PUBSPY'S VIEW

Spying suspicious looking gents in flat caps, conspiring couples and elderly ladies in furs all plotting among exotic palms, I thought we’d stepped into an Agatha Christie murder mystery.


But alas, it was just a regular ‘Spoons Curry Club night at The Greyhound in Bromley.


They’ve done an amazing job at disguising this pub’s true Wetherspoon identity, inside and out.


Apart from those purse-pleasing prices, the only thing which gave it away to us was the Thursday Curry Club placemats on every table, advertising the tempting curry and beer combos.


Deceptively tiny from the street, it’s like walking into a mixture of Doctor Who’s Tardis and the lavish boat from Death on the Nile.


Jam-packed with character, the huge pub unfurls from a narrow, rather tight seating area decorated in traditional British boozer style, into a rather splendid Victorian hall with tall ceilings and a fresh, airy atmosphere.


Obviously very popular, The Greyhound was rammed with fascinating characters – perfect for indulging in my favourite pastime of people watching and making up thrilling back stories for everyone.


Where else can you watch a real life murder mystery unfold whilst enjoying a curry and a pint for less than £6?


And at that price who really cares about the mango chutney being served in a plastic container which looks like aeroplane orange juice?


I kept it simple and went for the Chicken Tikka Masala with a good old frosty pint of Carling.


My friend turned all posh on me, turned his snooty nose up at the regular menu and insisted on ordering from the Luxury Curries list.


Picking the Malabar King Prawn Curry with a pint of Carlsberg, (maybe he’s not that posh after all) he joined me in my sport.


Through my beer goggles, I’m sure I spied some false palm leaves brightening up the place, adding to the foreign adventure atmosphere.


Absolutely packed with drinkers, we couldn’t decide which one was the most likely killer – was it the sexy, sophisticated young brunette sipping Rosé alone?


Or could it have been the extraordinarily strange man who was talking to himself next to us throughout the entire two hours we were there?


Who knows, but it was a great laugh thinking up such funny fantasies in a pub which almost looks like a film set.


As a dog lover, I couldn’t help but stare at the wonderful greyhounds dotted about the place – my favourite was sharing a drink with a rabbit in a marvellously jovial piece of artwork.


There’s a fantastic buzz about the place, and the predominantly youthful staff were all fresh-faced, bubbly and fun.


Yes, there are the usual retired chaps you find in most ‘Spoons, but this particularly mysterious branch has much, much more to offer.


Just to make it perfectly clear – nobody was actually murdered during the making of this PubSpy and The Greyhound is definitely not a boozer full of real life killers.

 

Address: 205 High Street, Bromley, BR1 1NY


Decor: *** (like a Victorian murder mystery film set)


Drink: *** (usual suspects)


Price: **** (kind on the wallet)


Atmosphere: **** (brilliant buzz, friendly, not your average Wetherspoon pub)


Staff: **** (helpful and pleasant)