The Junction Tavern, Kentish Town

Situated opposite Kentish Town tube station, The Junction Tavern is an adequate, purpose-serving hostelry geared towards those who wander in after a train journey and those looking for a pre-HMV Forum sup-or-two. Aside from its useful qualities just emphasised, I see little reason to return again.

A rather anonymous exterior � well, it was dark outside � leads into a dimly lit, almost open-plan bar area which is Spartan in set-up and appearance. There was very little to attract my wandering eye, other that the tables and chairs and giant Christmas tree sat in one corner. The pub, as expected, was bustling during my stay, with dinning couples and small groups scattered all around. Background music was sedate and almost unnoticeable. Choice at the bar is predictably mainstream, though two hand-pumps were spotted to supplement the run-of-the-mill keg beers: Abbott Ale and a seasonal offering. I tried neither and instead, opted for an expensive, though be it, refreshing, pint of Guinness Extra Cold. It was poured expertly by the polite and fantastically buxom and beautiful barmaid. So, to conclude: an OK meeting spot and not a lot else � well, other than the hotties behind the bar, of course.

21 Dec 2009 15:17

The Brass Monkey, Victoria

In its previous guise as The Lord Burleigh, The Brass Monkey was a rough-and-ready locals-style establishment, which was of little interest to the passer by. Today, the approach is slightly different � and although perhaps not to everyone�s taste � is more appealing now than before. The unassuming, green-painted facade leads into dimly-lit bar area with laminate flooring and very little to engage the wandering eye. Although unobtrusive, the background music was stereotypically bland and added nothing to the experience. Towards the rear of the pub is a raised area where groups can lounge on the two leather sofas. The toilets are situated up the rickety staircase. My visit was on a recent weekday afternoon, so as you would expect, the clientele was seemingly made up of the local worker population. One surprise and genuine positive is the inclusion of two hand-pumps, saddled beside the selection of keg offerings: Adnam�s Bitter and Timothy Taylor�s, Landlord. The latter-mentioned was served in fine fettle � admittedly, another surprise � and priced at a reasonable �3.00. The two members of staff encountered � one of them an Aussie � were approachable and forthcoming in their service. To conclude: not an establishment a can envisage frequent visits too, but nevertheless, a bar with a few positives to counterbalance the inevitable negatives that accompany 21st century modern-style bars. .

23 Nov 2009 12:50

The King George V, Brompton

A village of sorts, the area of Brompton is situated within the town of Gillingham and finds itself in close proximity to both the Historic Dockyard and the nearby Royal Engineer�s Barracks. In the distant past, the area was awash with pubs, but today, it is only home to a few � and one of those is currently boarded up. The most attractive and enticing of those that remain is here, The King George V. A corner-location hostelry, it sits in fine splendour amongst the picturesque Georgian-era town houses, which would have once been home to the officers of the Engineers regiment. Originally called The Prince of Orange in the 1700�s, the establishment later change its name to The King Of Prussia, before � rather sensibly � opting to the change the name to The King George V during the outbreak of the Great War.

History lessons aside, what you have here, is a quaint, delightful, Cask Marquee accredited ale house, which specials in quality draught beer, spirits and bottled Belgium lagers. The interior is smart and with a resonating warmth throughout. Naturally, a naval theme prevails, with plenty of nautical objects and bric-a-brac adoring the walls. As you would expect with a small pub, seating is limited, but have never failed to grab a pew on my several visits of late. Towards the back of the pub, is a basic, yet accommodating beer patio, which plays host to the beer festivals that crop up from time to time. Background music is aired at a gentle, unobtrusive volume and thankfully does not detract from the relative calm of the atmosphere. The customer-base is generally made up of well-behaved groups, couples and military officer-types � the more raucous and boisterous Cannon (next door) is where you are more likely to find the squaddies. On the ale front, there are four hand-pumps, with Adnams Bitter as the regular, supplemented at all times by a mild and two further guests: they are well-kept and prices are reasonable � also, every pint sampled thus far, has been poured into a special George V etched glass: a very nice touch, indeed. Those encountered behind the bar have been polite and amiable. To conclude: The George V is a wonderful example of how one can maintain and preserve a historic old pub. I highly recommend a visit post-haste.

7 Nov 2009 17:10