Hayden enjoys a cooling 99

What a lovely day in the sun!

Many of the revelers joining in the fun at the Forest Gate Festival today had a few moments to come to our ‘Save the Old Spotted Dog’ stall to ask questions, take away written information, express support by signing our petition and…oh yes – become a spotted dog for a day of win a new friend to take home.

We lost count of the number of faces Lisa and Emily transformed but, at one point, the festival looked like a remake of a famous Disney film.

Beware the Forest Gate teen spotted dog…

Most importantly we were able to gauge the extraordinary level of interest in this campaign and the widely held disgust at what has been allowed to befall it.

Many people were keen to tell us of first dates or wedding receptions held there, proposals received or just long afternoons in the pub garden with their families. We had a former landlady, a former barmaid and a former barman.

Our plans to attempt to acquire the pub and open it again met with wishes of good fortune and huge good will.

Margaret shows her work

We had the lovely Margaret who so lamented the parlous state of the Old Spotted Dog that she let her imagination take hold and painted an impressive picture in oils of the pub busy with people.

We thank you all for your words of support, for signing the petition and in anticipation of your completing the survey (which is so important in building a case for the pub) and for the work we know some of you will do to help this important campaign.

Please click here to fill in the survey