The Old Queens Head, Islington

In context, this is an excellent little place. Yes it's popular, and as with most places that have a queue after a certain time you should get there early. It also costs nothing this way, and a member of staff stamps your hand if you're sitting out the front. The outside space is sufficient for a pub in this location, but get seated early to avoid disappointment or loiter with intent.

The club upstairs is a comfortably intimate venue with a good mix of professionals and student types, and a cosmopolitan vibe. bar service is acceptable (smile - don't wave a twenty) as is the choice of music.

Only major complaint is that one of the DJs the night I was there was truly dire and amateurish. I'm just glad I didn't pay to get in. Good venue if you're organised.

12 Jun 2007 20:25

The Custom House, Romford

This place has always been a bar as far as I can remember. Originally a 'Global Netcafe' around the time a netcafe popped up in every major town in england (ninety-four or ninety-five?), and then about three other things I can't remember the names of.

It's always been one of those 'cafe during the day, music and booze at night' venues and, meaning you could get wasted in there of an evening and then cure the hangover with breakfast in there the next day. They used to do a 'bottomless pot' of tea, which we tested to its supposedly non-existent limit. By the time the staff had realised we'd been there 2 hours, we'd had about fifteen cups each and were so hyper that they didn't dare arguing with us.

The Mango vibe is really good, and apart from consistently bumping into some old 'school chums' it's a bloody good night. It's also the only place in Romford my posh Buckinghamshire wife has enjoyed a night out in. The DJ plays mainly r'n'b and some horrid chart stuff amongst more credible material, and manages to annoy me every time I go there by saying "and a little bit later on we're going into the oldskool", but never actually does. Stays open fairly late so it's a good place to end up. The toilets get very messy though. If there was someone in there asking for tips because he's cleaning up I'd gladly oblige, but instead there's some bloke selling squirts of aftershave, lollypops, and tries charging labour for helping you wash your own hands! The only downside of a quality venue.

10 Feb 2006 15:57

Archers, Gidea Park

Being out of town (and a listed property, i expect), the Archers has retained it's original character and spirit. A couple of my mates lived directly opposite a while back, in such a position that they could see if the pool table was free from their own living room. We used to spend every Sunday evening down there participating in, and winning a few times, the excellent DJ-run pub quiz.

But then things changed for the worse - the brewery allegedly caught the manager selling his own booze on the side and promptly sacked him. The new bloke that came in to replace him was a wally. to be frank, and, sin of sins, took away the quiz!! We subsequently boycotted the pub (not before we had a good bust-up with him) and told everyone else not to go there. Tragically, a couple of months after this, the poor bloke died of a heart attack! Alas, the pub quiz did not return. Sounds like they didn't get a better manager either.

10 Feb 2006 15:46