Review: The Seven Stars, Sidcup (From News Shopper)

Review: The Seven Stars, Sidcup

12:09pm Tuesday 12th March 2013 in Freetime latest news By PubSpy

DRIVING past you might be forgiven for thinking the Seven Stars had closed down, it was certainly difficult to spot any sign of life inside.

However, on closer examination you’ll find this is actually a rough old local of the very best variety.

Scruffy is a fair description and the ‘for sale’ boards littered around the outside walls do leave you asking if the pub itself is on the market.

Standard features include the net curtains, some well-worn furniture and at least three large water bottles to trip over.

Much more interesting elements include a fascinating and quite beautiful skylight, an excellent looking pool table and a number of assorted speakers and disco balls.

There’s nowhere to park outside so I simply drove down the side of the pub and parked in the Lidl car park at the back.

There were no signs to say this wasn’t acceptable and I didn’t get a ticket so this seems the perfect solution, given you can’t park on the road.

 

The music playing on the jukebox was ‘interesting’ and eclectic to say the least (but I won’t list the tracks and spoil it for you, in case you get to visit).

Even more interestingly the pub had posters up advertising live music.

Unfortunately the English Rogue’s gig had already taken place in February and I couldn’t see an ad for future bands.

What I could see, and I mean everywhere, were ads for the ‘famous’ Seven Star Burger. Now, I didn’t try it so I can’t vouch for it, but for just £4.75 you will get bacon, mayo, lettuce, a choice of beef or chicken, double cheese, onion rings plus chips, plus a can of coke. It’s even advertised in the gents and I made a note to try it next time I’m in.

Actually, speaking of the gents, I saw something which surprised me.

To have a decent condom machine obviously makes good sense. I suppose I can also see the value of ‘blue pills’ being sold for £4.

But I have to say I’ve not seen vibrators on sale in the gents before (if you’re interested, Rhythm Stix are a fiver).

I opted to invest my five £1 coins in the quiz machine instead and got a return of £4, so a little bit of an anti-climax!

Judging by the big screens available and the aforementioned speakers and disco equipment it looks as if Seven Stars’ regulars know how to enjoy themselves. There’s also a dartboard.

Obviously not relevant at this time of year, but it looks as if the garden out the back runs down to the river, which should be nice in the summer. Currently the outside area just contained the normal fair share of coughing smokers.

I reckon the Seven Stars, though fairly rough and ready, is a darned good local pub of exactly the sort we need to retain – if it is for sale I only hope it’s not bought and turned into a gastro-nonsense.

The Seven Stars, Footscray High Street, Sidcup DA14 5HJ

Decor: * (scruffy and exactly as it should be)

Drink: **** (one of the tastiest pints of IPA ever)

Price: **** (burger, chips, coke and a vibrator for under a tenner)

Atmosphere: *** (early in the evening, but strangers are made welcome)

Staff: **** (Nice attentive barmaid)