both. Only thing is, the flat HAS NO GAS!

3) They got 3 of the 4 names wrong.

We started getting junk mail through the door within 4 weeks of moving in. I am sure Conran makes money from forcing (coercing) tenants to sign up to a third party utilities company. And that third party utilities company might very well make money from selling address and contact details of its 'customers'.

Also, Conran gave us ONE set of keys to share between FOUR people. They repeatedly promised that they would get the 3 other sets of keys to us. After 2 months and no keys, we gave up. Those keys are still out there somewhere.

Also, the lovely person at Conran had some very interesting views on tenants: "cant be trusted". And for all this 'service', we paid them £150 each.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Mildreds

08 Jan 09, 11:41

Mildreds

I went to Mildreds after reading about it in a Sunday paper quite recently and was surprised to read on the restaurant's website that it has been a Soho institution for 17 years. My other half and I have often considered eating in the Italian restaurant opposite and walked staright past Mildreds. However as a new year treat we decided to eat here on a shopping trip instead of our usual (and not much cheaper) Wagammas.

We started with some home made bread and focaccia. The brown bread was fantastic, nutty, crusty and strangely sweet. The foccacia soft and salty. And loads of it; for £2, a bargain.

My main course, a 'sunblushed tomato and buffalo mozzarella risotto cake served with wilted spinach, green beans and grape mustard cream sauce' was possibly the finest dish I have ever eaten anywhere. Perfect food for a freezing cold January day.

Why have I only given Mildreds four stars? Becasue I am afraid the dessert did not match up to the rest, and I take dessert quite seriously. The offending dish was Treacle Tart with custard. How could that go wrong? Well, firstly, the custard was served in a pot on the side, cold. Now, cold custard is, I think, Creme Anglaise. Or is it? I am not sure. But this started a discussion for thje whole of dessert about custard. And what with Mildreds being a Soho Institution, I lost my nerve and didn't question the staff. I know I don't want cold custard though. Also, the Treacle tart crust was, well, a bit stale.

I will be back, to prove to myself that Mildreds is as good as I still think it is.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of York Cafe

07 Jan 09, 14:19

It's not in York. Or Clifton...

The York Cafe has moved from Clifton, the address given above, to the less grand outskirts of Broadmead shopping centre, near the new Cabot Circus. However, it is still excellent. I think it was even 'awarded' Loaded Magazine's 'Cafe of the Year' some time in the early '00s.

Mainly known as a greasy spoon/breakfast cafe they also serve various roasts and sandwiches. Good veggie options too. The fried potatoes should be standard on all full english breakfasts.

Coffee is refilled for free. On my last visit my girlfriend tried to leave without having had a refill of her coffee, she was presented with a large coffee in a paper cup to take away. Not a big gesture but the kind of thing that makes a difference.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of The Holly Bush

11 Dec 08, 11:18

It's not grim up north (London)

Not an easy place to find, well not for me anyway, even on my tenth (or so) visit. However, it is worth looking for. What stands it apart from all the other pubs is the food. It is simple food done posh. Pies and mash from heaven with honey glazed pasnips (ok, slightly posh). It has a oak-ey, musty atmosphere which is sometimes exactly what a pub needs. I just wish it was south of the river. Recommended.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Toni and Guy

04 Dec 08, 15:55

How much?!

What was I expecting when I decided to forego my usual barbers and their £7 special? What was I expecting when I was told that a haircut with the head stylist (or 'stylistic director' to give them their proper title) would be £50? Why did I then agree to go ahead with my appointment...sorry, consultation?

When I arrived, I was given a selection of up to date, aspirational magazines to read (Esquire, GQ etc), offerred tea or coffee, had my hair washed in shampoo that was 'matched' to my hair type in water that was too hot by a girl who was so bored I nearly fell asleep looking at her. As my hair was being washed, my chair was trying to massage me and, very possibly, getting frustrated by my fidgeting.

After my cut, I was granted the oppurtunity to buy sea salt spray ('VERY important for your hair type') and hair wax ("What brand of hair wax do you use? Oh no, this one is MUCH better").

The haircut itself was fine.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of North Pole

04 Dec 08, 15:31

3 in 1.

This is not just a bar. Apparrantly, it's a 'Piano Bar'. There is a piano upstairs, although I have never seen or heard it being tinkled on. The upstairs is a restaurant.

They do a good ish happy hour, before 7:30pm, I think, Monday - Thursday, and the staff have always been friendly enough even for this customer service obsessive.

Location wise, it is a bit out of the way, not really being properly in Deptford, Greenwich OR Lewisham. They do, however, show football matches on their big tellies and, when no matches are being played, keep them on the Fashion TV channel. Size zero models flouncing down catwalks wearing the latest in Haute Couture (sp) fits in perfectly with the bar, if not the surrounding area.

Downstairs is the 'South Pole' (see what they did there?), the tiniest nightclub south of the river. Been only once myself, years ago, but I have friends who go there a lot and rave about it, as well as in it.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Jolly Farmers

28 Nov 08, 13:09

Quite jolly.

This is a ncie old pub within walking distance of Lewisham centre. It's worth walking past all the pubs in the centre to get to this one. It has a nice atmosphere and good beer and seems somewhat out of place. Brings to mind a village pub in Gloucestershire.

0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.

Review of Maggie's Cafe & Restaurant

28 Nov 08, 12:55

MORE TEA?!

Maggie's Cafe is a bit of a Lewisham Institution and was 'established' in 1983. Serves breakfasts and proper home cooking (chops, gammon, spotted dick and custard etc.)

Firstly, getting a seat can be a problem but that just reflects the affection that people have for the place. Once seated, notice how old fashioned and strangely glamourous everything is. It should be in black and white and everyone should be wearing hats. It's not, however, deliberately or knowingly old fashioned and thats a Good Thing.

Downsides? Well, there is not a great choice for vegetarians in the all you can eat breakfast (no veggie sausages etc) but there are items which are vegetarian by default (mushrooms, bubble and squeek (the best one.Ever), poached eggs, fried onions, beans, toast and tomatoes etc) and veggie peeps should not be put off by this. And avoid the fried slice; too greasy.

The tea and coffee (and toast, apparantly) is bottomless and Maggie will refill your mug with out warning for as long as you are sat there. I tend to turn my mug over after about six refills to indicate that tea is nearly coming out of my ears and I have had enough, thank you.

Service is brilliant, always, and the whole place is chaotic AND very relaxing at the same time.

Go there with a medium strength hangover and see what I mean.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.

Review of Up The Creek

24 Nov 08, 16:45

Dance until you can't.

I have only seen the comedy here once but have been to the dancy post comedy bit loads. The comedy when I saw it was very funny although I spent more time laughing at one of my friends who was laughing so hard that whisky and coke was coming out of his nose and very possibly his ears, I cant remember.

The floor is sticky, the lager and beer is terrible (DONT DRINK DRAUGHT BEER/LAGER HERE IT WILL MAKE YOU ILL - stick to bottles). There is a vaguely menacing air to the place and occassionally...STAG NIGHTS! But I have never seen it kick off and it is usually friendly. The door staff are also usually quite nice - weird.

The food upstairs (vegetable spring rolls, strangely) is best avoided and the toilets are the worst in south east london with the wettest toilet floor ever.

But what a laugh! Michael Jackson - 'Billy Jean', Beyonce - 'Crazy in Love', Queen - 'Dont Stop Me Now', House Of Pain - 'Jump Around' and Dee-lite - 'Groove is In The Heart'. All of these will be played when you go, I guarantee it. And you will love it.

1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.