All done but not beaten.

Pub 281. The Beaten Docket, 9th July 2014.

The Beaten Docket is the now the only pub in Camden I've not been in (that was possible to go into at the time of visiting... stupid All Bar One!) and all that hard work as given a right thirst.And where better to go out with a celebratory bang than in a Cricklewood Wetherspoons.

But at least that means that ones thirst can be quenched very cheaply. The Pure Gold was very nice too.

But there again, it being a Wetherspoons it was of course just like every other Wetherspoons, complete with tourists' half-eaten food. And a 2 mile walk to the loos.

This one had BBC beer mats. Don't think I've any of them before. The things you discover having a drink in every pub in Camden!

My dear Wa☘son

Pub 280. Elementree, 9th July 2014.

This is a funny place. I asked for half a lager and the lady behind bar grunted at me "Two." I looked at her. "Two." she repeated. Two pounds please Sir! is what I assume she meant.

Anyways I settled down on a comfy seat, and felt I was in a place could be anywhere in the world, watching You've Been Framed, and resisting the temptation to pull back one of the glass balls of the lamp shade/ceiling decoration and let it go creating a 2D Newton's cradle effect.

And I've not done a thing.

Pub 279. Done Our Bit, 9th July 2014.

I know, I shouldn't include this as it's a social club rather than a pub. But if you're lucky like me a nice friendly chap in there might sign you in as a guest. You might even get put up for membership!

So, I popped in on the off-chance and was quite prepared to be told "Sorry - members only" but the couple of chaps in there were very friendly indeed, and I ended up staying for a good few light ales.
And much fine chit-chat about football, the state of clubs and Jeff Goldblum (we were watching Pointless),

It's a club for ex-servicemen - hence "Done Our Bit", and rightly so. But I don't think you need to be an ex-serviceman now.And members get to use that all too-rare treat once common when cubs were common - one of the full size snooker tables. More than all the (other) pubs in Camden put together.

If I lived a bit closer I'd definitely be asking for a membership form, and hoping to be seconded. Instead, I just hope someone will sign me again next time I'm passing. If it's good enough for Jimmy Edwards it's good enough for me!

I'm just grateful that I never had to do my bit. Lest we forget. Cheers boys.

No pictures!

Pub 278. The Gallery, 9th July 2014.

A gallery! Great - might get to see some nice pictures or art or something. But nope. The only art here is very loud music. I guess the gallery is the balcony thing inside, commanding fine views of whatever is underneath, as an estate agent might say.

The barman was nice, the beer fizzy and expensive. My first choice of seat was next to an ear-level loudspeaker. My second choice in a squishy leather couch by many passing face-level babcksides, and next to some creaky wooden steps that everyone insisted of stamping down with great gusto.

I tried not to rush my drink but the little spot lights behind the ceiling fans, combined with "the tunes" were giving my a right old headache. To paraphrase Tony Hart's gallery announcement "I'm sorry but I can't promise to return..."

Brown Sugar

Pub 277. Brown Sugar, 2nd July 2014.

"It is with great pleasure we welcome you through our doors and into the wonderful world of Brown Sugar." A grand welcome indeed. I wonder if the welcome when it was the Three Compasses was a grand. Or when it was Bar Mosko if they welcomed you in cod Russian so you knew it was  a Russian bar?

Anyways, now it's lagers & cocktails & Thai food. And if you like, on a barmy summer's day like today, you can sit outside on the pavement and enjoy the atmosphere of one of the most traffic-laden streets in London.

Quite why they have clear glass lampshades though, I'm not sure.

"... with the best party atmosphere thrown in for free." - I would probably ask them to leave that to one side, free or not.

Novelty rock?

Pub 275. Aces & Eights, 3rd July 2014.

This used to be a bank once. And then it turned into a bar. Called The Bank. And it was as much fun being in a bank.

Now it's Tufnell Park's premier American-style rock 'n' roll dive bar, named in honour of the most notorious hand in poker.

They don't have any ales either, but it was a sweltering day and a Camden Town Hells went down quite nicely. But at £4.10 a pint Camden Town must be raking it in. They might even be able to afford to actually move to Camden Town one day.

But it's pleasant enough inside - probably because I had the place to myself for most of the time.
The barmaid was lovely - and English! And the numerous other ladies were equally easy on the eye, and naked.

Outside it claims they sell "liqour, pizza, rock". I could see the liquor behind the bar, and pizza menu looked appetising but nowhere could I see any rock for sale. Har har.

Craftier!

Pub 274. The Craft Beer Company, Covent Garden. 2nd July 2014.

From an awful looking cocktail bar to a Craft Beer Co. Not bad I suppose. I don't mind the Crafts - good ale and nice and quiet (well, quiet as in no music or tellys). But are they are a chainy - like an upmarket Wetherspoons. Why don't they give them proper names?? Especially as this is the second one in Camden now and others are springing up all over the place.

The crowd in here was split between the Camra tickers and young beardy-hipsters getting into this cool new thing called "ale".

The barman was a bit surly, probably fed up of repeatedly telling people how long they'd been open. The barmaid on being asked the same thing was much more chatty - I should've asked her.

The Mallison's Brewer's Gold was very nice. Mallison's isn't far from where I sued to buy my homebrew gear the last time I tried such a thing. That area of Huddersfield is obviously a hotspot for brewing excellence!

Anyways, chain or not there's a decent new pub in Camden and hoorah for that!

All barred

Pub 274. All Bar One (New Oxford St). 2nd July 2014.

I've walked past here so many times - past being the operative word. But today, when I'd forced myself to go in, it was closed for a "make over", due to re-open on the 9th of July.

Sigh... I guess I'll have to come back. No rush tho!