A FINSBURY FROLIC

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Less words, more pics from That London, including a rare diversion into unheralded Finsbury.

Finsbury

A night at Tower Bridge was inevitably followed by a Miner’s Benedict in the scruffiest (but somehow lovable) Spoons in the kingdom.

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I resisted the easy-drinking breakfast beer.

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No ta

You risk bumping into folk, of course, but there’s some weird stuff around Liverpool St at the moment.

This is clearly a Japanese micro on London Wall.

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Entrance that will test even Duncan

The other big draw here is the Crossrail Tourist Office, now selling souvenirs of the 2018 grand opening at 25% off.

At Liverpool Street I ignored the urgent instructions from Google Maps and went out on a limb, probably in search of overpriced artisanal coffee.

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Ten-a-penny London architecture

Instead I ended up at Bunhill Fields Burial Ground.  It seems you’re drawn to cemeteries once you reach 50, or realise you’re never going to get an NBSS 5 beer.

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Dead at 50

An area either side of Old Street I’ve rarely ventured, a mix of council housing, a Museum of Methodism, Union offices and closed pubs.

The Britannia, a “working-class local” sounds like a BeerMat of a pub.

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Details are sketchy

The snapshot of GBG pubs in the area is enlightening.  Only that bastion of Proper Pubbiness in hispster land, the Old Fountain.

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Poor old Barbican

Sadly, the Corner Bar has replaced handpumps with Thai food.

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Will bet Alan Winfield was here

Pentonville brings smarter housing but less scruffy pubs, a win/lose for me.

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Very Mary Poppins
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No longer called the George & Monkey, obvs

It’s a gem of a walk, the peace only broken as you emerge at the back of the Time Out offices and spot Kings Cross Road.

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Make a great Spoons

I’ll leave you with some London poetry, it probably being poetry day somewhere in the world.

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Never change/always change.

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

24 thoughts on “A FINSBURY FROLIC”

  1. Do you know the story behind that Japanese-style building? Whoever decided to install that clearly spared no expense– it really looks like a genuine building from Japan dropped out of the sky and landed there!

    I do love seeing these little references to Alan Winfield. He would be pleased to know he is still celebrated on a regular basis.

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  2. I had a pint in The Britannia almost exactly a year ago, It was very much a locals pub to the extent that just after opening time on a Sunday, three of the bar stools had reserved signs on them awaiting the incoming regulars, I kid you not.

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    2. Regulars who have a lie in on Sunday morning and can’t get there for opening time.
      You get all sorts in London nowadays.

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  3. Very harsh Paul.
    Even God had a lie-in with a cuppa and some Marmite on toast on the seventh day.

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  4. My inner jury is out, on whether that is a scruffier ‘Spoons than the Barking Dog, in Barking, Martin 🙂

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  6. Goodmans Fields is fine by me -been many times whilst staying in Premier Inn near Old (closed ) Dispensary.It was the scene of the Great Fish Friday scandal when a plate turned up with only 4 chips -oh how we laughed .At breakfast time we have generally found it very civilised

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