Crown and Anchor

Pub 120, The Crown and Anchor

The Crown and Anchor is so "perfectly ok" it's to be rude about it, but hard to be too nice about it either. Nothing to dislike here but not a lot to make it stand out. The VPA was very nice, and the sole barmaid seemed a bit flustered. It was very dark. Why do pubs think it's clever to cloak themselves in darkness??

Nothing wrong here but with the Exmouth Arms and Bree Louise just round the corner why put up with average?

England doesn't expect...

Pub 121. The Nelson, 13th November 2012

 

I'm not sure what this pub is... and I'm not sure it knows what it is either. A pub? A winebar? A restaurant? An unfinished curry house...?

Looks like a pub on the outside. No ale on the inside. MTV or some such thing on the telly. Just me and my mate and two other punters. Not what I expect.

Cross my heart

Pub 119, The Cross Keys, 10th November 2012

A pub famed across the Borough... across the capital - even across the world judging by the number of tourists in. But I suppose in Covent Garden on a Saturday afternoon that's what you'd expect. But is it even Covent Garden. Someone was trying to tell me last night it was in St Giles. I'm not convinced - Seven Dials if anything.

But who cares? It's a cracking pub. Feels like a proper pub, looks like a proper pub and with it being Brodie's central London tap it tastes like a proper pub. If you like Brodies that is of course. Even the bar staff are like proper pub barstaff, engaging with us punters even when they're not having to fetch us beer. Beware Chelsea though (Chelsey?) the lovely but undeniably cheeky local gal behind the ramp. If your mates  decide to play a practical joke on you while you're in the loo enjoying the pub-based cartoons, then she's bound to game to join in. Yes Chelsea - I got my jumper back thank you!! ;-)

One of Camden's best I think, despite the tourists. Certainly one of the best in the locality. If you're in though and a load of wide-eyed tourists come in on a treasure hunt, looking for a King's signature above the bar don't help them. They're not welcome! Hoards come in, find it, and bugger without without spending a penny. Unless they also actually go to spend a penny in there. Others come in on a guided tour take a few snaps on the interior, turn on their heels and skidaddle. I innocently helping the treasure hunters, and got told all this as they were scarpering, pre-occupied with the treasure hunt involving a pub rather than a holiday involving a pub. So don't help them. In fact I'll help them - THE KING'S SIGNATURE IS ELVIS PRESLEY'S ON A SIGNED PHOTO ABOVE THE BAR. There you go treasure hunters - no need to darken the Cross Keys doors again. Unless you want a drink because THE BEER IS VERY NICE and it's a splendid pub and much better than A POXY TREASURE HUNT.

Poorly engineered

Pub 117. The Engineer, a year or so ago.

 A little while ago a few of us were out in the Primrose Hill area and we popped in the perfectly good Albert but unfortunately there was a quiz on and we all fancied a natter, as you do. Question 1 - what ruins a good night out in a pub? Answer - A pub quiz! Stupid things. So we went round the corner to The Engineer for our drinks instead. Bit of a mistake really as it's basically a restaurant masquerading as a pub. Barely even can claim to be a gastropub really. And at nearly 4 quid a pint it's an expensive place to be when it's your second choice.

The thing that annoys me is that the pub sign shows one Mr IK Brunel. An engineer of course, perhaps the best engineer of them all. But he had nothing to do with much round here. But of course he's the famous one that will appeal to most people wondering why their fancy posh eatery has such a prosaic dirty-overalls name. The name was probably more to do with the almost unheard James Morgan, or perhaps even the very heard of George Stephenson - both of whom literally changed the landscape surrounding the gaff. To use IKB as their mascot is a crime - especially when he's stood in front of his Saltash Bridge, straddling the Devon / Cornwall border, pretty but hardly local. And the thing is - the engineer sign is the best thing about The Engineer.

The Newton Arms

Pub 118, The Newton Arms, 8th November 2012

Funny what you find wandering about... Come to the Newton Arms - the council estate pub in the middle of Holborn! Or Covent Garden... or where-ever it is. But there's nothing wrong with that - it just looks a little out of place.

Inside it's bright and unpretentious, although the £1.80 for a half of Ripple Steam best wasn't all that unpretentious. The bar staff are old, or at least older and nowt wrong with that either, just something you don't see very much in London. Nicely turned out in shirts and ties they were, and just slightly grumpy enough for to know that you're not being patronised. They're probably family.

The place was busy with people going home from work, or going out from home, or going out from work. Bit of a meeting place this one. Although I'm sure they've got they're fair share of regulars.

I settled down between and old chap chuckling into his Kindle and two young smart bucks talking loudly and amiable about things that concern rich young handsome clever people who don't have a care in the world. They were drinking Guinness because it's more sophisticated than lager and ale is a dull old duffer's drink, or just that tad uncool for them although they'd never admit it. Their reasons for drinking Guinness were completely subconcious of course.

Outside there was a board with some kind of the history of the pub. I was going to go and have a read, but two women were sat directly underneath one either side of it smoking, so I thought to leave it another time.

In and Out

Pub 116, The Fiddler's Elbow. Times past.

Haven't been here for ages, but it's not bad little place for loud dirty bands and loud dirty beer.
Despite that isn't quite pleasant inside, and feels like a pub rather than a sterile bland 'venue'.
But it's a pub for giggers, not for boozers. Enough said.

Southbound

Pub no. 115, The Southampton Arms.

Possibly one of the best pubs around, and everyone certainly seems to think so judging on how busy it gets. People come from near and far to visit the place - even people with no interest in pubs or ale.

I must've walked past 100s of times when it was in its previous incarnation - a very no frills basic lager & Sky Sports locals' pub by all accounts. As shown above, and love it as I do now I do wish I had seen it before. One of the reasons to try to visit every pub we have before they go - or change. It's near name-sake the Lord Southampton is worth a look before it goes one of these two ways. 

I first went in not long after it re-opened, in early 2010 I think. Had a few pints and was suitably impressed. I was on my way to another boozer, and when I got there excitably told the manager there where I'd been and why it was so great. "Ohhhhh" he said, sucking air through his teeth "I really wish them well, but I for just would never go in a pub that doesn't sell Guinness - and I'm not the only one." It is the only pub I know that doesn't stock Guinness or similar stouty type branded beer. And these days sometimes you can hardly move in the place. 

Lots of ales, lots of ciders. One lager. Some cheap & cheerful basic snacking food. What more do you need served in a pub? The staff are nice, and the gaffer a decent fellow. I've never had a bad pint, the only time when I had one I really didn't like - on the gaffer's advice as it happens - he changed it for another. They look after the regulars here, and there's a good bunch of them.

It gets lots of pub tourists - the ale-loving Camra lot, the "Gee - ain't it quaint, they have a record player and serve beer in pots!" and worse of all young trendy knobheads who treat the place as a novelty pub for parties and the like. These are very annoying. As are the families who come in treating like a creche - if a child is in a pub it should be quiet, and certainly shouldn't be running about. The smoking ban has a lot to answer for!

The only problem is that the music is often too loud. And when the pub gets busy, and noisy, they have a habit of turning it up more. So people talk more loudly... etc etc. Not much fun for the Mutt & Jeff amongst us. At least the thrice-weekly live music makes up for it.

If you base your favourite pub on where you spend the most time & money, then this will be it for me. It stopped me being a regular in the Bree Louise, and stops me seeing lots of other pubs. It also costs me a bloody fortune!!

PS. This is a replacement for The Bar, which after careful examination of the Borough borders turned out to be just over in Westminster. Oops.

El Wiggo ... I mean El Hurcules!

Pub no. 114, The Hercules Pillars, 8th November 2012

I'm sure there should be an apostrophe somewhere in the name of this pub, but not to worry... I suppose.
Well, to sum up very quickly - very nice pub. Youngs. Pillar motif strong thoughout - as was the fragrance of  the bouquets of flowers, which was at once pleasant and unwelcome. Luckily the vinegary stench of someone's fish & chips counteracted it quite well.

Pleasant pub, nice bar staff. But it soon got full of excitable types either finishing work and meeting up or meeting up before going out. It got a bit cosy with loud people at that point so I left.

Angelic!

Pub no. 113, The Angel, ages ago.

Another quota quickie, trying to get a load of previous visits ticked off I'm afraid.

If you like your Sammy Smiths pubs then the Angel is one of the best. Big room at the front, small room round the back and another room on the other side that tantalisingly I've still not figured out how to get in to! I like pubs like that.

The last time I went in there was still a 'proper' old Irish landlord with shirt & tie, the sort who'd both be running a good pub and be taking no nonsense at the same time.

But also every time I've been in it's been very busy - and understandably so.

I think there's no doubt that this is the best pub in St Giles.

Foxy ladies

Pub no. 112, The Intrepid Fox, age ago.

Another one off with not much to say I'm afraid. If you're familiar with the pub's usual clientele you'll understand that when in my 70s vintage rocker days, long hair, big collars and flared jeans I got extremely stared in here the one time I went in to meet some lovely Swedish friends (the foxy ladies in question). I don't know what this place before it became the 'new' Intrepid Fox since it moved from the lovely old Intrepid Fox in Soho, which did have at least some charm about it this place has none, for me anyways - but it's not for me. So each to is own... but I wonder what Charles James Fox would make of it all...

Book me in?

Pub no. 111. The Booking Office, April 18th 2011.

I've always loved St Pancras station - one of the wonders of Borough, so when the hotel bit of re-opened last year after a lengthy and well documented redevelopment I couldn't wait to get in for a butchers.

Wide-eyed I wandered about marvelling at the wonders within until I got collared just as I approached the famed grand staircase! Darn it. Not surprising I looked out place really as I'd just been shown round an archaeological dig round the back, and was a tad muddy. Oh well, never mind - let's go for a drink. 

As I peered in The Booking Office I was even sure if it was a pub, or a restaurant or open to the public without reservations or what. Anyways, as it turned it probably is a pub if only just. Ie., you can go in and have a drink at the bar in what roughly looks and feels like a pub. I just had a half which came in a cute little tiny pewter tankard, I've never seen half-pint pewters before. For some reason it took them so long to get my change from a tenner that I'd drunk by the time they got back, although if there was actually half a pint of beer in it was impossible to tell. But after hearing the price for this half a Redemption pale ale my eyes were wondering long after... As you can see I didn't leave a tip but it is a wonderful place if you like Victorian railway slendour.

No dramas

Pub no. 110. The College Arms, ages ago.

I used to come here occasionally with a friend with whom I was 'friends' if you get my drift. She was an actress and was either performing, or rehearsing or studying somewhere nearby. I can't remember - it was definitely her choice. And I think it was perfectly good. I might even go back one day!

What a good boy am I?

Pub no. 109, Little Jack Horner, ages ago.

Another one off from back in the day that I have no desire to go in again. Not that my visit was particularly unpleasant. I went in with an American friend, and I think she must have chosen it as I would never have. We watched a world cup final - I think Italy won on penalties. Someone won on penalties. I enjoyed watching the numerous tourists celebrate almost as much I did watching them wondering what to do with their pub-standard Traditional English fish & chips. The beer was ok though I seem to recall.

The Belle's end

Pub 108. The Fitzrovia Belle, ages ago.

The only time I've been in here was a while back when it was the Mortimer Arms, and I was here waiting for my friends who due to a small communication failure had gone to Mortimer's, another pub (of sorts) not far away. Once I had drunk and trekked over I wish I stayed here as it was much more preferable and as I recall perfectly cosy and pleasant high street boozer.

Now it's been done up it seems to be a bit smart. All bare blond wood, and no doubt very gastroey, trying to appeal to big spenders with more interest in style over content, hence the pretty new name replacing the dull old one.

I didn't go in this time, I doubt I will be any time soon.

Barf

Pub no. 107, The Barfly, ages ago.

Used to be quite hip and very dirty when it was the Monarch, but now it's the Barfly it just seems very hip and only quite dirty. I used to just use it for late weekend drinking and bands, but I did watch a world cup game here once.

The lager was always awful - more chance of being struck by thunder than real ale in here. And the only redeeming feature - the large 'chandaliers' made up of dozens of low-wattage have gone, presumably because the ban on incandescent light-bulb ban. A shame, but there again I doubt I'll be going back in these days. One for the 20 year olds and Camden Town tourists.

A tavern or not??

Pub 106. The Magdala, 3rd November 2012.

Whatever happened to the word 'tavern' from this pub? Trying to sound posh and fancy I bet. Or maybe Ruth Ellis shot it off, like she's supposedly had done to the exterior tiles while shooting her lover. I reckon someone's done them with a hammer.

There's two bars here, or rooms anyways. The pubby back-bar is very nice. Lots of wood and comfy seats, but on a Saturday night was packed of raucous posh 20somethings. It looked like a charabanc trip from Chelsea. I went for a pint of Greene King IPA - which was served in a Hoegaarden glass without any word of explanation. Very annoying.

It being so busy in the back bar I went through to the other bar, which has the feel of a village hall. Pairs of people hunched over small tables looked like they were interrogating one another or playing chess. They were all deep in conversation, and all very serious. They seemed the kind of people who'd be earnestly discussing the middle east problem or their Marxist ideologies before heading back to their £2million house up the road. There wasn't much laughter in here, and not much drinking. I went back to the other bar. One f the rich kids was playing the piano and very nicely too. He stopped and a few of us - myself included - urged him to carry on. Much fun this side of the pub. But to be honest it's probably much more on a quiet afternoon. A nice comfy cosy pub - it's wasted on a Saturday night! I wonder what Mr Quilp would've made  of it.

Rat trap

Pub 105. The Rat & Parrot, ages ago.

The Rat and Parrot was not very pleasant at all. The whole thing always struck me as lazily run and dirty. It was very shabby - but not in a charming olde world run down way, but in a redecorated 10 years ago on the cheap and is now falling to bits way. The food was awful.

But the big windows were nice to sit behind and watch the world go by.

Now it's a posh curry house, but at least they had to keep the original Victorian signage. Small mercies!

Cocktails and nightmares

Pub 104. Fifty-five - ages ago.

I only went here once years and years ago, when it was called Blake's. And it was awful. We got in a heated discussion with a barman who wouldn't serve us at the bar but insisted on table service only. So that's what we did. But then when we left we forgot to pay. Haha. Idiot barman that'll teach you. I can't even remember who I was with - but I remember Krishnan Guru Murphy off the Channel 4 news was in there.

I walk past regularly and do admire the fine building. But now it's VERY TRENDY cocktail bar, which is not my cup of tea. All the punters seem under 25 and are loud and excitable. But if they like cocktails good luck to them - they're keeping it open and who knows, one day it might be back as proper pub. I look forward to that day!

Monkey business

Pub 103 - Monkey Chews, ages ago.

Oh dear, poor old Monkey Chews! Twas a good pub, a bit trendy and bit knowingly cool and contrived but very decent all the same. I think it was the first pub in Camden that I though "what a stupid name..." but at least it's post-flats coat of white paint reveal the original name, the much more meaningful Queen's Arms.

It was the last place I DJ'd at, well played records. In a wonderfully atmospheric cosy-shabby very Victorian upstairs room. But the chap who organised it had done it on Bonfire Night - that year a Saturday night, so literally no-one turned up. It was just me and the barmaid and my choice of music and free beer. I enjoyed it - not so sure about her though. A silly name, but a good pub and a sad loss.

Bowl me over

Pub 102. The Freemason's - ages ago.

Recently done up and is now rather posh and soulless, although very 'nice'. I'm sure some people like it. Getting stung in pubs in nothing unusual these days, but in the garden here once I was properly stung by a wasp. My friend got me some ice, and then 20 minutes later someone turned up out of the blue with some ointment of some sort - which I thought was nice.
They have a bowling alley here, the one in the borough I'm pretty sure. And there's some rumour that it's built on a spring or something and that saved it from being redeveloped in to houses. I won't be rushing back but it's better to have a big old pub with a bowling alley than half a dozen over priced houses.

At last - the 1949 bar.

Pub. 101 - The 1949 Bar. Ages ago.

The 1949 Bar?? Eh? I've no idea if this still is a pub or not or flats or what. It used to be the Royal Exchange and if I remember rightly it had flames painted on the outside, in the style of a hot-rod car. The only time I've been in was when it was The Fake Club, a rather lush looking but windowless karaoke bar. As I was chatting to who I assume was the manager he assured me that everything and anything I like to do or like about a pub they could do they. I suspect he wonder know a real ale if it hit him in the face I didn't go back.
But rather amusingly - and famously - it was genuinely a Fake Club. It was used for money laundering and someone went to prison for it. But the fact that we've lost a decent pub that I'm sure was at some point a decent boozer is not amusing.

It's a Steele!

Pub 100. The Sir Richard Steele, ages ago.

Why there's a pub here remembering the founder of the Spectator I don't know. I'm guessing he lived round here in what is now Steeles Village. (No apostophe required apparently). Anyways, this used to be a fine pub. And it still may well be - I've not been back for a while. But it is still is a fine building. One of the few pubs in Camden with separate rooms within. I was once sat here next to someone off the telly - a blonde girl from casualty, somebody Goose? I can't remember but she was very nice. I was hoping she strike up a conversation with me but of course she didn't.

They do music here on Sundays and it is very nice. They do comedy upstairs but that's not my thing.

I hear in the last year or so they've had new management in who have, well, 'changed' things a bit and a lot of the locals have decamped to the Pineapple or the Tapping the Admiral. Reports are not good! But I'd still say it's worth a look as it used to a be a very decent boozer.

A thumbsdowne

Pub 99. The Lansdowne. Ages ago.

A fine exterior to the Lansdowne. You'll agree it looks lovely. But that's just about the only good thing to say about the Lansdowne. Once you're inside it's awful. As gastro as you could get, but I suspect the food isn't much more than thin organic stone baked pizzas. It's furnished with huge 'rustic' wooden tables like they might have had in Victorian workhouse canteen, and the result is that you're sat further away from the person  opposite than you are from the person behind you. And people also have to try and squeeze through that gap too as they navigate round the place. The result is rather uncomfortable. A proper pub shouldn't have big dining tables any more than it should have low slouchy leather couches.
The clientele are trendy hip types, probably as unbearable as they look. They sure are loud.
I once got dragged here from another pub by a mate who was meeting his rather dull & yet pleased himself mate, we had one pint there - he asked me why I didn't believe in God as he was undecided - and then went back to the other pub. I suspect he was buying something not entirely legal. The folk in there look like still think a couple of lines on a weekend is a wonderful thing.

Basically quite charmless and boring, favoured by charmless and borish people. But it's there's a lot of them about as it's always busy. Other then nice tilework the only other good thing about it is that's still on the corner of Dumpton Place - not Jasmine Mews. I do wonder who Mr Lansdowne was though?

Canalside Bar

Pub 98. Canalside Bar. ages ago.

What shall we call this dull new bar we've opened by the side of canal? The Dull Canalside Bar!! 

I only ever went here because a mate was DJing, it was very busy and the tiny bar was bit over-run. He couldn't talk much so I drank my lager and observed an old flatmate with her latest one-nighter (each one was different - he could be the one!). It's not really unpleasant, perhaps a nice bolt-hole for the market mob on a rainy day. It's only mentioned here as it has to be.

You never forget your first time.

Pub 97 - Lock 17. Ages ago.

The year was 1997 and I was freshly arrived in London, footloose and fancy free. Living down in South London I heard much of Camden Town and it's 'vibe'. So after a couple of trains and tubes I had to come and take a look. I bought a leather jacket and had a slice of pizza at the much-missed Tasty Corner. I was young! I fancied a pint so popped up the road to the first pub I saw. And this was it.  Or maybe I wandering round the market bit nearby. I can't remember. Anyways, this was the first pub in Camden I ever went it. It was called Risa back then I think. I took my pint onto the decking overlooking the lock. The wind blew my Telegraph about. And then I went home.

I've been back a few times since, but there's no reason to go here. A barmaid in the Lord Southampton was telling me she was here recently and the whole place erupted in to one big fight. I can't even recall now what, if any, ales they do. But like much in this bit of town it's just one for the clueless carefree hipsters and wide-eyed tourists. But I'll never forget my first time - what I can remember of it.

Lounge lizards

Pub 96. The Lockside Lounge, ages ago.

This used to be a cracking little nightclub called HQ's, now it's not much than a tedious soulness place for the tourists. When I used to drink in the Hawley Arms a lot back in the day we decamped here after the fire. Mainly as it was convenient for my mates who worked on the market and they liked the lager and the music - which I didn't! The last time I went in they were offering some gimmicky nonesense where by for an extra fiver or some amount you get a photo of your face printed on the label of your beer bottle. Why? Why indeed.

Queens No.1

Editor's note: There's a lot of pubs in Camden that I have visited once upon a time on one or more occasions that now I don't really the time, inclination or indeed money to be going back to pubs that to be honest are not great I will give them a quick mention over the next few entries. Including pubs that have now shut. Up until now I have gone to a pub specially to mention here but it's dawned on me that there's no need! All we we're trying to do is visit every pub in the borough, there's no time scale or start date. So let's get a load ticked off and dealt with.

Pub 95. Queen's No.1 - ages ago.

Is it called Queens? The Queens? Queens No.1? Or Queens No. 1 Edis Street?  Doesn't really matter I suppose as it's shut at the moment. And doesn't really matter as when I went here I didn't really like it. It does look like a nice decent ordinary boozer from the outside but inside it was little more than a wine bar.
Posh middle aged well dressed people sat around looking very pleased with themselves and I'm sure they looked at me as to wonder what I was doing in there. I can't remember what I drunk - probably some ale or ale other.

It looks like they're doing it up and it looks like it might be quite nice. We shall see.