Small World Moment (Wenlock Arms, N1)
Published on 25 February 2004 in Pubs, London, pubs, pubs in Central London
There was one of those small world moments yesterday. I was in a training course centre near Old Street in London. I was supposed to be going to a place near Goodge Street but it got swapped at the last minute.
Anyway I’m at the coffee machine, and who should walk past but Jacko!
One course later and we head to the pub, and being near Old Street, there’s only one place to go – the Wenlock Arms.
I love that place – tucked away in a rather industrial area. It doesn’t look special from the outside, but don’t let the dodgy looking net curtains put you off. Inside is a treat. On my first visit, the bar staff treated me like I’d been going there for years, even with the pub being packed out.
And that’s been the case every time we’ve been. Last night, we sat at a table, about to rise and the bar staff simply asked us what we wanted and brought it to us! Now that’s fantastic service!
And the beer… Oh the beer… If I remember correctly there are around 10 handpulls. One usually has cider on it, another normally has a mild on.
We had a pint of Northern All-Niter, another beer which I can’t remember what it was called and a pint of the ultra-rare Greene King XX Mild.
Oh what a pint! We had it by chance (Jacko just asked for a pint of mild), but it’s a fine example of a dark mild if there ever was one. Well worth seeking out if you can actually find it – I haven’t seen it once in a Greene King pub in London. Its sad that it takes a freehouse to get this fine ale in the London area.
When you go to the Wenlock, it will probably have gone, but never dispair – they have a wide range of interesting ales all the time. And even better – their website has details of all the beers they’ve sold since 1997!
And if you are in the area on a Sunday afternoon, pop in and you’ll find the piano being played! What could be better?
- Address:
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26 Wenlock Road, London N1 7TA.
- Website: