Regular readers, with sharp eyes, will know that I regularly meet up with an old mate of mine who lives in Croydon on a monthly basis for a beer and a curry. We usually meet somewhere in central London at a pub that serves decent real ale, the adjourn to an old school style Indian restaurant. This Tuesday, we went a little bit off piste (pardon the bad pun) and he ventured up to Kentish Town. We generally consult the Good Beer guide for venues and often will have a pint in two or three. For our visit to Kentish Town, we chose the Southampton Arms. Although a decent walk from the station, it has an excellent selection of ales including milds and porters.
If you are looking for a snazzy pub, with gaudy fittings, loud music, fizzy lagers and gastro style food at expensive prices, you will be bitterly disappointed. If you want a decent pint of proper beer, in a proper old school pub, then check it out. We arrived at 5pm. There was just ourselves and a pair of old boys, who had spent the day working their way through the ales.
Like all good pubs, the staff let you try the ales if you aren't sure and are friendly with a good knowledge of beer. I commented that the lack of music and TV screens, the old school filament bulbs and the chalkboards meant that we could have been in any year since we first started drinking beers together in 1984. I've not been to the Southampton before, it's up the hill, half way to Tufnell Park, but a few friends had mentioned it, suggesting we try it. As I supped my first pint, a rather decent Porter, I felt a bit sad that such a great pub had only the pair of us and a couple of old boys at the bar. Has time really moved on to the point where we are just dinosaurs?
As I was finishing my beer, the afew people arrived. By the time we were ready for our second pint there were half a dozen people, in the queue in front of me. By the time we departed, for a pretty fine curry at the Bengal Lancer at around 7pm, every table was full and the tables in the beer garden also had patrons.
I realised that my early worries were completely unfounded. We were surrounded by patrons, young and old, all sampling the fine ales and enjoying an enviroment where it was friendly, calm and relaxed. There is a sign on the wall exclaiming that they are a dedicated ale and cider house and all of the beers and ciders are from independent brewers. I drink in a fair few pubs, who work for chains with massive marketing resources, yet a simple formula of a quiet, friendly pub, which simply sells great beer and cider and tasty bar sancks, such as pork pies and sausage rolls is a real winner. Employing people who enjoy their job and dont spend half their time staring at their mobile phones, looking like they are doing you a favour taking your cash, was a refreshing change.
The sad truth is that London's pubs are full of people working for them that simply don't understand that they work in the HOSPITALITY industry. They are constantly looking for ways to increase profits, without recognising that the best way to make a pub successful is to make people feel comfortable and relaxed, so they can enjoy a few beers in peace. If the beers are top quality, then even better. I was discussing this with a friend last night, who said "Real ales aren't everyones cup of tea". I get that and I know there are people who want to drink Fosters and watch Sky Sports in the pub. Sometimes I do, if I'm out and Manchester City are playing. But when I have an evening with friends, I want to be able to hear what they are saying, I want to be able to have a choice of beers and I want to relax. I don't want to be kept waiting for a pint, as staff check phones. I don't want to ask the staff what the ale is like and be told "I don't have a clue". I don't want overly bright lights and loud music, unless I'm in a music pub such as the Dublin Castle, in which case I love it because it is good music. I don't care if a pub has flashy fittings and neon signs, so long as the atmosphere is relaxed. The Southampton Arms has chic shabbyness and it made me feel most at home.
Area's like Burnt Oak have lost all of their pubs. Is this really because pubs are out of fashion, or is it because they are run by accountants who would have to be dragged into a pub, unless they were collecting the profits? Having seen the Southampton Arms doing a rather brisk trade on a wet Tuesday evening in September, I suspect I know the answer. Last night, I was at the Mill Hill Services club. I'm a committee member, we were interviewing six new members. The club has four snooker tables, a darts board, and a good range of beers and spirits at great prices. It was busy every snooker table all night. We always ask people why they want to join. The reason? They've been brought along as guests, they enjoy a friendly atmosphere, where they can have a decent pint and not get ripped off. It's not hard, is it?
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