The Princess Alice (Plumstead)

As the nearest pub to my office, it is a miracle that I have not been here before. A work colleague and I fancied trying out a pub near to work but not the usual (variety being the spice of life!) so we gave the Alice a go. From the outside it looks dire. Not anyone (except the architect's) fault. Most of Thamesmead looks the same, and the pub IS a newish building and looks it. Stuck alongside the bypass towards Belmarsh High Security Prison, there is little appeal for passing trade which is a shame, as the inside is not as bad as the exterior would have you believe! Don't expect inglenook fireplaces and cosy sofas - the inside is as modern as the ...  Read the complete review

Sometimes you visit a pub because the building is quaint, or the location is picturesque, or the pub is historic. Sometimes, you choose a pub because it's there, and it has a car park. The Princess Alice is one of the latter. Sitting in the middle of a modern (yet somewhat rundown) shopping centre in the less than glamorous Thamesmead, the Princess Alice doesn't look promising. There are invariably folk standing outside smoking. The clientèle can best be described as mixed - it represents, to be fair, the area in which the pub sits. Because the food (a carvery) is very, very cheap, there are often lots of families with lots of kids running ...  Read the complete review