Euston Road

A combination of last minute planning and the very poor incentive of a trip to Euston was enough to put off all the regulars from the office, so it was only me and Jack Jones who made the trip round the Circle Line to Euston Square on a sunny Thursday evening.

I also had mixed feeling about doing this square as on the pub front there is a heavy concentration of Cask Marque pubs round Euston Station but as previously alluded to, it’s not an area one immediately associates with beauty or sights worth seeing.

The first pub was The Britannia which is located within the concrete monstrosity that is Euston Station itself. It’s been noticeable that’s there’s been a bit of a resurgence of these station pubs recently with many of them having well needed facelifts and much needed refurbishments. It also seems to be a sector that the big brewing pub groups want to get into to. I’d already visited Fuller’s Mad Bishop and Bear at Paddington, The Isambard (also at Paddington) and The Wellesley at Waterloo – the latter two I’m not sure who runs them but going from the signage and styling it seems to be the same company which runs The Britannia. They are a bit of a conundrum these “new” station pubs; on the one hand I have to applaud a better class of boozer for thirsty travellers which have a commitment to Real Ale, and they certainly try to present something more than a swilling hole tacked on to a station. But on the other hand why do they go down the traditional pub styling route? You can’t just sling a few wing back chairs, a mock fireplace and wall lamps into what is a plasterboard box and expect to create an attractive atmosphere. Why try to recreate someone’s local when the one thing you’re definitely not going to have are locals?

The Britannia, coming to a station near you...

Anyway before I get too deep, The Britannia was clean and tidy and most importantly had the Cask Marque certificate displayed at the end of the bar. I’d only recently found out via Nate Dawg that it was in fact IPA-Day so it seemed only right to try to drink IPA. The only one on offer was Greene King’s version (which is discussed further in Kings Cross) and the ½ pint I ordered was fine and fresh but it was something approaching relief that I could escape the suitcases and other assorted luggage of the other customers and go and find a proper pub.

I’ve also previously mentioned in the Kings Cross episode my aborted attempt to find Fuller’s The Doric Arch (Head of Steam) – This time finding it was easier but it’s still tucked away on a corner of Euston Square and although there is a good flow of passing pedestrians, for drinkers searching for the place it can easily be missed. Which is a real shame because it’s a gem! Pleasantly decorated with a railway theme it’s quiet and personable and is probably everything The Britannia wishes it could be. There was a great range of Fuller’s beers on but I blindly plumped for a guest ale, a pint of Mauldons Pickwick which although was extremely well conditioned and very tasty I’d missed the fact they had a seasonal Fuller’s ale on, Wild River, which from the description seems to be very much an IPA to my untrained eye. If you’re wondering about the name of the pub, apparently Euston Station used to have a huge Doric Arch as the entry way to the station. Of course it’s since been pulled down to make way for the modern station but apparently there is a stone of it kept behind the bar.

Today's Doric Arch

Yesterday's Doric Arch

It was then just a short hop over the Eversholt Road to the Royal George, a large traditional corner pub from the Taylor Walker pub group. The barman was more than happy to lift the certificate from where it was displayed behind the bar so I could scan it, and with the pub merrily decked out in Olympic flags it seemed only appropriate to have a pint of Young’s London Gold.

The Royal George gets in the Olympic spirit

In terms of the Olympics I was in good company as on the next table to me were three official timekeepers from Omega but even their watches would have been put to the test by the amazing antics of the British Cycling Team who were performing world record brilliance on the big screen TV. When the world asks “where were you when Chris Hoy won his 5^th Gold Medal?” my answer will be the Royal George, Euston.

The official timekeepers measure the awesomeness of the GB cycling team.

So finally after visiting three pubs I hit the Euston Road proper and crossed it to head up Mabeldon Place to the aptly named Mabel’sTavern. Mabel’s is a Shepherd Neame pub and is a regular entry in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide (although isn’t in the latest edition – The Doric Arch and Euston Flyer however are) and proudly displays a CAMRA Pub of the Year certificate alongside the Cask Marque one.

Mabel's Tavern

I asked the barmaid if I could scan it which slightly threw her and she needed to ask permission from the manager to do so (?)  - mind you this was the same barmaid who when asking me what I wanted, I indicated that another lady was in front of me, she then went and served the chap behind me! I know queuing is a national sport here but equally interpretation of the queue is a necessary skill that all barstaff should be able to do. Anyway, I digress; I choose a pint of Whitstable Bay and had a nice chat with the lady who had been in front of me in the queue. When the world asks “where were you when Chris Hoy got presented with his 5^th Gold Medal?” my answer will be the Mabel’s Tavern, Euston.

So finally it was on to the 5^th pub (yeah, talk about 5 gold medals – what about 5 pubs!) and the only one actually on the Euston Road. The Euston Flyer is another Fuller’s pub and is a world away from the Doric Arch. It’s a huge place where big screen TV takes priority and there was a large international crowd watching the Olympic swimming. Although the place was rammed with people, service was very quick and my pint of Seafarers was served up almost as quickly as the certificate was given to me from behind the bar, which seeing as the place was so busy was quite understanding by the barstaff. It was only when I was sat down that I saw that the pub actually has two Cask Marque certificates behind the bar, which perhaps reflects the hurly-burly nature of the pub.

The hurly-burly of the Euston Flyer

So with Jack reminding me it was time to go home I made my way back up Euston Road to the tube, it was then I reflected back on my attitude to this area of London. It’s still not the most attractive area but there are some glimpses of magic as well. Just check out the fantastic steeple of St Pancras parish church……………….seriously, check it out. I could also reflect back on a 5 Cask Marque certificate haul which is by far my PB!

Number of Cask Marque Pubs visited = 49

How did Jack enjoy the visit? = Much better than last time!

When’s the next visit then? = Not for two weeks. Unless there’s a Pentonville Road in Malta!

Next Stop = Pentonville Road

Whitechapel Road

You may have gathered from the last entry that I was determined not to repeat last Friday’s “Jonny-no-mates” routine again, so in a desperate effort not to appear to be a social pariah I asked a group of work colleagues whether they would like a “swift one” after work this Friday. Luckily the next square on the board, Whitechapel Road is only a brisk 10 minute walk away from our offices and as such I wouldn’t need to put this gallant gang of volunteers through a forced march to get to the pub.

Quick word about the Whitechapel Road in that it houses the infamous Blind Beggar pub which most Monopoly tourists use as their stop for this square. Unfortunately not a Cask Marque pub this didn’t fit my criteria but it worth mentioning this place not only for its links to the Krays but also as the place that William Booth made his first sermon, which led to the creation of the Salvation Army. And if you want one more interesting beer related fact, it’s also the former brewery tap of the Manns Albion Brewery where the first modern Brown Ale was brewed. Now you too can be a pub bore……………………

The nearest Cask Marque pub is the Aldgate Exchange just 50 or so metres down from Aldgate East tube station. I’d previously been in this place and been unable to find the Cask Marque certificate so I thought it might be a prudent step to visit somewhere else on the way.

The Brown Bear

My selection was The Brown Bear in nearby Leman Street which caused one work colleague to squeal with both delight as this is apparently one of her favourite pubs and then groan in agony as she couldn’t join us due to other commitments. So it was with somewhat of a spring in our collective steps that 5 of us entered the pub on an early Friday evening. The pub is a traditional centre bar affair with nice wooden shelving atop which stands the proud statue of the Brown Bear. Beers on offer were Fuller’s London Pride, the ubiquitous Sharp’s Doombar and Marston’s EPA. Only the Pride and the Doombar had the Cask Marque tag on the handpumps which perhaps should have given me a clue as the EPA was rather warm and woolly (and also served in an Adnams Glass (Grrrrrrr)).

BGC at the bar of the Brown Bear

With the pub just starting to fill up and Andy Murray just losing the 3^rd set in his semi-final, like a bunch of wannabe tabloid reporters, 3 of my colleague all made their excuses and left, citing “busy days tomorrow” and “friends coming round tonight”………………….lightweights to a man!

This left me with spiky haired Ed.

Spiky haired Ed is a curious creature, presenting the attractive face of IT with his chiselled jaw, fresh complexion and gymnasts physique he’s very much the eye candy for the office girls. Where as I present the slobbish side of IT with my stupid fat face, binman’s physic and most of the office girls having exclusion orders against me so I don’t get within 5 feet of them.

Anyway, as a modern day “odd couple” we strolled up to the junction of Aldgate High Street and Commercial Street and took a swift jaunt up the Whitechapel Road to record the visit for posterity.

Well at least you can read this sign!

It was then back to the Aldgate Exchange for a rather nasty pint of Adnams Southwold bitter (not served in an Adnams glass (Grrrrrrrrr)). I had always presumed that this place was another Weatherspoon’s pub (based on the style of the outside signage) but it turns out it isn’t. I’m not sure if it is a Free House as they claim but it’s another open plan pine floored warehouse with not a great deal going for it. The staff were friendly and the manager was more than happy to fetch out the Cask Marque certificate which wasn’t on the wall. “How did you like the beer?” he asked as I scanned the code. I went all English and didn’t want to make a fuss, “Oh, very nice” I lied.

One (fat) man, a man-bag and a sign in misleading typeface.

Spiky haired Ed and I were now on a roll, putting the office to rights and deciding who was probably overpaid (everyone else) and who were underpaid (spiky haired Ed and me) so we decided to continue the journey across the road at The Hoop and Grapes, a Nicholson’s pub where apparently the Great Fire of London stopped just 50 yards away. The best pint of the evening was the 4.2% Merlin’s Ale and it was only a pity the visit to this very nice pub was spoilt by them not being in possession of the new style Cask Marque certificate with the QR Code.

Handpumps at the Hoop and Grapes

Before things started to become maudlin Spiky haired Ed and I called it a day and bidded each other a good night. Him, back to his boy-band lifestyle of hair gel and pegged jeans and me to onion rings on Reading station. Cheers!

Number of Cask Marque Pubs visited  = 37

Target for the visit = Successful!

Things I know now that I didn’t know before this visit = According to Spiky haired Ed, I have the best voice in the office? (Should this make me worried?)

Next Stop = Income Tax!

Community Chest #1

When I initially thought about doing this game  I thought it might be an extra challenge to not do just the property squares but try to include the other squares, like the Electricity Company or The Jail also. What I hadn’t really thought about were the Chance and Community Chest squares.

Now to cover the Chance squares there’s plenty of scope for some sort of random pub destination decision making but on the other hand, the Community Chest? What does that even mean? This might prove more of a problem.

Well, and to spoil any anti-climax, in fact it didn’t turn out that way at all. A quick Google of the words “Community Chest London” produced a link to the Cripplegate Foundation which runs the “Islington Community Chest”. These good people have their offices at 76 Central Street, which is just north of Barbican tube station, a place I travel through every working day.

So thinking that the journey to this location would be a damn sight easier than the last one I thought a quick stop off on a Friday evening would be a good idea. At first things went well, a quick stroll up Old Street and the offices of the Cripplegate Foundation were found, right next door to one of the more energetic games of 5-a-side I’ve seen for quite a while.

The first card from the top of Community Chest deck.

It was then time to move onto the nearest Cask Marque pub which turned out to be another Weatherspoon’s, this time the rather oddly named Masque Haunt. A vast, soulless monstrosity of a corner pub this place was just where I didn’t want to be on a busy Friday evening. The service was fast and friendly and the range of 10 ales was by far superior than The Rockingham Arms (see Old Kent Road) but I came to the sudden crashing realisation that when on your own a full, crowded pub isn’t a good place to be. Some people can oh so easily strike up conversations with strangers, and whilst not a shy person, faced with pockets of well acquainted people I shrunk further into my shell. The pint of Adnams Gunhill was fine but I couldn’t get out of the place fast enough, so fast in fact I didn’t find the Cask Marque certificate even after a close scan of all the walls.

Someone talk to me!

Not wanting to completely waste the evening I made my way back to the tube via Bunhill Row knowing that another Cask Marque pub lay in this direction. Fuller’s Artillery Arms is another corner pub but couldn’t be more different than the Masque Haunt. Traditional, cosy and with a fantastic square bar plonked in the middle of the room, the teaming Friday night crowd were falling out of the door to drink along side the cemetery opposite. The Cask Marque certificate was propped on a table by the window and although I can claim to have stood manfully waiting to be served, I gave up and slunk away with a scan but not a drink drunk.

Must come back to this place - Must also take better photos!

Number of Cask Marque Pubs visited = 35

Target for next visit: Speak to someone! = 0

Apologies to Gash Man = No opportunity for knob gags

Next Stop = Whitechapel Road