And good gardening...!

Pub no. 125. The Abbey Tavern, 23rd December 2012.

Always be wary of pubs that say things outside like "Drink Eat Garden". Are these nouns? Clearly "eat" can never be a noun, can it? I'd be more happy if they were verbs, and I could go in to drink and eat, and then nip out the back to see how my carrots and runner-beans are doing. But we all know what it means really, it means they're idiots.

G

The only ale on was Shingle Shells, so I shingled-shelled out £1.90 (I think) for a half. The place is big, empty, dark and cold. But that didn't bother the barstaff, who were clearly very excited about Christmas or going home for the day. One barmaid decided to swap her Santa hat for the one on the other pump above, and popped hers back on the Shingle Shellsu pump handle. "Oh - is the Shingle Shells off? I was going to have another." I lied. "No." she looked at me with a look that said "Why? Why are you asking me this stupid question you stupid person? Why on earth would it be off?" as she waltzed away very happy with her new hat on her hear and her old one on the pump.

A lady came in and asked to order some food from one of the numerous menus. One girl took her order to be then told by a chap that he wasn't sure if they still did food. She went to the loo while he went to kitchen to ask. No more food he told the lady, can you collect the menus he asked the barmaid. The lady wasn't happy. "I'm starving!!" she whinged.

The blackboard outside was boasting that they were showing Christmas movies, A Wonderful Life, Mary Poppins (is this a Christmas movies?) - etc. I can't remember what the others were. Inside they were indeed showing Mary Poppins - always a fun film to watch. But they were showing it with the sound down, so you could singalong to the jukebox rather than Julie & Dick. Chim chim cha-boo!

Wild west Annie.

Pub 124, Annie's Bar, 23rd December 2012

Not long back this was once one of the most colourful pubs in Kentish Town and called itself Auntie Annie's Porter House. I never went in though, sadly - perhaps not being a huge fan of porter. Apparently it was another honest rough & ready Irish pub, but then they went and did it up. I was chatting to a drinking-pal just recently, who's very knowledgeable about all things Camden-pub, and he mentioned that a Christmas knees-up he was going on was to take him to Annie's. "Isn't that a bit poncey now?" I aked. "Naaaaahhh! It's like the wild west in there!" he said. Intrigued I had to go.

Blimey. What an odd place... it wouldn't look out of place in Las Vegas. Luxurious curtains, velvetette banquettes, what must be the hugest chandelier-type-thing in Camden and a weird wavey bar that seemed to think it was in a cocktail lounge.

I got myself a pint of Guinness and settled down at the front of the pub. The football was on, and everyone in here was watching it, perhaps 8 or 10 gentleman all with lager and shirts untucked, but not at at rowdy. In fact it seemed very calm and cosy in there, and despite it all feeling very odd felt very comfortable.

A middle-aged couple sat down by me, with no interest in the football, chatted for an age about what to drink and then moaned about how football in pubs ruins conversation. The Sky boxes went to standard for a moment or too and quiet murmuring threatened to break out while the cheerful friendly barmaid looked for the right remote and then looked for the right button.

Probably not a bad place to watch the footie if you're not after real ale. But it seems that the only people it attracts are moaning middle-class types who think it's trendy - "poncey" like I did, or the same old boozers that came here before the refurb. They should've just left it be... still it's nice to have a novelty I suppose no matter how odd it feels.

Uncomfortable reading

Pub no. 123. The Old Eagle, times various.

Nothing against the Old Eagle but I've never really like it. I'm not sure if it's the beer, which there isn't a huge lot to choose from and I'm sure isn't cheap. Or the barstaff whose English is rudimentary but seem to harbour the idea that they work in one of Camden's great secrets. Maybe it's the faintly ridiculous contrived bric-a-brac. Or maybe it's that I've never comfortable in here - physically comfortable that is. They've worried so much about making the chairs look trendy and stripped back and rustic, as places do these days, they've not worried at all about what they're like to sit on. So the resulting array of wobbly pews, straight-back dining chairs and "cool" battered leather sofas is a bit of a mess, and one that's difficult to get comfy in. The plants and conservatory bit round the look nice though.

I'd go back without too much moaning if there was a reason, but just to write a scoffily dismissive paragraph is not one!

Flown like a Falcon

Pub 122. The Falcon, long time ago.

This is first pub in Camden that I remember causing much angst when it became known it was going to close, which was some time ago now. Ten or twelve years probably. I would go there to watch bands, and don't remember much now. I remember a triangular stage I think, and a friend who was playing there one night being stalked by his eccentric Japanese ex who walked round cupping a toy frog in her hand.

Predictably it's luxury flats now, and sadly this is the only photo I can find on the net - admittedly after a very half-hearted search.

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.