The Starting Gate, N22

Sporting two Taylor Walker sign frames, this dates from 1875 when neighbouring Alexandra Palace was built and was originally a café – the Palace Hotel – which had become a pub by 1896, the current interior – CAMRA inventory considered to be Regionally Historic – dating from an 1899 refit, grade II-listed, the current name dating from 1958 with the arrival of the former racecourse. The partitioned interior with its snob screens, cut and etched glass and mirrors is indeed very fine, with photos and description on CAMRA’s site; furniture is traditional with some oxblood banquettes, but with what appears to be a modern extension to the rear. There’s little in the way of décor – the pub doesn’t really need it – other than vases of cut flowers, then little posies in glass bottles to tables. Customers were few in number for a Friday, mixed in age and surely all local. The ale front initially appeared to be fairly enticing, with Salopian Shropshire Gold, Pride, Vocation Heart & Soul and Willy Crafty Fox. However, they all had a ‘Coming Soon’ tag on each pump. And on a Friday. Really? Is this pub so incompetent that it can’t get a single cask ale up and running on what is frequently the busiest day of the week? Or is it that the pub doesn’t in fact actually do real ale anymore. In fact, I’ve since learnt that this policy has cost the pub consideration for inclusion in the GBG 2024. Reluctantly, I had to settle for a half of Camden Pale (a painful £3.15), served by an instantly forgettable member of staff. This place is worth a look for the heritage factor, but it’s a faff to reach and the lack of cask is a disincentive.

Facebook page of The Starting Gate - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Starting Gate - www.facebook.com

A classic Victoria London boozer,with an island bar,buttoned back leather bench seating ,traditional furniture ,a solid dark wooden floor and tiled fireplace with a wood framed mirror above,all split into different sections by wooden dividers with etched glass.It has a traditional feel and care has been taken with decorations to maintain an authentic interior.To one side there is a more modern corridor with exposed brickwork and seating booths opposite which in turn leads to a small external terrace with wicker furniture. There were real flowers at each table,and a short menu of sandwiches and pub grub but food doesn't dominate while the muzak was well chosen and not too loud. Although there were 5 handpumps ,only two were working on my Friday afternoon visit with an enjoyable Harviestoun Summer Legends (at a ridiculous £4.25 for a 3.5% ABV) and Doom Bar together with a few standard kegs. With a Monday quiz,and a friendly welcome I expect this is well used by local people and I thought the interior was worth inspecting.Opposite Ally Pally station and worth using if you are going to an event.

Official site of The Starting Gate - www.thestartinggate.co.uk

Official site of The Starting Gate - www.thestartinggate.co.uk

Built originally as a café in the same year as the nearby Alexandra Palace, this place was converted into pub use in 1896 and despite now being a food-led enterprise, pleasingly retains a number of late Victorian features. The interior has a layout typical of former multi-roomed pubs, with a central island servery and numerous entrance points (most blocked up now), hinting at a previous compartmentalised set-up. Nowadays it is possible to walk all the way around the bar, although some sections of partitioning wall remain, breaking the place up to a degree and giving the feel of notional rooms. The bar area is bare boarded and there are numerous pleasant etched glass window panes and mirrors around the room as well as similar glasswork inserts in the partitioning screens. High tables and stools make up the majority of the seating options to the front of the pub, complimented by a couple of button backed banquettes. Over on the left hand side, a porch with smart cut-glass panes acts as a strong focal point, and there was also a TV screen showing a muted BBC programme and a series of antipasti serving paddles hung on the end wall which had been decorated to make it look like a chalkboard. The bar on this side has a section where snob screen would once have been located, but now just the empty frame remains, whilst original screens can still be viewed nearby. A large arch leads through to an area on the right hand side with some sofas in front of a lovely tiled fireplace with a rather grand mirror above set into a dark wood frame, whilst a second TV screen hangs to one side. The décor here incorporates some modern wallpaper and a couple of slot machines, neither of which enhances the look of the pub. The room extends further to the rear on this side where a conventional dining space can be found, offering formal table and chair arrangements, bare brick walls and an open kitchen with large pizza oven in the rear corner - pizza being the pub's culinary speciality. Three handpulls lined up at the front of the bar, but two were out of action, with Black Sheep Bitter the sole option on this visit at £2.95 for a pint. Mine was in pretty good condition but I couldn't help but think that a slightly more adventurous ale might have made the visit all the more memorable. I can't say I was expecting a great deal from this visit, so was pleasantly surprised to discover an unusual, reasonably well preserved pub that makes for a good stop off point if you're heading to or from Alexandra Palace (being situated opposite the train station of the same name).

Run by an outfit called Pizza Kitchen Bars, by don't be put off by the branding because it is actually quite an interesting place. The large windows and high ceiling give it an airy feel, showing off the attractive island bar to good effect. There are three glazed screens, and some decorative glass remains. Mixed furniture and several sports TVs. Large rear dining room featuring the pizza servery. Unfortunately, only one of the three handpumps was working on the day I visited. Handy for Alexandra Palace station.