Locals' pub that's always busy. Three small seating areas with two clustered around the bar and one to the side more like a private room with a friendly atmosphere enhanced by careful use of lighting. The side bar leads into a larger back room with picnic tables, pool table and a Thai kitchen at rear. Food serving times are not known to us - website gives no details.
When you step out into the back you enter what at first seems like a small, ground floor walled garden but this quickly opens up to a series of higher level decking linked by stairs which probably doubles the overall area of the pub. Smoking permitted outside. It is hard to do justice in words so go to the pub's website which offers a virtual tour.
The flowers are truly a tour de force both at the front of the pub and in the garden. in keeping with its name TV screens show football and rugby. The handpumps in the back bar are quite old but only those in the front seem to be used. Retains some old Courage insignia on the exterior.
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed status: Not listed
A wonderful community local which retains its multi room layout and many original fittings.
This remarkable back street pub, originally the Sir Walter Scott, was built just after 1870. The triangular, light-filled front bar has a striking Victorian bar back with a glazed inscription recalling a former owner and/or licensee: WHOLESALE F.J.HOBSON RETAIL FINE & SPIRIT STORES. The original counter was replaced at some stage to provide space to improve access to a small windowless room on the left. There is a panelled ceiling; however the dado panelling in the bar was imported from elsewhere.
The star at this pub is the room reached through a doorway to the right, and from Perth Road via an impressive vestibule. It has a quadrant-shaped servery with a small but attractive L-shaped bar back with no less than five Corinthian columns and a generous display of embossed mirrors. Remarkably, on three of the columns can be seen the remnants of cocks which would once have delivered spirits to the bar person. Something very similar is still extant at the Cock and Bottle in Notting Hill. The counter is original, with the doors formerly used to access beer engines visible.
An impressive doorway with embossed glazing leads to a large former billiards hall. This has a matchboard panelled dado and a skylight which has unfortunately been blocked off. Beyond is the access to the extraordinary multi-level garden.
This Pub serves 2 changing beers and 1 regular beer.
Faltering Fullback, Finsbury Park
Changing beers typically include: Sharp's - Atlantic