Polski Bar Sportowy, Palmers Green, N13

Yes, this is now well and truly shut as a pub and is now a supermarket. So this large Victorian corner pub of some reputation in my youth still sells alcohol but not as it was intended when the original Cock Inn was thought to have been built in the middle of the 15th Century (1549). It was rebuilt in 1885 and sat in large grounds which, on August Bank Holiday 1887, Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Year, allowed 25000 people to go to the Cock to celebrate. It was known as the Cock Tavern all the way up to the late 90’s and the intersection of green lanes and the North Circular on what it sits is still known as the Cock interchange to many. My remembrances start in the late 70’s in the early days of my pub going when it was a place of some reputation for large young crowds and trouble. So much so that the local police station used to send the Black Maria’s around 11.00PM on a Friday and Saturday night without waiting to be called as it kicked off with such regularity at chucking out time. And since then it has gone through several iterations but has never achieved the popularity of those days, partially because it struggled to lose the less than savoury reputation, but more due to the fact that it became a bit isolated as the North circular went from a single lane to the three lane main thoroughfare it is today. These included being a music venue in the early 80’s which was good when it had rock bands , but they ruined it by trying to cash in on the disco trend, then a sports bar in the mode of modern day ‘Walkabouts’ and finally a Polish bar as reported by Steve below. But in all these it struggled to provide the return that is needed to keep a large Victorian place like this viable. So, the Cock Tavern may be gone, but it is not forgotten in the annals of Palmers green history.

This is a very large pub on a busy junction of the A406 North Circular. I counted seven pool tables that had been moved and covered to create a dance floor. There were also two other pool tables in use. There was a cover charge of £3 on the Friday night I went for the disco and the pub showed no signs of closing when I left at 00:30. The pub name obviously gives away the fact that the vast majority of patrons are Polish and they seemed to be enjoying themselves dancing to hard house and Polish music that sounded like a throw back to the 80's. This is a sports bar so there are plasma screens dotted around the pub and there is also a test your strength boxing machine that seemed popular with the hod carriers. After fighting my way through the pungent mist that was created by the overactive fog machine I managed to get to the bar where I was confronted by plenty of standard lager, Zywiec, and John Smiths. There were also bottles of Perla and Lech piled high in boxes behind the bar. The two staff were more interested in serving the locals, but fortunately for me it wasn't that busy so I didn't have to wait that long each time I went to the bar. The pub was overlooked by a few bouncers who I found to be very friendly unlike the flower selling woman who was wandering around the pub all night. There is plenty of outside seating, but this pub is on the North Circular so it isn't the greatest spot for alfresco drinking. Ten years ago I would have probably enjoyed going here with my mates, but I'm afraid those days have long since gone. Maybe during the week and the daytime at the weekend it is a little more civilised and a few quiet games of pool can be played whilst watching the football, maybe I will return.