PUBSPY has finally gone too far with his ill-informed comments concerning The Bricklayers Arms (News Shopper, Leisure, January 7).

For many years his pompous, ill-informed lucubrations have passed judgment on various establishments and they have all suffered his nonsense in silence.

The Brick will not.

He started with criticism of our flagship product, Shep’s Master Brew bitter, of which we sell a cask a day and which regularly gains us a much-prized entry in Camra’s Good Beer Guide.

If PubSpy thought our Master Brew “stale”, then he does not know what he’s talking about, he over-refreshed himself previously elsewhere, imbibed too heavily the night before, or a combination of all three. All our beers are always in the finest condition.

If he thinks we are an “over-40s” place, it just proves he has based his notions on just one visit.

Try a Friday night and he will find a complete mix of all ages — over 18, of course.

He accurately observes we have a “welcoming atmosphere” and then only rates us as four star in this department. Why not five?

He provides no proper background information, such as the Brick being built in 1868, as part of the expansion following the advent of the railway at Bromley South, and has had only two proprietors over the past 60-odd years, the current owners having been here nigh on 40 years themselves.

He fails to mention our award-winning and fully heated smoking area at the rear of the pub.

As for rating the “staff” — that’s me — at only three stars, I protest in the strongest possible terms, as I have served for donkey’s years in the area’s pubs, and always guaranteed complete satisfaction.

Needless to say, PubSpy made no mention at all of our home-cooked and ridiculously underpriced food.

As editor of a usually quite reliable paper, I demand you unmask the self-appointed know-all PubSpy.

Lastly, I demand his effrontery is punished by a duel at dawn on Bromley Common, with either flintlocks, fisticuffs or rapiers.

PubSpy, you are a nincompoop, a buffoon, a bar-room bore and an addle-pated oaf. There, is that enough insults for you?

Name your seconds and weapons, PubSpy.

RICHARD FOSTER

Bricklayers Arms

Masons Hill

Bromley

  • Editor’s comment: I am indebted to Mr Foster for his comments and I take the points he raises fully on board. I cannot however unmask PubSpy, nor will I be putting him forward for a duel. Firstly, the column would lose its purpose if people knew who PubSpy was. Secondly, I can say with absolute certainty PubSpy would come out second best in a physical confrontation with a small child, never mind a disgruntled member of The Bricklayers Arms’ team.