Blackheath pub and mini brewery The Green Goddess opening this week
A new pub featuring a micro brewery on site is set to officially open this Wednesday at the Blackheath standard.
The Green Goddess is the first pub from brewer Common Rioters and located in the former Barclays Bank in Blackheath.
Plans were first submitted in early 2021 for the venture. Common Rioters have been selling their beers at Charlton House alongside markets in the recent past.
It wasn’t an easy journey. At a licensing hearing, plans for cycle parking were not allowed and one former Greenwich councillor even voted against permitting a license as people may park nearby on yellow lines.
On odd view, as by that rationale any town centre business should not be allowed. The thought of instead improving parking enforcement against people who park badly didn’t arise.
One other issue raised at council meetings was the location of another pub directly opposite. The Royal Standard – which I’ve been to many a time – is quite a different venture than a microbrewery, and what’s wrong with a town centre having choice anyway?
Fortunately the business did gain its license – sans cycle parking and outdoor seating – with work since undertaken to fit out the building.
The venture is an exemplary example of how to re-use bank buildings as many leave the high street leaving impressive buildings in their wake.
Doors open on Wednesday at 4pm.
In 2000 – only 22 years ago – East Greenwich had branches of two banks, Westminster and Barclays. Many older people however used the Woolwich Building Society with a pass book system. Over the next ten years both bank branches closed, followed by the Woolwich. They were assured that services would continue at Blackheath Standard and so many pensioners would get the 108 bus – which then went from the top of Blackwall Lane – up to the branch of the Woolwich at the Standard. It was also, of course possible to go to Woolwich itself to the building society and there was also a branch of the Co-op Bank opposite Woolwich Town Hall. This was acceptable to those East Greenwich pensioners who had ethical objections to private banking but not to those who proudly said they had never ever been to Woolwich in their lives.
So – we know what happened next – the Woolwich was bought out by private speculators and closed down. The Co-op Bank in Woolwich closed when the old Treasurer’s Dept. offices were demolished , never to return despite pleas from the Council. Those leftie pensioners were forced onto the 108 bus and found at Blackheath Standard that they had to use Barclays or keep their money in a box under the bed.
Well …. I guess most of that generation are no longer with us, and many of the others will have discovered how to do online banking. Most of the others will have had sons and daughters who have sorted them out. But the ethical stand and simplicity of the Woolwich is now gone and forgotten (along with their readiness to hand our grants to local good causes). A drinking establishment cannot compete
Actually, the cycle racks for customers (outside) and staff (inside) were re-instated at the Licensing Hearing. Having spoken to the owners, I know they will be very cyclist-friendly.
Good to hear
Good luck this new establishment.
Some locals were initially worried that the River Ale House on Trafalgar Road would attract low lives, it certainly has not!
The fact is craft ale drinkers are generally a civilised and responsible lot!
I wish the Management and staff at the Green Goodess good luck and great success for the futures.
Any one driving to the venue would need to be sensible with parking due to buses turning left from Vanbrugh Park Road in to Westcombe Hill.
The venue is well served by bus services serving Blackheath Royal Standard so hopefully parking will not be too much of a problem.
I’d hoped that RBG Council would get better in the Planning Department, what, with the changeover, but it just looks like more of the same myopic view of what our streets should look like! No cycle parking flies directly in the face of their so-called cyclecentric pedestriancentric ethos of the future of RBG! That and not allowing outdoor seating seems like it’s the same old bull;:-/ all over again! When will voters in this Burrough wise up to the blockheads they keep electing?
I agree Paul SuperUnkown I was hoping the planning process would be better on Royal Borough of Greenwich after the recent election. But it is clear nothing will change on the council until there is a complete change of administration on the council.
I lost faith in the in the Council administration a long time ago and can only see it getting worse rather than better.