The pub that never was...

Not everyone is a fan of Sam Smiths, but cheap and no music and reliable... I don't mind them. So wouldn't it have been nice to have one in Camden Town? But "NO!" thought the council.

This is from the Camden New Journal, 23rd July 2015. I'm sure they won't mind...


By RICHARD OSLEY

IT had a working title of the “Lock Gates” and would have brought Alpine Lager flowing in Camden Town.
But after more than 20 years of negotiations and planning applications dating back to 1991,  the Samuel Smith’s brewery, celebrated for its craft beers at sober prices, has given up on plans for a canal-side pub in Camden Town.

The brewery, based in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, has sold off the site for the proposed pub to developers, leaving this line drawing of how the bar might have looked gathering dust in the Town Hall planning department’s files.
Samuel Smith, which runs several London pubs, has been celebrated as an antidote to the gastropub facelifts at other bars in the capital. It maintains its line of own-brand favourites such as Taddy’s and Alpine Lager.
The Camden Town land has now been sold to Hawley Wharf developer Market Tech, which has bought up a series of sites in NW1.
Planners gave permission for the company to build a block of homes and a gym on the site at a council meeting on Thursday.


So well done Camden Council, instead of a nice traditional pub we've got a load of luxury flats instead. Yay!

Camden Town

Pub 295. Camden Town Brewery Tap.

Remember when Camden Town made nice beer? Ahhh back when this place opened, a few of us from another pub rocked to the opening do and because I was with a publican he (and therefore I) got free beer. Lovely "Camden Ink". Very nice. Back then.

Camden Town are called Camden Town because they've never been based in Camden Town. But they've stuck with the name because now most of it is brewed in Enfield. They're also called Camden Town because like a lot of craft / hipster beers they like to think they're from New York City.

But it's pleasant enough, slightly hidden away. And is doing a lot better than their other more ill-thought-out pub venture, which apparently hasn't got long to go, Which no-one in Kentish Town is too sad about... Anyways, back to arches - and why not?

Yanks a lot!

Pub 294. Passyunk Avenue. 3rd May 2018



For Americans in Fitzrovia wanting a taste of America, or for Fitzrovians in Fitzrovia wanting a taste of America. Or indeed for anyone wanting a taste of America - Camden's only American bar I think. And when I say bar, it's just pubby enough to count here.

Every time I've been it's been full of Americans, and I believe it's just voted the best American bar in London or something. So there you go - the navy seal of approval. 

Last time I was in Trump's helicopters flew overhead which split opinion amongst the ex-pat locals. Not 50/50 certainly but split.

A good hare day

Pub 293. The Resting Hare. 30th April 2018

I just happened to stumble across this place by chance, which was a pleasant surprise as I thought I'd stumbled across all the Camden pubs that were there to be stumbled across already. 

It must be new I thought, but it's been open three years. Promising... there could be others! 

Perfectly pleasant, with good beers, no loud music and nice art deco bits and pieces.

I shall 'hare' it in mind next time I'm down that way (see what I did there??)

Simmons Trio

Pub 292. Simmons, Kentish Town Road.  9th March 2017.

Remember when Camden Town had two Woody Grills within 30 seconds of each other? Happy days. Then one turned to a Cuba restuarant... and now it's another Simmons. But still as the sign from the Cuba bar, oddly.

The first time I tried to go in here the bouncer wouldn't let me because I happened to have in my work bag a tin of beer given to me as a sample from another pub. I promised I had no intention of drinking it, which was true - it went down the sink a year later - but he wasn't having it. So despite it being conveniently just across the road from Sainsbury's don't try to pop in with your shopping.

I didn't rush back, and won't be rushing back again soon. I'm sure the tourists, weekenders and pub-crawlers won't mind it though.

Oh, they've got an old computer game. Wooh! And a skull mirror ball...

Office workers unite!

Pub 291. The Union Bar.

Been putting this one of for a while because I thought I would hate it. But I think I must have timed it right, because I didn't really hate it at all. I didn't like it much, but didn't hate it. It was quiet, and mercifully the music was quiet too.

My half of Copper Leaf was £2.10 but it has exotic sounding hops in so that's ok then, isn't it?

I expect on a Friday afternoon at office-going-home time it's an echoey cacophonous hell hole.

But it does win one prize - for the biggest load of clever thought-provoking bollocks written on a wall. Stick to "Work is the curse of drinking class" and "Free beer tomorrow" lads.

Winalot

Pub no. 290 - The Winnacot (Camden)

 

Another chain pub comes to town. Is that good or bad?? I hear Simmons are looking to expand in our neck of the woods, which isn't that good to be honest. But what Winalot? Tim Wonnacott. Winnacot rather!

It's been open a good few months now, so I'm a bit slow of the mark - as usual. Both times I've been in I've had to myself, which is nice. And it is quite nice, if you like your 5 quid craft ale - and charming bar staff.

Lighter shade of pale ale

Pub no. 289 - The Lighterman, 13th August 2016

Camden's got a new pub, and it's not just a pub. It's also a bar - and a dining room. It tells you on the way in. Apparently the Lighterman is "a slickly-designed, minimalist Modern British gastropub with big windows & a canal-side alfresco bar." so make of that what you will.

£2.50 for a half of some craft pale ale or something sounds about right. The busy bar staff seem to think they're being under utilised if they're not artfully and coolly mixing a cocktail.

Nice view from the big windows. And some nice seating areas outside if you like that kind of thing.

Nice to have a new pub, with so many closing but if is the future of how pubs will be I'm not going to like it - but lots of people will I'm sure.

Simple simmon

Pub 288. Simmons.

This opened a little while ago but up until recently they didn't have any draft beer, so it couldn't possibly count as any type of pub / bar type place. But now it does. I saw another one the other day, but not in our borough so the march of Simmons carries on.

I've not been in yet, but this is what it looks like so I'm in no rush. But I will, as this is the rod I've made for my back.

So months later... now I've been in. And had the place to my self.

£2.80 for a half of ABInbev's London Pale Ale, and a nice chat with the very nice barmaid. And a mirror ball in the shape of a skull. Her Majesty and Lynch's Tina. I'm glad it was empty.

Camden rocked

Pub no. 287 - The Caernarvon Castle.

Can't believe I forgot to mention this one. A regular on the Camden Town music scene back in the day too.

I think I remember it being the Fusilier and Firkin when I first came to Camden Town but I'm not 100%. Sadly I don't remember it looking like this!

This pic from the excellent "Camden - A Pictorial History"

(Apparently the 'e' was added to the name to make it sound more Welsh. They should have just kept it as the Pickford's Arms).

The other thing that I remember is that the air-con above the stage was often louder than the band!

These photos give a good idea of what it was like before it came the Camden Rock Cafe, and then some naff clothes shop. And then as we all know it burnt down. Currently it's a big hole as they redevelop the market space there.

A good old grubby pub, but one that even if had not been flogged off as a clothes shop and burnt down certainly wouldn't be same now.

What misery!

Pub 286. XO Bar.

Some 150 years ago this pub / bar / place / eatery / space / whatever it calls itself now was known as the Miserable Man. The perfect pub for  a chap like me!

http://www.belsizevillage.co.uk/village.htm

 Fifteen years ago it was still a decent boozer by all accounts, and I had walked by many times them being my Belsize Park residency days but sadly never went in.

Now after a couple of refits The Belsize Tavern became The Belsize, each one becoming more and more gastro and gliztly / nasty and grisly and dull. Now it's the XO Bar and offers "Pan-Asian menu including dim sum and sushi in a modern space with dark wood and scarlet details" That's progress for you.

 
I must confess I haven't actually been in yet... but I will. I'm in no hurry mind you!

Well I've been in now, and at least it was warm and quiet. And 3 quid a half of Japanese lager. Miserable man indeed!

Foundless

Pub no. 286. The Foundry Bar.

Camden's newest pub. But is this supposed to be a pub? It sure looks like one but the web-site calls itself a "hang-out". Like a scruffy shirt??

Anyways, it's certainly trying to look like a pub so it will count, unlike that place round the corner and up the ramp with a hot-tub. Mind you, not all of it looks like a pub.

The Camden something or other lager was £2.50, it was all very comfy and quite cosy on a warm day. A few board games lying about, amongst them the new edition of Operation which was rubbish.

I'm sure the tourists will love it though.