King's Crossed out

Pub no. 182, The King's Cross Arms, 30th May 2013.

I remember this place being a wine bar called Swinton's a while back, it's on Swinton Street you see, so I was never tempted in. But alas now I was tempted in it's closed. I think we're approaching 50 pubs in Camden closed now this century. Funny thing is Water Rats, The Lucas Arms and The Queen's Head nearby were heaving, well doing rather well anyways. Maybe people were put off by its assumption that a railway station would have a coat of arms. Perhaps the "LNER Arms" would have fared better?

Or maybe it's just that a pub can never recover from winebarification.

Hasta luega Lucas!

Pub 183, The Lucas Arms. 30th May 2013.

A food pub - but definitely not a gastro-pub! £3.99 fish and chips, that kind of thing. But it seems popular judging by the throng of hungry recession-busting diners and a vinegar heavy on the air.

The Golden Hen was ok. The bar-staff cherry and friendly. The loud techno music was loud and techno.

As some old Spanish friends say "Hasta luega lucas!", which I think just means see you later chum.

Stag night

Pub no. 181. The Stag, 26th April 2013.

Another tatty old boozer done up as a gastropub, but it seems the trendy young-ish well-to-do cool-crowd like it. I'm pretty sure that 90% of the folk here would be in the 25-35 age bracket, and thankfully none of them these days need to bring their hard-hats with them. We hope! The bouncer on the door - at 5pm on Sunday! - would probably make you take them off anyways.
And at least Otter Ale was very nice. The Yorkshire puddings on people's late lunches were generous too, but Yorkshire puds with pork?! Please!

I've only been here a few times, despite the fact that it was one my nearest pubs when I lived just up the road (opposite Nicholas Parsons, which is enough to drive anyone to drink!), so I've even taken in the interior. The old bar is nice although I'm not convinced by the yellow paint job on it. They'd probably call it "blond"or "natural pine effect" or something. I would prefer to be dark and gloomy, but that's just me. I'm also not convinced by day-time candles or the not-even-trying-to-look-real piles of logs round the fire.

And I'd never been outside either. The beer garden is huge, and busy. Similar to the Edinboro Castle it's probably as big again as the pub - which I'm sure can lead to far too many people at the bar than is good for a thirsty drinker. The music that was laid on and sunshine gave it the feel of a little festival, much to the delight I'm sure of the lady in wellies. Too bad that she only had to wave through gravel rather than mud though, gravel full of fag ends - why do people do that?

All a bit lively for me, I'm sure it's a bit calmer when it's not a bank holiday weekend though.

Hay up

Pub no. 180, The Hill. 26th May 2013.

Ahhhh The Load of Hay, just round the corner from Chalk Farm! Nice to have these reminders of when this part of town was just a meadowy hill in the middle of nowhere, between Hampstead and London. But no more, all we're reminded of now is that we're on a hill. The Hill indeed, and having just walked up in on the a rare warm day I don't need reminding.

I was told once that this used to be a "boxing pub", whatever that means, and had a gym for that purpose out the back. Now it's just another gastro-pub. But having said it does seem like rather a pleasant one, and at least it has one small-ish side room that still tries to look like a pub.

I didn't try the food, but the Greene King IPA was fine, even though it had some bits floating in it which might have put off a less hardy soul than I. The beer garden looks nice if you like that kind of thing, which I don't. I'd prefer to drink on the pavement to be honest, like Sean Bean was once when he got in a fight here. 

They have a piano here, which pleasingly they now use. On Sundays and Thursdays I think the friendly chap behind the bar said. I might well go back and have a listen some time.

Torry carry-on

Pub 179. The Torriano, 26th May 2013.

 

At around 11am or noon or there-abouts I went to Sainsbury's and just as I left I noticed a lady's rather garish leggings and her shaven headed companion. I noticed them not just because of her leggings but because she was swigging from a bottle of wine, and was already about half-way down it. Early bird gets the worm I suppose.

That evening I went to the Torriano. As I approached there was some sort of altercation going on in the back of a taxi outside the pub. Some people came out, shouting and screaming at the people who as it turned out were attacked the taxi driver. The dragged a girl out who fell on the pavement, while a chap inside the car still had the driver in a headlock. I recognised the girl's leggings immediately. It the was middy wine-drinker, now very much worse for wear some 7 hours later.

They had been causing much trouble in the boozer, the police had been called had they'd been chucked out. The taxi driver drove off, and this awful couple staggered away. The small crowd of us on the pavement went inside, and the door was locked. How exciting, unfortunately.

 The Torriano deserves better. I always thought it a bit grubby, but that's ok really. No frills! It's a nice friendly place, the locals are local and barman very pleasant. The one ale was nice too.
It used to be called The Rose & Crown once, but was renamed possibly when the Torriano Arms on the corner closed. Perhaps there's covenant somewhere that says there has to be a pub named after the old land-owner somewhere on his old land.

It was famously saved from becoming flats, thanks in part to celebrity support, and that's a good thing. It's not a bad old boozer. I'd frequent it a lot more if I lived in the lovely little cottages just round the corner.

I guess dealing with angry drunken Polish idiots is par-for-the-course though for your hardworking everyday publican. As I left the charming couple were robbing & trying to smash up a corner shop, and then tried having a go at a lad in car. Shortly later a police car passed me heading their way. I hope it was for them.

A birthday treat

Pub 178. The Carpenter's Arms, 23rd May 2013.

Like with the Borough's other wood-working pub, it's always nice to be reminded of the one of the major trades that kept people going round these parts once upon a time. Anyways.  I came here for a colleague's birthday drinks, but ended up not getting to his little soirée until 10.45pm as I was downstairs being entertained and distracted by a rather lovely companion. Does time fly over a crossword amongst two good friends?!

Having no money meant I was having to buy two pints of Knight of Garter at a time to hit the card-payment threshold, so it's a good job it was going down well. Still that didn't stop the barman apparently undercharging me and then coming chasing after me for the extra 50p. It's a good job I had a little money on me, you careless young man.

Nice-ish pub, but a very, very nice evening. Ahh to drink with a vision mixers is a rare treat indeed!

A Victory is lost

Pub 177. The Victory, 19th May 2013.
 

The Victory used to have a large nice concrete-relief likeness of HMS Victory on the exterior wall - the flat area slightly obscured by the tree. But since the recent renovation, ie. lick of paint, it's gone. Shame - as a friend of mine put it "it was the only thing of architectural merit about it". In fact they've just painted over it, and you can still just make it out if you're stood under it but you'd think that a proud English boozer like this would want to make more its proud English maritime connections.

It's the last day of the season, and Spurs and Arsenal and battling it out for the last place in the European Champions league, so cue lots of excited locals. Especially excited when the Arse scored. Predictably no ale, but the very nice barmaid did me a Guinness instead.

I was tempted to help myself to the free fare, but given that no-one else was and I was the new boy in town I didn't dare. Perhaps I should've got my parents to serve me?

Too bad the the water feature is turned off, perhaps it was irritating the fine koi carp in the pond beneath. The beer-front-yard gave a fine view of the road, and was full of kids. At least it keeps them out of the pub. Also, I think this could be the only pub in Camden with an outside telly. Worth bearing in mind, if you want to watch the footie on a warm afternoon - tucking into a free hotdog.

Kubla khan't.

Pub 176. Ballyhoo.

I've only ever been here the once, and that was plenty. It was called the Bowery then, and was for a friend's birthday. Lovely crowd, not a very nice pub - or bar rather. Cold, fizzy, expensive lager in silly tall glasses (I can't quite remember if it did come in silly tall glasses or not, but it probably did.) Dark. Hard furniture. It was probably loud and too cold or too hot.

Still, there was a nice stage downstairs - nothing go on on it mind.

Looks pretty much the same inside now. Ballyhoo... Kubla Khan?! Really?

You've not seen nothing like the...

Pub 175. Quinn's. 16th April, 2013

 I never used to like Quinn's. It felt a bit naff, with bad beer. I couldn't understand why friends often wanted to go there, even though it was open late. Always quite handy when such things were a rarity.

But it's growing on me. There wasn't much beer to choose from. Abbot Ale and Greene King IPA Reserve - which I'd never had. So decided to push the boat out and live a little... 5.4% - wooo!
The place was darkish and quiet, relaxing and comfy - despite the smell of bleach.

The barman was very nice, apologetic for keeping us waiting and then pleasant and chatty. A nice change to see an interested, knowledgable and grown-up barman. I was particularly impressed when he ticked off some yoof who had crept in to use the toilets without asking!

A pub that teaches the kids manners - I quite like Quinn's now! I've got a mate though who always called it "The Quinn's". Quite annoying that.