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...