Return of the Mapp
The CAMRA Pub Crawls in London has been a rich source of inspiration. This is my first tick from the Second Edition. A quick check of the first edition shows an identical route - completed in my pre-blogging days.
October 2007.
In many ways, it is comforting that the pubs remain.
The Assembly House - is not worth the inclusion, unless you are a fan of 1970s British Gangster Films. Let me count the ways. Greene King, with a poor beer choice. Terrible service. Exterior covered in so much scaffolding, it makes a photograph redundant. The interior has been stripped of everything that made it pretty - bar the billiards room skylight. Of course, the billiards table has been replaced by big screen football for the Arsenal fans to worry into.
We tried - and failed - to get served and that was for the best.
It's best I leave you with Richard Burton as your guide;
Over the road for the Bull and Gate.
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| Nowhere does handsome quite like London |
In the second edition - this is filed under "Try Also". For fans of 1990s Indie Music, it is a Pilgrimage. The bands who played upstairs reads like my end of year Spotify list - Blur, Oasis, PJ Harvey, Suede, Manic Street Preachers and (er) Coldplay.
A far more sedate affair today - a nice place to sit in Chesterfields and ponder that a pint of Landlord is now £7.25. Alas, my record keeping 19 years ago does not allow me to show percentage inflation.
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| The ghosts of drinkers priced out of London drinking |
Higher expense was to come at The Junction. With no cask on, I was forced into a £7.50 Staropramen. This, after working out how to get in. In a terrible case of burning bridges, the main front door has been seriously damaged by a drunk driver.
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| Up the Junction |
The Pineapple to bring a sense of order to the day and reduces the overall price per pint average. Mrs M is watching the joint account being depleted in real time thanks to message alerts to wearable tech.
This is a classic back street local and regular in the Good Beer Guide.
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| Successful 2001 campaign to stop it being converted to flats |
Even as a veteran pub goer, I occasionally get challenged by British Pub Customs. There is no cask on heralded antique bar. Communication only works so well - and it takes a lot of walking around through narrow alcoves and little drinking rooms to find a beer festival in the tiny pub beer garden. A lady hiding behind the barrels tells me all beers are £4 but I have to buy a disc token from the bar. I am not suggesting you take part in counterfeiting, but if you have Connect 4 at home, you could get very, very drunk. With the added benefit that you would never have to play Connect 4 again.
Eventually we settle down in front of one of the two magnificent Bass Mirrors.
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| Zoom in to see the horror damage |
The guide goes on for the compulsory Southampton Arms (recently visited) and optional Bull and Last (we don't need Gastro). So, we leave it at that and head for...... guess where?
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| Camden of course! |
There won't be a blog - but I doubt there is a better pub experience than the Hawley Arms after dark. Superb people, music and now with added Harvey's Sussex Best.
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