304a. Fri 16/2/18: The Pineapple, Kentish Town, London

Beer: Dark Star Partridge 4.0%

A catch up with Stephen F and Michael J - who's over from Koln and spent what sounds like an excellent day gallery visiting and record shopping.

The Pineapple's one of my favourite pubs, but disappointing this evening. The front bar's packed. There are tables free on the left hand side towards the back room, but these are reserved and the back room itself closed for a private party. I appreciate that reserving tables probably works in the pub's and the locals' interest, but when you're sat in a table reserved a little while in the future, you feel like a criminal when it's time to be turfed out.

We leave after one drink, after having been asked to remove ourselves from reserved seats (the party typically turning up late) and suspecting that The Junction Tavern may be a better bet.

143. Sun 6/8/17: Harris Garden, Lord’s Cricket Ground, St John’s Wood, London

Beer: Ringwood Forty Niner 4.9%


The deal with the Lord’s Beer Fest’ is that it’s non-cash and one buys vouchers beforehand. In today’s case that necessitates return visits to get rid of our remaining half pint vouchers. It’s getting too hot – and Middlesex are now crashing too (there’s twenty wickets in the day – possibly more, I wasn’t paying too much attention to the farce out in the middle).

The Beer Festival is very popular though. I’ve worked out why. While, as members, our booze alternative is pots of Pedigree at a price comparable to drinks here – the rest of the crowd are served up whatever Marston’s weakest bitter is, and at a scandalous £5.20 a pint. A half of considerably better beer at the Harris Garden Beer Fest’ is £1.90.

486b. Thu 27/9/18: The Junction Tavern, London

Beer: Wye Valley Hereford Pale Ale 4.0%

Pre-gig drinks. Me and a couple of uni mates are off to see La Luz at The Dome in Tufnell Park and hopefully pick up AW at some point. I have a weird, painful foot condition, but manage to walk at a decent speed, as long as I don't mind looking like a moron.

The Junction's a perfectly acceptable alternative to the usually too-crowded Pineapple, the awful Bull and Gate or the godawful Assembly House.

There's some discussion between me and my uni mates about getting older and the dreadful-looking refurbishment of The Sir Richard Steele pub nearby. We've not been since its decor has been sacrificed, though pictures suggest a level of DIY most discerning folk would call "vandalism". The website now calls the place "pub and dining". We move onto music and specifically, something called Jazz Club, which, this evening, is only a crazy idea, but will probably turn into a club about jazz.

416. Sun 13/5/18: The New Members Bar, Lord’s Pavilion, London

Beer: Marston's Pedigree 4.5%

Middlesex v Gloucestershire, day three

With less than ten minutes to go until the luncheon interval, the New Members’ Bar is strangely empty.

Three bar persons wait to serve me. I order a pint of Pedigree and a pack of salt and vinegar crisps.

While I’m in the bar I hear a dull roar (or yawn) of appreciation, and find out that Ollie Rayner has taken the wicket of Graeme van Buuren. We like Ollie, he’s a tryer.

427. Sun 3/6/18: North Tower bar, Lord’s Pavilion, London

Beer: Marston's Pedigree 4.5%

Middx v Surrey, One-day Cup

A big crowd at “HQ”, as we never call it. We have to queue a while to get into the ground but, once in the Pavilion, we’re lucky enough to find some reasonably decent seats… we’re right by the north tower, and can’t see about a third of the playing area towards the Grand Stand; but the pitch is towards the Tavern Stand and – you don’t care, do you?

Anyway, ‘cause it’s a big crowd, they’ve deigned to open the bars at the top of the Pavilion, so I go there. I leave my seat and ask Stephanie to pass my camera – at which point the lady West Indian steward, who has been looming over us for a while, presumably to keep an eye on possibly unruly visiting members from Surrey, informs me I’m not allowed to take photographs in the Pavilion.

“I thought it was just in the Long Room.”

“Anywhere in the Pavilion.”

Steph informs the steward that I’d taken loads of photos in the Pavilion. The bloody grass.

I’ve not been rebuked by a Pavilion steward for a couple of years now. The rules are daft and petty, and one gets the feeling the stewards know it, but they dish out their tellings off so charmingly – it’s always a pleasure.

The bar is card only/no cash. On my return the steward has departed… I take a couple of sneaky snaps in defiant disregard of MCC protocol.

402. Sun 29/4/18: The Terrace Bar, Lord’s Cricket Ground, London

Beer: Marston’s Pedigree 4.5%

Middlesex v Glamorgan, day three.

It’s freezing at Lord’s, but the brand spanking new Pelham Restaurant in the Warner Stand is open to (non-dining) members. In fact there’s no dining at all – chairs and tables are unceremoniously stacked up, free for folk to come over and plonk them in front of the windows. It’s all quite odd in a part of the stand which seems to have been built with an eye to barring all but MCC members and their chums who can afford to pay £££s for a posh meal – in a space that used to be a public bar (albeit in a stand only open to members). Not today though. Instead, there’s a few dozen people up here – some eating their own packed lunches… all reasonably chaotic, suitably civilised; but quiet… pin drop quiet.

The Terrace Bar is one (and maybe two) levels down in the innards of the new stand. It’s new and functional, minimalist and cold. It’s clearly not made for these quiet county matches – and maybe it’ll be more charming during test matches. I personally doubt that.

Anyway, they’re serving Pedigree in recyclable plastic beakers: they cost a pound extra, but you get that back if you remember to take your empty cup back to the bar. Naturally, I forgot to do that.

298a. Sat 3/2/18: The Alma, London

Beer: One Mile End Temperance 3.5%

Just about make it for Anthony's birthday drinks, having cheered the Town on to a comfortable 1-0 victory over Exeter City, then felt decidedly knackered and a bit ill on the train. After reviving myself at St Pancras, it's a stroll up Pentonville Road in the rain, to Chapel Market. The pub's fairly quiet, although it gets busier later in the evening. There's a number of minor indie people from the olden days, most of whom are still playing in bands here and there.

Some chat with Ant, Rhodri, L8s, Elliot and Andrew. I've not spoken to either Elliot or Andrew before; they're both splendid fellows. The beer's much like the pub - there's more than a hint of hip'n'craft, but there's much to commend. Ant knows his 'pub stuff'. I stick to the Temperance throughout the evening; it's got a big flavour for 3.5%, which suits my delicate disposition.

406c. Fri 4/5/18: The Cock Tavern, Hackney, London

Beer: Hackney Kapow! 4.5%

A post M.O.T.H. Club tipple in an impressively sized pub bang in the middle of Hackers. It's strangely not-at-all-busy which is just fine for me and PtmF. Queuing up for a craft beer is a foolish game, after all. In our slightly wrecked state, we don't see the 16 real ale pumps until after we've ordered from shiny craft taps. See picture; and tell us exactly how blind we were.

The Kapow's ok, even if everything in the breezy, empty pub reeks of joss sticks. These supposedly relaxing hippy smells have an alarming effect, particularly on PtmF, who starts seething. As he reaches boiling point, I throw a jacket over him and bundle him back to Hackney Central for the surprisingly easy, predictably painful train ride home to civilisation, via Highbury & Islington and St Pancras.

308a. Sun 25/2/18: The Parcel Yard, London

Beer: Butcombe Rare Breed 3.8%; Fullers London Pride 4.1%

A Sunday evening and we find ourselves in Kings Cross, attracted by a tribute to the late Mark E. Smith and The Fall, up the road, U skinny rats. A decision is taken on the train down to try out Fullers' The Parcel Yard and we’re glad we did.

Housed in a curious roof space above the station itself (where throngs of Japanese and Italian fans of H. Potter are queuing to get themselves pictured in front of a sign saying “Platform 9 ¾”…. weird), the pub is made up of a number of large rooms separated by nicely preserved original wooden panels.  High vaulted ceilings and plenty of glass make it a bright, and despite the size, quite a cosy place. Food looked good (didn’t try it, mind) and a very varied range of beers.

Talk was largely centred around the genius of M.E.S. writing and music which made us eager to finish up quick and get to the venue. Will definitely return when we have more time and are next leaving the capitol.

272a. Fri 29/12/17: The Duke of Wellington, London

Beer: Salopian Shropshire Gold 3.8%

London can be irritating. On a day when the price of a travelcard made me wince, the suspension of the North London line and the works around Highbury Corner meant a two hour journey to Dalston. When I got to the Wellington, service was snail paced. The evening was, however, saved once my chums turned up (Ched, then John the Sid, then Steve). And despite the slow service and titchy tiny pool room, I like the Wellington for its 'proper pub' feeling, despite some of its trendier clientele.

The pool was free. While we were playing a couple of blokes asked if it was 'winner stayed on'. We asked if it was ok if we played a couple more frames, then let them have the table. This was witnessed by a couple who'd come in to the titchy tiny pool room to watch the rugger. By the time we got to the bar and advised the blokes we'd finished, the couple had set up and started a game of pool. Cue discussions, churlishness and quite justified sulking.

378a Fri 23/3/18: The Parcel Yard, London

Beer: Sierra Nevada 5%

A second visit to The Parcel Yard in recent weeks. This time, I'm on my own, filling before the train home and trying to finish The Mask of Dimitrios by Eric Ambler.

The pub's fairly busy with a mixed clientele; some travelers with luggage, a few after work tipplers and a few groups who look like they may have decided to spend a night's social, here at 'The Yard'. Fair play to them; The Parcel Yard is a Fullers pub, so the beer's decent and the decor and atmosphere probably beats the station pubs at St Pancras and Euston. Not a wholly 'essential pub' - the loos are shabby and on this visit, I'm alarmed by a group of lads, one of whom looks particularly psychotic. He's telling his companions they've got to get their stories straight and look out for their mates. In fairness, members of the group don't look like criminal masterminds or heavy duty thugs, but I pick a place to sit some distance from them.

255c Fri 24/11/17: Old Eagle, Camden, London

Beer: Redemption Hopspur 4.5%

A strange but welcome pub, just round the corner from Camden Road train station. Hardly a "must visit destination", though this pub is unusual in NW1 for retaining a local feel. It also manages, just, to carry off its Irish theme (musical instruments and gardening tools hanging from the ceiling, posters of Churchill, L Richard, Presley, Winehouse, J Stewart, Laurel and Hardy, J Wayne, Margaret Hamilton, J Cagney).

A beer towel in the pub promotes Greene King IPA as the English cricket team's beer. Both IPA and England cricket team are poor, though thankfully, the Redemption is fine and the Old Eagle's toilets excellent. Best of all, a good looking black and white cat sits behind the bar, bold as brass. Dogs are often excellent pub additions; cats rarely so. S/he (looked like a tom) was probably enjoying the wafts of Thai cooking.

Lovely pub when it's quiet. I expected it to be horrible on a Friday night. It wasn't.

104 Sun 28/5/17: Bree Louise, London

Beer: Titanic Plum Porter 4.9%

Had the Town reached the Play-off Final at Wembley, we’d no doubt have made a beeline for this pub (it’s near to Euston Square for the Jubilee Line). We’d have made a tower out of boaters, drunks lots of beer and then have our football team ruin a good day out. As it is, we take the opportunity to take a trip to London – primarily to spend the £10 Paxton and Whitfield’s (posh cheese emporium) gift voucher that me brother bought for my birthday last year.

We do that. It’s an excellent shop, but too pricey. Cheese (it transpires) is nice though… but Epoisses was significantly cheaper in Fortnum and Masons (where I also stock up on Gentlemen’s Relish).

We schlep back to the pub. It’s a great place… but a bit smelly. Outside is heaving, and too hot to boot, but there’s plenty of room inside. Titanic Plum Porter is an excellent beer– a bit heavy to be on for very long, but I manage a couple (probably three).

215b Fri 10/11/17: The Butchers Hook & Cleaver, London

Beer: Fullers ESB 5.5%

Another pub situated in the surrounding environs of work. Effectively, a tied house just selling Fuller's beers but always an impressive selection of pumps. Went for the ESB of course, lovely smooth pint but with hidden alcoholic depths. Can't have too many of these in a session. The pub is large, lots of floor area and not really cosy. Gets packed on Friday evenings with crowds spilling out on the pavement, popular venue for office leaving drinks. Feel a bit guilty not coming here more often of a lunchtime midweek tipple because of the great selection of beers but just doesn't feel like that kind of pub where I could become a regular.

171a Wed 27/9/17: The Railway Tavern, Dalston, London

Beer: Adnams Mosaic 4.1%, Five Points Railway Porter 4.8%

Solo visit. Reflecting on the walk from Highbury and Islington station that many pubs in the area have been closed but signs and external signs and furniture are preserved. Also spent a thought for Grant Hart, RIP, and popped some Husker Du on my mp3 player.

In the pub, a middle aged, well to do woman was busy swearing about a "minor breakdown". This sounded like a relationship breakdown, but turned out that she was cock-a-hoop about the success of her kitchen restaurant. Gratuitous swearing; "If you told me I'd be doing 150 covers a year ago, I wouldn't have fucking believed you". People still have dreams. This lady's - of feeding people - were coming true. She was accompanied by two work colleagues, who managed her well enough, but who also swore too much.

141 Sun 060817: Harris Garden, Lord’s Cricket Ground, London

Beer: Ringwood Forty Niner 4.9%, Ringwood Circadian 4.5%

Warwickshire 62-5

The second year that Lord’s has hosted a “Beer Festival”; it was a very welcome novelty last year, but this time round… seems a bit half-hearted. I could personally do much worse than Pedigree as the standard (strong) beer at Lord’s – but the paucity of the Marston range is highlighted by this year's event.

Ringwood beers are normally good – and sometimes too quirky for their own good. I have a half of Forty Niner, which is dependable without being too exciting, and Circadian which is too floral for my liking.

Couldn’t help thinking that I’d be better off supping Pedigree in the stands, watching Warwickshire wickets tumble.