Drink ***, Decor ***, Price *****, Atmosphere ***, Staff ****

WHETHER they are wearing jeans and a t-shirt or a shirt and trousers, these days bar staff are usually quite smart and presentable.

But they are never as presentable as the two men who were working behind the bar when I visited the Cutty Sark in Thamesmead.

Both were wearing suits, which is generally reserved for staff in establishments selling pricey cocktails.

Sadly their choice of clothing was not due to a simple desire to be smart but because there had been a wake in the pub during the afternoon.

This information came my way after sitting down with a pint of Courage Best (£2.55) and a barman came over to wipe my table.

He said he was cleaning the table because it might be dirty after the funeral.

Dirty or not it was nice of them to give such personal service.

Just after a funeral or wake you might expect the atmosphere to be a little strange.

However, by the time I arrived it had transformed back into a normal boozer where people gathered to sup pints after a hard day’s work.

Drinkers included a group of blokes who were playing darts and although it was not quite the haunt of world championship players it was still a good place for a pub game.

The pub’s seafaring theme continued throughout the establishment with some of the pictures and items on the walls being very nautical.

But the puzzling thing is, how did a slightly rundown pub which can’t be more than around 40 years old come to be called Cutty Sark? Answers on a postcard please.