Victoria Tavern, Lower Holloway, N7

By sheer coincidence, this was my second back-to-back Vic of the day, something I’ve never done before. A first in here the other day, into a mid-Victorian pub which has undergone many a change of name over the years: Tommy Flynn’s, Phibbers, 12 Bar Club, Beer Kat, Liquor Works and now back to the Victoria Tavern, situated just off the dual carriageway that is Holloway Road, though most of the frontage runs along Chillingworth Road. It’s in close proximity to the multiple campus building belonging to London Metropolitan University. It looks a decent size from the outside but on entering, you realise that this is a rather spacious affair, recently completely refurbished, and probably at great expense judging by the overall finish. Paintwork in here seems to come in two shades of green, despite no longer being an Irish pub: emerald green and a slightly blue-tinged green. It’s a bit much, especially when paired with the acid yellow ceiling. The bar has a gentle curve to it and like much of the pub, is clad in matchboard. Above, are several voluminous blown glass lanterns, tinted a shade of Aperol. A bar back of green – what else – glazed tiles, with shelves resembling what is best describes as scaffold and plank, supports a multitude of cocktail ingredients. Furniture here is high and low, made from wood and tubular steel along with a log burning stove. The floor is modern and pale boarded. Down some steps to the large rear, which displays some bare brick and more conventional furniture. There are steps up to a gallery which appears to eschew the Chernobyl-themed colour scheme in favour of orange. There’s also an open kitchen which will be noisy and generate a lot of heat in summer. A disabled lavatory’s here, but how does the customer negotiate the steps to get to it? It would also seem from the pub’s website that this place is all things to all people with activities aplenty: crazy golf, table football, board games, TV sport and ‘Lego Challenge’ – the models on the website all appear to be having a smashing time, though someone forgot to tell them to watch the football on the TV, as not one soul is remotely interested. The pub was sparsely occupied on my early evening visit, with a clutch of Americans and a mother with toddler in tow. Staff were friendly and enthusiastic though sadly there was just the one ale: Burning Sky’s Plateau. I’ve forgotten the price, but it was quite a bland half although I don’t know how it should taste. This pub may be a fun place for the young and will probably be in great demand from the students. But I think I’ll leave them to it as this isn’t my thing, especially with just the one mediocre ale.

Official site of Victoria Tavern - www.frontierpubs.co.uk

Official site of Victoria Tavern - www.frontierpubs.co.uk

So recently reopened,you could smell the fresh paint.A lot of money has been spent here ,and the exterior has that modern dark bluey/green paint scheme while the original name has been restored,well done ! Inside the area to the front right has a vinyl floor and a canteen feel with metal framed furniture.The rest of the interior has a pine floor,high tables opposite the elegantly curved bar with modern glazed green tiles behind.Around the side of the bar the room opens out to a high celing topped by a roof light and a drop down screen for sports events.Up the stairs leads to another bar,with a snug area,but most of the space given over to table football,quiz machines and crazy golf .It's a fun area no doubt aimed at the students from London Met Uni over the road. There are two handpumps with just Sharp's Coaster available on my trip.However I noticed 8 keg taps offering some leading craft keg from the likes of Thornbridge (Jaipur),Beavertown ,Cloudwater (Baltic IPA) while my Mondo Dennis Hopp'r IPA was really very good,unfiltered ,not too cold or overcarbonated ,expensive at £2.85 the half but far more interesting than the real ale option.There were a further 4 mainstream keg offerings from multinationals. Food was mainly pizze with gluten free options,and there are loyalty cards for food and beer.There was a friendly welcome and tasters are offered,and with a Sunday quiz and sports coverage there is usually something to do here.Shame the real ale is no more than an after thought but I enjoyed my quality keg.

The Liquor Works was the first pub i found open which walking up Holloway Road from Highbury & Islington station. Once inside the bar faces in a decent sized L shaped room,there is a tiled floor,there were settees and bench seating facing the bar to the front,the room extends to the rear on the left side and is down two steps,this area is carpeted and has normal tables and chairs. There were two unclipped hand pumps on the bar,the keg beer was Whitstable Bay Pale Ale,which was a decent enough drink,there was also Whitstable Bay Red IPA on keg. Decent background music was playing. The pub was quite smart and comfortable and empty as it was an early Saturday dinner visit. I thought this was a decent pub to start my Holloway Road and area pub crawl in. Pub visited 25/2/2017