To be honest, the Windmill is too big a size pub for the area, the whole look of the place is Wetherspoons and it should have stayed that way. The size would be ok if it was still a Wetherspoons as the low prices of a Wetherspoons would mean a higher footfall if you like.
It looks like the place would appeal to younger professionals who like the large pubs with high ceilings like the Westow Hill in Crystal Palace, but the kind of people who drink in there now are used to smaller pubs like The Woodman, Fox etc, and therefore it is too big and its relatively more expensive prices means it only attracts an amount of people that is too small for the size of the building.
I would like to see someone take over it that would take it more up market and refurbish the place and make it look less themed.
parker wrote:I do wish the Windmill stayed as a JD Wetherspoons, why did they sell it so quick after taking over the site all those years ago? Cant they come back rather than someone new driving it into the ground or get someone that can turn it into an established venue similar to East Dulwich's 'The Plough' or the 'East Dulwich Tavern' or Sydenham's 'The Dolphin'.
Hmmm. Not too sure what you are on about to be honest.
If I owned the Windmill, I certainly would not begrudge the size, footfall or prices charged. I think I would separate the open space though to have a games room area with pool tables and a big screen - that'd be ace!
parker wrote:
It looks like the place would appeal to younger professionals who like the large pubs with high ceilings like the Westow Hill in Crystal Palace, but the kind of people who drink in there now are used to smaller pubs like The Woodman, Fox etc, and therefore it is too big and its relatively more expensive prices means it only attracts an amount of people that is too small for the size of the building.
Original response self censored. This has got to be a wind up.
Gaz wrote:Hmmm. Not too sure what you are on about to be honest.
If I owned the Windmill, I certainly would not begrudge the size, footfall or prices charged. I think I would separate the open space though to have a games room area with pool tables and a big screen - that'd be ace!
Where would you have the bouncers placed ............ on the main door or on the entrance to the games room
Gaz wrote:Hmmm. Not too sure what you are on about to be honest.
If I owned the Windmill, I certainly would not begrudge the size, footfall or prices charged. I think I would separate the open space though to have a games room area with pool tables and a big screen - that'd be ace!
Where would you have the bouncers placed ............ on the main door or on the entrance to the games room
In all seriousness, I hate seeing bouncers/doormen employed by pubs and would usually avoid such places! I suppose I think that if a pub needs bouncers then that means it attracts the sort of clientale that I wouldn't want to be drinking with (The Hob gets away with it as it has a late license..! ).
I suppose what i am trying to say is that a smaller crowd of people is being attracted to the Windmill from pubs like The Fox and The Woodman which are smaller establishments, therefore i am saying that as the Windmill is an overly large pub for the area, it is not attracting the amount of customers it is designed for.
By saying this, as the Windmill used to be a Wetherspoon pub, this would mean the prices were cheaper and would therefore attract larger numbers of people making the footfall sufficient for the size of the pub.
As the Windmill is no longer a Wetherspoon pub, it means the prices are higher and generally only attracts the small number of drinkers from the smaller establishments, so coincidently the Windmill now looks emptier than it should as it is larger than pubs like the Woodman and the higher prices mean it would not attract as many people as it would do if it was operating as a Wetherspoon.
I wonder why the wetherspoon pub in penge is always packed out? not just with people who just want to get drunk on the cheap booze, but also families, middle age,and older people.
I like the atmosphere in there, I have only ever seen/heard one loud mouth (woman) go over the top.
the food is edible,so its nice to pop in occasionally
I can't understand why the Windmill was not successful as a wetherspoons?
Annie you are so right.
There are so many regulars especially at the back . Also always has had excellent beer.
They had , I am afraid , had trouble , but fortunately not to often
Its quite interesting that they have good beer, as ive heard that they buy beer when its just about to go out of date which is why it is cheap, and that it works well for them as they can shift it quickly before it actually goes out of date because they operate on such a large scale.
Yes that Wetherspoons is quite a pleasant pub, the food is quite good for its price and the service is very prompt. I remember once there was a family in there that were at the bar ordering food and it arrived at their table before they got back to the table from ordering the drinks and food at the bar.
Parker
I am not sure you are correct that JDW buys its beer when nearly out of date.
I think simply there buying power in the real beer market is huge and they can negotiate large discounts.
Many of these small brewers need Wetherspoon's to survive.
Whatever people say about Wetherspoon's they have been a lifeline to real ale.
According to one of the managers of The Windmill (to whom I spoke at lunchtime)as of Saturday 2nd May, the owners have decreed that there will be bouncers, oops sorry, doormen on the premises on Saturday and also maybe Friday evenings.
I do not like Bouncing Persons any more than you but if it makes people feel safer then surely we must accept.
Problem is how do they get then wages back of the Bouncing Persons. Of course we know the answer. Unfortunately probably not possible to just charge thugs a boncing premium.
Another night another fight at the Windmill. This time at 12.20am, outside. Glasses were thrown followed by a brawl which spilled out into the road, stopping traffic. One guy was punched to the ground and then repeatedly kicked. Later on a gang of men arrived and spent the next hour looking for the perpetrators.
Questions for the Windmill:-
1. Why were you still open at 12.20am?
2. Why do you let your customers get so drunk? - they often can't stand up as they leave.
3. Why did you not stop this trouble happening? - it was obvious it was going to happen, you could have kept one lot inside and sent the other lot on their way.
4. Why did you let them take glasses outside which when then used as weapons (thankfully they were to p*$$*d to through them properly)?
5.Why does the music have to be so loud that I can't hear my television, on the other side of the road despite having double glazing?
I have today written to the council complaining about this place as I have had enough. This used to be a nice area to live - they are tuning it into dodge city!
I sympathise Mr Pickings. I am surprised the doormen are not in residence yet.
I don't think this will be a problem that just the Windmill has to deal with (in the longer term). I know the woodman had a few 'characters', so it would seem logical to have a concerted effort by all the pubs in the vicinity, else the problem will just be pushed around.
Keep us posted about your dealings with the Council.
I have already had a response from Cllr Alex Feakes who I cc'd on my e-mail to the council who said that if required he would be happy to take this further. Will keep you posted
Just to update you on what has happened since. Cllr Russel had also witnessed the above incident and had made his own separate complaint to the police.
I had a reply from Lewisham Council licensing dept who said that there was no breach of the license so they couldn't do anthing - but I had much more positive responses from Lewisham Police. Both the licensing sergeant and the local safer neighbourhood sergeant have investigated and had meetings with the landlords and given them warnings about future conduct.
Big thumbs up for both of them who have been very responsive and prompt in their communications.
