The Elephant & Castle Pub — Restaurant in London

I had an absolutely awful experience with the manager here. I enquired about renting the basement a couple of months back for my event. I wasn't told about any refurbishment that was due to be done and although I asked tye stipulations to rent the room I was told I would only need to pay £100 for a no show. There were no bar spends stipulated AT ALL. I was then told roughly around 3 weeks before my event that the place was going to be refurbished despite an agreed date and me and my business partner already putting out promo. We were at a loss bit agreed to the new date and also lost one dj because of the move. However we decided to continue. I then received an email 2 days before the event stating that a bar spend needs to be made although it was discussed at all. I didn't see the email until the day after the event as I believed everything was dealt with. The only reminder emails i received was to state the £100 for a no show. We get there a whole hour and a half before the event is to start and there were still a number of people downstairs editing and drinking although we discussed with the manager the day before that we would be there to set up from 7.30pm. When I asked him what will happen with the guests he basically didn't have an answer and expected me to keep them there although I asked for the room to be rented privately. He then left me and NY business partner to tell guests to accommodate us in using the dj area. By doing this we disrupted there meal and drinks, however they were very understanding. We then asked management where all the connections were for the setup of the music and he didn't have a clue. We had guests and djs there beforehand that also complained of the lights and music going off for at least five minutes whilst people were downstairs eating and drinking. Everytime I needed his assistance he was very nonchalant and unhelpful. I got more help from the bar staff. We set up the mixer and connected to everything by 8pm. Manager had no idea to just simply put the music on so we couldn't do soundcheck and waited until 8.55pm before the music came on. The sound quality was awful and as the manager didn't know how to moderate it the night was plauged with distorted music. We also discussed where guests would be smoking beforehand and we were told the side door was to be used. However for at least 10 minutes I had to tell the security guard that management already said it was okay. Manager promised gree drinks to all djs for the inconvenience but all were refused but two djs. At the end of the night it was pouring with rain and we asked to stay just a few minutes to order a driver as it was raining and didn't want the equipment damaged. The can was 4 minutes away and we were rudely and abruptly told to leave the premises by the same manager that seemed to be absolutely incompetent for the entire evening. I am completely disappointed in this. I work on radio and have done a number of events in various venues and have never been treated like this. He wasn't just unpleasant with myself but my guests, djs and business partner. I will never be using let alone drinking in this pub again. I had a few other promoters that were very interested in the place too, however they all saw the behavior of the manager and it put them off. He never discussed how much the bar made and as I said previously the £100 was only to be taken for a no show and he still tried to take the money from my account. The manager there is horrible, unprofessional and clearly doesn't know what he's doing. Really...

I don’t usually leave reviews, but our experience at this pub during the Women’s EURO final (Spain vs. England) was deeply disappointing. My friend and I, both Spanish, went in excited to enjoy the game and support our team. Unfortunately, we were made to feel anything but welcome.

From the moment we walked in, we were treated with noticeable condescension. The staff member who took our order did so in a curt and dismissive manner, as though we were a nuisance rather than valued customers. When we asked a perfectly reasonable question about the menu, we received a patronizing and sarcastic reply, implying the answer should have been obvious — which it wasn’t.

It was clear from their tone and attitude that we weren’t welcome, and we couldn’t help but feel it had to do with being Spanish. What should have been a fun and inclusive football event turned into an uncomfortable and alienating experience.

We left shortly after, disappointed and disheartened. I hope this feedback encourages the staff to reflect on how they treat people, especially during international events when hospitality and respect should be at the forefront. ———————————————————————-

Thank you for your response. However, I find it disappointing that instead of genuinely engaging with the feedback I offered, your reply seems focused on invalidating my experience by leaning on generalizations.

Whether or not other Spanish fans were present, or whether you employ Spanish staff, does not negate the fact that my friend and I felt deeply unwelcome during our visit. You mention being unaware of any incident, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen — especially if the issue was with subtle attitude and tone, rather than an overt confrontation. Hospitality is not only about what happens — it’s also about how people feel in your space.

Also, for clarity: we did not see any other “Spanish tables” while we were there. And at no point did I use the word “racism” in my review — it’s disappointing to see such a serious term being raised and then refuted as though I had accused your staff of it.

What I hoped for was acknowledgment, not defensiveness. It’s entirely possible for a space to usually feel inclusive, but for individual guests to still have a negative experience. I hope you’ll take this as an opportunity to reflect rather...

🚇 Elephant & Castle 🍺 £4.95 Pravha ❤️ A versatile modern boozer. . The Elephant & Castle pub is situated where Newington Causeway and New Kent Road meet in Elephant & Castle. Getting here is easy, the Tube station is just across the road. . This area of London was actually named after The Elephant and Castle Inn which was built here in 1765. The pub was rebuilt twice, and finally demolished in 1959 together with the island on which it stood during the reconstruction of the whole area. Today’s modern pub was built in 1960 and thoughtfully retained the name. . This is a medium size pub with an eclectic mix of decor. The standout feature is the brutalist honeycomb concrete ceiling. There is a mix of wooden floors throughout and lots of comfy red upholstered seating including booths by the window. The servery is long enough to be seen whilst waiting to be served, to the left is the kitchen which overlooks the bar. Outside there is a large seating area with plenty of benches to catch a few rays or just watch the comings and goings of this busy part of London. . The beer choice was good, there are two cask ales for the cultured imbibers. I opted for a pint of Pravha, my pint was on point and pleasingly under a fiver. The food menu is minimal and has go-to pub favourites on it, plus roasts are available on a Sunday, Fish & Chips costs £14. . I arrived just after 1pm on a Saturday, the atmosphere was upbeat and there was a good crowd in. The Bournemouth v Liverpool game was showing on mute which had a few punters engaged. The soundtrack here was a good mix of rock and indie classics like Nirvana and The Jam. This place gets proper lively on weekend evenings with DJ’s spinning, kicking out time is 2am. . The @elephantcastlepub is a good allrounder that moves with the ebb and flow of its clientele. During the day you can enjoy a bit of grub and catch a game, at weekends you can have a bit of a blow out and get a bit lively, if that’s your bag. I enjoyed my visit here, worth a look folks. . ℹ️ Info correct on...