September 2024. Edmonton. London.
The new GBG (25) is in the hands of the most devoted tickers (but not me or Eddie), and I guess I’ll continue to let it guide me to pubs old and new as long as the Good Book produces new entries as good as the Rising Sun in Edmonton.
Actually, it was in GBG23 as well, just out of reach on my occasional assaults on London, and I’d have struggled to tell you much about Edmonton apart from the Spurs ground (why, Spurs, why ?) and a raft of Turkish kebab shops.
Even the Old Hammam hasn’t been turned into a craft bar, yet.
It’s a lively but scruffy bit of London, rubbish strewn in gardens and cars parked along the kerb,
but growing despair turns to joy as the Rising Sun hoves into view.
What a gorgeous looking boozer, Taylor Walker lamps and all.
This is the sort of pub that folk on CAMRA’s Discord will tell you don’t get recognition anymore, but here it is, a two room gem with Old Boys lining the bar and a modest cask range.
A soundtrack from 1988, the last year Tottenham beat Arsenal, but not the 1988 music scene you remember (best not search for that video);
The moderately rare Vale Porter is the only clue this might be a GBG pub, my pint the very definition of NBSS 3.5+, cool and chewy.
Bonus pic of scummy head.
Friendly landlord, three blokes discussing “f*****g Muswell Hill”, one on the fruits, one reading a book, one on his phone. It is the very essence of Tottenham public life;
The phone rings.
“Hello ! I’m in the boozer !”
retiredmartin 
Never heard of Skinny Puppy and that video should come with a warning. Wikipedia tells me that Skinny Puppy accused the US military of using their music to torture inmates at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, without the band’s knowledge or permission. In response, the band sent an “invoice” to the Pentagon.
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Thanks for the warning, Jon. I had a feeling, following the opening, on-screen text, that the video wasn’t going to be pleasant viewing, or listening, so I hit the stop button, and left it at that!
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It’s art
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Yeah, didn’t fancy that one either
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Martin, tearing apart a stuffed dog on stage, might well be “art” for some people, but I’m sure I’m not the only person that finds it offensive. Also, what is its relevance to a post about a rather unassuming, north London pub?
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Apols to Jon and Paul, I hadn’t watched the video while listening to the track so wasn’t unaware of that content. I’ve taken the video link off the post.
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Thank-you.
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I thought that area was Edmonton Green (was known as Lower Edmonton)
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It’s traditional for CAMRA GBG entries to be moved around annually, and I’m a stickler for tradition. Is there even a place called North edmonton (that isn’t Ponders end).
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