London's Best Irish Pubs (allegedly)
A bit out of date with the Harps Irish Landlady.
"Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
-W.C.Fields
Are there any genuine Irish pubs in London? I've never been to Kilburn and Cricklewood pubs apart from the Spoons. That had Irish people in it but it doeesn't make it an Irish pub. The same goes for the Blythe Hill Tavern as far as I'm concerned.
The only proper Irish pub I can recall going to was this one over 40 years ago which I think was at number 7 Queensland Road not 13. It was a basic two bar Ind Coope pub with no real ale and the Saloon bar had traditional Irish music several nights a week and Sunday lunchtime. They used to play the Irish national anthem at closing time and everyone was expected to stand. I only knew it as the Favourite (sic) rather than the Volunteer.
Agreed, despite the former landlady's heritage it was (and still is I assume) billed and run as a shrine to real ale and cider.
I vaguely remember being dragged to some place near Piccadilly Circus years ago that was supposed to be an Irish pub but it certainly wasn't, it was a fake designed to attract the gullible tourists.
1. The Spaniards Inn, London - with my grandparents, must be about 50 years ago! (I did have a drink but obviously not an alcoholic one.)
7. The Skirrid Mountain Inn, Wales - not terribly impressed with this or the other Welsh entry.
9. The Drunken Duck Inn, Ambleside - more of a restaurant than a pub these days, unfortunately.
16. Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, Nottingham - not so much a pub as a tourist attraction.
21. Crown Posada, Newcastle - the only one I've been to on this list that I would unhesitatingly revisit.
22. Groes Inn, Conwy - see Skirrid Inn above
Hoping to get to 17. Stein Inn, Isle of Skye later this year.
Come On You Hatters!
We are all equal,but some are more equal than others
Revealed: The 16 best real ale pubs in Yorkshire
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/yorks...hire-1-7200672
Barnsley: Old No 7.
Bradford: Jacobs Beer House.
Doncaster: Corner Pin.
Halifax: Three Pigeons.
Harrogate: Harrogate Tap.
Mirfield: Flower Pot.
Huddersfield: Grove Inn. (Actually The Grove.)
Beverley: Chequers Micropub.
Keighley: Brown Cow.
Leeds: Kirkstall Bridge Inn.
Hawes: White Hart Country Inn.
Rotherham: Beehive. (Actually in Harthill which is part of Sheffield, going by postal districts, but I think it must come under Rotherham Camra.)
Pickering: Sun Inn.
Sheffield: Kelham Island Tavern.
Castleford: Junction.
York: Maltings.
I've done nine out of these 16. The usual problems arise when looking at lists like this one:
a) Hold on a minute, [insert name of pub here] isn't even the best pub in [insert name of town here], never mind one of the best in [insert name of county here].
b) It's clearly not a list of the best 16 pubs in Yorkshire, it's a list of geographically diverse pubs where you can be fairly sure of a good pint. A good example here is the White Hart in Hawes: there are at least 16 pubs in Sheffield that are "better" than this one, but of course the list "has to" include one in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
...and: the Camra map embedded in the article actually lists 17 pubs (though there are 16 pub markers, the Grove and the Flower Pot having one between them), the one not mentioned in the article being:
Middlesbrough: Dr Phil's Real Ale House
but then , of course, everyone knows that Middlesbrough's not in Yorkshire, is it. Discuss....
Come On You Hatters!