Cutty Sark, Thamesmead  

We confess: we did, briefly, contemplate raising this to a two-pinter. Essentially because we seem to end up here whenever we are in Thamesmead. But, after revisiting the Sark again, we realised, nah, rating: sin-gu-LAR. While it is competently run and more or less all things to all 'Meaders, the principal virtue of the Cutty Sark is that it exists. 'Cos there (still) ain't nah other pubs in the "real" Mead, at least not until you risk life and limb to cross THAT road or THAT bridge out (the commuter village of "Thamesmead West" not keepin' it real, nor being particularly accessible from "Thamesmead Central" in our book). The Cutty Sark has the feel of a seventies' boozer (although it isn't: it was all marshes round here then), gloomy as the omission of windows from the design has banished natural light from entering. And - if that says "like a dodgy Glasgwegian pub" to you, oh yeah, there's loads of Rangers memorabilia behind the bar, and, at the back of the pub, possibly the only Glasgow Rangers shove ha'penny board in London. A lot of England flag wavin' goin' on too. The Met Police Sniffer Dogs' signs and very plastic-looking plants further set the tone, and the semi-claustrophobic canal-side (of sorts) beer garden (again, of sorts) is not open as often as it should be. So, while we give thanks for the existence of a non-members-only drinking venue in old old SE28, the message remains: could do better.

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