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Bankers Draft, Eltham

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user reviews of the Bankers Draft, Eltham

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

Last pub of the day after a fairly long day, we reluctantly stopped here as we missed our bus.

I haven’t been here the first day it opened, 20 odd years ago. This place has had its knockers over the years and has had a reputation for being unfriendly and sometimes dangerous, thankfully neither of these elements were in evidence on this visit.

I think there were 4 ales on, I cannot remember what they all were apart from Doom Bar and my choice which was Adnams Prop Hop @ 4.0%, a decent pint but by this time I frankly had, had enough and ended up nursing my pint before we left just after 10.30pm.

Fairly busy but as already pointed out this is a very small ‘spoons and seating is at a premium.

During recent years Eltham has improved in terms of real ale outlets , coupled with Wetherspoon’s always offering several ales in each of their outlets the Banker’s Draft is worthy of a visit, but just be careful none of the nasty elements are present.
lezford - 11 Mar 2016 16:04
Very small Wherspoon's and can't be guaranteed getting a seat, something I definitely need nowadays. Never eaten in there but the food does look good.
Beer is always good and good selection. Young's Special was superb yesterday and only £2:19 a pint.
I usually only stay for a couple before moving on elsewhere but always get good service and a more than decent pint.
zapsincl - 4 Jun 2013 10:15
Small spoons pub that does it's best! We had the curry yesterday evening and were looked after by the bar staff. We enjoyed the drinks and the curry but the language of some of the locals takes a bit to be desired. We quite liked this little pub and at these prices will return on our next visit.
janjanevans - 17 Feb 2012 09:25
Small Whetherspoons and much improved from before. Beer is good and amazingly cheap. Much of the previous low life appears to have left. Worhth dropping in.
elthamdrinker - 13 May 2011 17:24
Must be the smallest spoons in the world. Very much a locals pub, most of whom seemed blitzed at 6pm on a monday. That said I was left to my own devices and enjoyed an excellent pint. There will be worse pubs in town I'm sure.
twineyboy - 29 Mar 2011 23:20
The Bankers has definitely improved of late and now walking in for a beer is less of a crap shoot with low life locals than previously, they seem to have departed elsewhere. At two pounds for a delicious pint of Directors you simply cannot complain.
elthamdrinker - 29 Jan 2011 21:19
The Bankers has definitely improved of late and now walking in for a beer is less of a crap shoot with low life locals than previously, they seem to have departed elsewhere. At two pounds for a delicious pint of Directors you simply cannot complain.
elthamdrinker - 29 Jan 2011 21:19
This high street pub is fairly small by any standards, and tiny for a 'spoons. Only 5 handpumps, but mostly devoted to festival ales rather than usual suspects. Decent pint of Springhead Spring Chicken at a very reasonable �1.79. Efficient barmaid and a fairly friendly atmosphere too.
rpadam - 24 Apr 2010 10:50
I find a good hard stare back at the locals and ordering in a booming voice does the trick. Worth the aggro for the cheapest beer in Christendom.
chazz41 - 14 Dec 2009 13:50
This is small for a Spoons and the short bar also leads to a smaller range of drinks than one would expect in a Spoons, but there are still five ales available. I did hear the very efficient barmaid mention to one of the many aged locals that were soaking up the cheap booze that there was talk of only having one hand pump in the future. (Yes this is a Wetherspoons and I referred to a member of the staff as being efficient � whatever next!)

This is the only pub in Eltham that I have visited to date so I cannot compare it to any of its peers, but I�m sure that there must be better pubs in the area as it wouldn�t be very difficult to outshine this place.
Strongers - 27 Oct 2009 11:14
One of the very worst pubs I've been in. Laughed at when ordering the mixed grill, because some poor lady (presumably it's part of her job description) had to cook it all. Wonders never cease, myself and my brother were told five minutes after ordering that we couldn't have what we asked for as nearly all of the ingredients were unavailable. Evidently that was a bit of a setback, and I'm sure nothing to do with the fact that the staff couldn't be bothered. Settled for the steak and ale pie, which was more expensive although no refund was offered. Two minutes later, another member of staff tells us all there is a mincemeat pie, which when it arrived looked nothing like it did on the menu and you'd find similar quality in your local Tesco without having to pay �7 for the privelege.

Add to this the fact that we were looked at like lifeforms from another planet when we walked in because we were under the age of 70, the place is ludicrously small, and you had the drunken old fool who had clearly been beating down the door at opening time asking us if we were English (no, I didn't understand that either, we were in Eltham high street for God's sake, it's hardly a tourist hotspot) and this is a truly dire pub experience. Avoid at all costs, unless you're not long for this world.
hillsiola - 10 Feb 2009 21:46
Is it true that Wetherspoons wanted to move into the Old Post Office in Passey Place?
pub_aficianado - 9 Feb 2009 04:41
the best pub in eltham apart from some of the customers
km1983 - 7 Aug 2008 12:52
THIS PUB IS THE WORST PUB IVE EVER BEEN IN THE BAR STAFF ARE VERY RUDE AND ARROGANT AND ITS FULL OF IDIOTS
blee2468 - 16 Jul 2008 21:44
Standing room only, but prices probably the best in Eltham, handy for a quicky whilst shopping, but not a local, certainly not one I would visit in the evenings.
middenmaker - 29 Nov 2007 20:00
Very small for a Wetherspoons. Cheap & cheerful.
Glasgowboy - 30 May 2007 14:20
Used to go there every now and again while my friend worked there. The clientel is 100% old men and dodgy idiots, but it's small, cosy and ok - staff are always nice enough as well. Probably the best one in Eltham, but that's not much of a complement.
anonymous - 21 Oct 2006 18:10
very small but friendly atmosphere pop in here often for a few might be lucky if you get a seat peek times as its so small but beer is fine staff are friendly
plunk - 20 Apr 2006 09:40
Well, it�s a typical Wetherspoons so that saves me having to describe it in any detail. Formerly a Bank (as the name would suggest) it could well be the smallest Wetherspoons in the country and this is probably its only claim to fame. It may also explain why there is a more limited range of beers than Wetherspoons usually offer although this is still somewhat superior to most of the local competition. Eltham has its fair share of moronic drinkers and it is safe to say you will encounter some of them in here but for a quick pint or a handy meeting place, you could certainly do worse in the area than this.
RogerB - 8 Apr 2006 10:09
Small, comfy and serious-assualt-risk-free in comparison to some of the other pubs in Eltham, the Greyhound next door to name but one. Used to drink in here loads during my student days. 99p pints of Theakston's and Nachos were the staple diet. Beware sitting in the postman's corner...
Beermeup - 30 Sep 2005 13:59
The beer is exactly the same as the punters in there.... smelly and cheap. Nuff said.
fat_tone - 9 Sep 2005 17:08
Full of Grandads and Muppets. Steer Well Clear
bigdavethedonofeltham - 26 Apr 2005 11:24
Devoid of character but full of characters. Bus spotters, singing stripping fat pensioner, Harold Shipman lookalike....

beerhunter2k4 - 11 Dec 2004 12:54
Conveniently located 20metres from the doctors. you would be forgiven for thinking that you are still at the doctors. For this Wetherspoons is God's waiting room. Maybe, the lure of the 99p a pint bitter is all that keeps it going but this really is a sorry excuse of a pub. I am relaibly informed that it is the smallest Wetherspoon pub in the country and is often used for training purposes. toilets are located upstairs, but don't worry as everyone in the pub will insist on using the disabled facilities downstairs. If only a Stannah stairlift was installed, then it will truly have the makings of an old peoples home.
Mark - 5 Mar 2004 17:01
Staff need training in dealing with customers as very bad attitude to their clientelle. Seem to think that we are an inconvenience and only there to make them work
T Lucas - 2 Sep 2003 13:33
having drunk in this pub since it first opened i can confirm the daytime clientele is made up mainly of old men & postmen, but during the evening it does get younger & friendlier. this is a good hassle free local with none of the moronic mentality that besets some other pubs in eltham.
if you do come here leave the kozel czech lager alone as it was hand made by god for me!
pug - 9 Aug 2003 14:06
Cramped and full of old men and postmen. Good beer though.
anonymous - 4 Jul 2003 13:54

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