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Shaftesbury Tavern, London

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Operator: Remarkable Pubs
534 Hornsey Road, Upper Holloway, London, N19 3QN (View on Google Map)

May 2022 - we understand that Remarkable Pubs are ending their trade arrangement with Fuller's and shifting to Shepherd Neame. However, in this pub that seems to relate mostly to keg products not cask - so they can shop around for cask beer which means the range can vary week by week. On 04/02/23 the cask was Pumphouse Pale, Purity Ubu, and a 2.7% session ale from Small Beer.

Comprehensive restoration of a very nice old pub, with former pool room restored as restaurant area under fine skylight. Much improved with outside seating available at front. Operated by Remarkable Pubs. CAMRA LocAle accreditation. Tues quiz, CAMRA North London Summer Pub of the Season 2015. Food comes from a predominantly Thai menu with some "pub classics" such as fish & chips and sausage and mash.

Historic Interest

Local Listing:- 1899; dual granite frontage. Hornsey Road: Two stallrisers (one timber panelled), four pilasters, two clear glass windows (one to two mullions. Two transom: one-one mullion, two transom). Four strip vents.

Information for this venue is provided by the North London Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
Islington
Last updated
20/04/2025
Last surveyed
04/02/2023
Leasehold owner
other
Freehold owner
Shaftesbury Tavern Ltd
Pub ID
NLD/5847
Asset of Community Value

One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest

Listed status: Not listed

Sympathetically restored in 2014 by Remarkable Pubs (and one of five of their pubs in this book), this is a classic example of a Victorian purpose-built corner pub, with ornate flourishes both inside and out. 

Outside an elaborate plaque announces a construction date of 1897. The stand-out feature inside is the L-shaped Victorian bar-back which is topped by a series of seven delightful small urns and, at its corner, a broken pediment. Below these is a decorative frieze and below this, several mirrored panels. These extend all the way to the wall of the rear room; some of the patterned mirrors themselves may be modern replacements. The two different patterns of woodwork below the counter remind us that the interior was originally separated into three or more rooms.  Originally a large island servery, one side of it has now been ‘filled in’ with a kitchen and toilets.

The windows contain etched frosted glass; the one to the left of the Shaftesbury Road entrance, bearing the pub’s name, is original, but others are replacements. Inside the pub, the remains of some partitions still contain Victorian patterned glass. 

There are two vestibule entrances containing much original woodwork. The one on the Hornsey Road side has been split in two, one side of it having been partitioned off and now leading to private accommodation upstairs. At the foot of these stairs is some decorative Victorian tiling, which once would have been an important eye-catching feature in the pub but is now hidden. 

An attractive windowed arch leads to a rear room, where its lozenge-shaped skylight originally lit up a billiard table below. Below the skylight is a decorative frieze with floral motifs. Modern mock-old chandeliers hang from pipes which once would have delivered gas.

General information about historic pub interiors

Built 1897 (on front) and restored in 2014 by Remarkable Restaurants Ltd (owners of the Salisbury, Green Lanes, N4). The main bar has what looks like the original curved two-sided bar counter with two different styles to the counter front. The L-shaped bar back appears original and the cornice at the top has been recently painted in gold as is the broken pediment and urns along the top. On the right it has two bays with mirrored backing to shelves but fridges have replaced the lower shelving. On the return are six bays (and there is a small corner bay) but is only mirrored panels in good wood surrounds with no shelving top or bottom. The back fitting on the left runs all the way to the wall of the rear room but the counter here stops well short so it seems to have been shortened at some point.

There are deep-cut and frosted exterior windows with ‘The Shaftesbury’ wording and some have replacements (or transfers?). There are two good vestibule entrances with more etched and frosted panels and a couple of short screens with an etched and frosted panel. Note the small section of decorative plasterwork on the ceiling at the corner. The floor is part wood and some black and white marble tiles laid diagonally, possibly as part of the 2014 refurbishment.

A double width doorway in a shallow arched partition leads to what may have been the billiard room (?) with a round-ended skylight. This room has a black and white marble floor laid diagonally (in 2014?) and has a good carved wood surround fireplace with modern cast-iron interior and a bevelled mirror in the overmantel. There are four pilasters on the walls painted black with capitals in gold. There are three modern seating bays on the right.

Hidden away in a hallway (now private access to the accommodation) on the far right is the tiled wall of the original vestibule entrance. It has floor-to-ceiling tiling including above the dado tiled panels either side of a large plain mirror and some tiles are in relief including some cherubs.
 

General information about historic pub interiors
Sunday
Noon - 10:00pm
Monday
5:00pm - 11:00pm
Tuesday
5:00pm - 11:00pm
Wednesday
5:00pm - 11:00pm
Thursday
5:00pm - 11:00pm
Friday
3:00pm - 12:30am
Saturday
Noon - 12:30am
Sunday
12:30pm - 6:00pm
Monday
5:00pm - 9:30pm
Tuesday
5:00pm - 9:30pm
Wednesday
5:00pm - 9:30pm
Thursday
5:00pm - 9:30pm
Friday
4:00pm - 9:30pm
Saturday
12:30pm - 9:30pm

Current beers

This Pub serves 3 changing beers and 0 regular beers.

Source: Local


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Facilities
Lunchtime Meals Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals Evening Meals
Garden Garden
Covered beer patio
Family Friendly Family Friendly
Until 21.00
Disabled Access Disabled Access
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Events Events
Tue quiz
Function Room Function Room
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Features
Real Ale Real Ale
Real Cider Real Cider
30/12/24 - Seacider (White Peach) on handpump
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
LocAle LocAle
eg Sambrook's, Hammerton
Member Discount Scheme Member Discount Scheme
10%
Transport
Close to bus routes (150m)
Closest station (1400m)
Finsbury Park
Close to London Underground/Overground/DLR (550m)
Crouch Hill

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