I’m sure it’s not, it’s my opinion.
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Could have sworn I’d seen a post earlier pleading with them to keep the Dartmouth Arms name and thought I’d mention that their freshly born Twitter is @ DartmouthArmsML which sounds promising.
They’ve posted an article from an industry mag which expands a little on what was on Instagram - and mentions bacon cheeseburger Scotch Eggs… 
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I think the licence or whatever controls what the site can be means it will need to stay as a pub rather convert completely to a restaurant. As people have already said, there is a functioning kitchen there already although I am sure it will need something of a refit to become more burger orientated. All in all, good news.
If they’re going to change the name then it surely has to be the DartMeat Arms!
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Or the MeatliMouth Arms
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I was in Meatliquor ED yesterday and got chatting about progress on the DA. They are also updating their Instagram with pictures of taking up the decking, removing the lights, changing the loos so a fair amount of work going on. Date is now showing as early July.
They’ve also advertised for staff - with live-in options and one of those titles is ‘landlord’ which definitely sounds more pub-like than restaurant manager!
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Looks like Meatliquor have slightly modified the DA deer.
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I’ve been trying to link their instagram post from last night and failing spectacularly, but here’s a cut and paste of what they’ve announced:
FAQs;
We’ll be opening next week but not quite sure EXACTLY which day yet (keep your 
peeled)
We won’t be taking reservations until the dust has settled
The menu will be the full @meatgram one
Families are more than welcome in the Back room & Backyard (the biggest two spaces)
Fish & Chips on Friday’s should kick off towards the end of the July
Sunday Roasts should be with us in August
There won’t be live music on a regular basis
There will be our carefully curated background tunes
There’ll be 10 different products on Tap
Vegans and Vegetarians are VERY catered for
We’ll be more expensive Than the Capitol & all other Wetherspoons
Dogs are of course welcome (well behaved & on short leads),paws on the floors at all times
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Great info, I do 
this vid though. This must have been their soft opening.
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Branding and styling is subjective - personally the focus on ‘Meat’ and dead animals puts me off (and I’m not even vegetarian). It’s only because people have recommended the cocktails that I’m even considering setting foot in the place.
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Can understand that. Sometimes the black and death themes etc makes me 
too.
I like the New Cross Negroni but it’s the food quality that makes me go there. Their burgers taste of beef which I like and their fries are crisp and well seasoned. Even their blue cheese dip is really tasty.
Over the years, their veggie and vegan options have increased and got stronger too even if the branding doesn’t focus on it. I wonder if they were renaming it in 2021 whether they’d go with the same name.
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Try the absinthe based cocktails. You’ll not regret it.
You’ll also probably not remember it.
(I love ML and can’t wait for this place to open 
)
I’m going to go against the grain here and confess I think it’s a shame this pub is turning into, what I essentially see as a chain. I’m sure the original Dartmouth was owned by a brewery but it did have a rare independent feel for Forest Hill.
Also agree it’s all a bit dark and meaty, (I’m not vegetarian either).
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I guess the question is whether it’s better for it to turn into a chain or for the pub to close forever? It has had a few different owners recently, none of which could make it work.
Having the clout of a chain will mean it’s hopefully less likely to disappear altogether in these very tricky times for pubs.
And not all chains are bad. This looks (so far) to be a fairly well executed refurb job - no major changes apart from a lick of paint and a change of menu, signs the chain is being sensitive to the character of the place. I don’t recall the veggie options at the DA being particularly inspired beforehand - but I do know meatliquor (despite the name) have some very tasty vegetarian food.
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The DA was always a bit of a gastro-pub, so it doesn’t feel like a huge departure for me even if the new brand is strong and quite different. Certainly I think it brings some new character and variety which easily could have been missed with a different take-over. I appreciate that it’s not for everyone, but what is?
The new tables were being delivered yesterday and the old ones being taken out - they are moving at pace.
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It’s perfectly valid point and I’d feel very much the same if it was a big mainstream chain.
I guess I remember Meatliquor from its food van days around Peckham, the pop ups at New Cross and Peckham Rye so it’s always felt a bit more like a relatively local success story to me.
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