Drink 4/5 Decor 3/5 Price 4/5 Food 4/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Staff 3/5

Fast food is hardly flavour of the month is it? It gets a lot of bad press these days and most people are now reluctant to scoff down their maximum recommended daily amount of fat in one meal.

But at the Hobgoblin, New Cross, there is a different brand of fast food.

Quick as going to a burger bar, yes, if not quicker. But it’s healthier and, now this is the best bit, you can have a pint at the same time.

For £5 I got three sausages, mashed potato, gravy, onions and beans (peas were also available) dished up from silvery vats by the bar.

The sausages were not of the highest quality but the novelty of having hot food served up just three seconds after I ordered it meant I was prepared to forgive this shortcoming.

A menu suggests this pub fast food was just to fill the gap before the boozer turned itself over to Thai food.

Maybe this exotic menu is more in tune with the tastes of the arty students from the nearby Goldsmiths College but there did not seem to be any there on my visit.

My pint of Hobgoblin was not unreasonably priced and its distinctively dark colour and taste should draw more people — especially because students get a 20 per cent discount.

I’m still unsure where they all were this time, though. Perhaps times have changed since I went to university and they actually study these days.

I hope they don’t work too hard because lifelong friendships could be made over a few pints in the Hobgoblin.