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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat on the Pub Forum

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Submitted on Thursday, 11^th July 2024
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Drayton Park, N5

66 Drayton Park
N5
N5 1ND

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Drayton Park, Highbury

Reviews of Drayton Park (Average Rating: 4½ of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

David Walton left this review about Drayton Park

Have never been to this pub previously in spite of living in the area in the 90’s. Aware of it but preferred other venues nearby. Was surprised to see it had re-opened after, as Tris notes, it was steadfastly closed between lockdowns and for the few year since summer 2021. Trekked here to check it out and it felt like a nice airy pub late afternoon when there was no live sport on and just the chatter of a few locals in. Definitely feels like a few forests have been consumed meeting the wood needs of this place. Looks a far cray from some of the older photos on this site. It felt a bit bare to say the least apart from the strange choice of ceiling lights (on today above the bar only, and so not needed for any functional purpose). There is a pleasant terrace out the back, partially covered to be useful on rainy days.

Beer wise, as noted below no cask. Three sets of 6 beer taps, with lagers galore (Camden Hells, Grolsch, Asahi, Peroni), Guinness, a cider from Orchards, Meantime Prime Pale and something called Hoxton Fresh from the Great Beyond Beer Co. Quite a few of the taps double up the offered beverages. I opted for the last named and it was a pleasant quaff on a muggy late afternoon.

This will probably remain my sole visit here. Not enough on the beer front to tempt me from better beer and more characterful pubs nearby. I am sure given its proximity to the Emirates it will undoubtedly do well and so easy to see that it became a long closed pub that managed to re-open. That is good in itself.

On 24^th July 2024 - rating: 5
[User has posted 631 recommendations about 631 pubs]

Tris C left this review about Drayton Park

The Drayton Park Hotel as was, dates from the late 19th century and until recently, displayed a fine fluorescent Courage sign to the north side, sadly now lost.
The place had remained closed since LockDown I, reopening a few days ago with a deep red colour scheme to the frontage and new Windsor lanterns beneath the fascia, the name picked out in gold, the interior visible on Facebook, where the pub has confused itself with the Drayton Arms in Earls Court, SW5.
Beyond the new plate glass picture windows, the interior is entirely brand new, rendering the previous descriptions redundant. The floor is modern pale boarded, the bar a fake old take with more pale wood and mirrors to the rear, similar (without mirrors) to the front. The walls are clad with natural wood field panelling, the coffered ceiling woody with two recessed aircon units, then some bare brick. There’s no décor aside from a bucket of flowers, with lighting coming from brass ‘n’ glass chandeliers, then Art Nouveau Tiffany-style sconces, Art Nouveau-style downlighters with similar to an internally lit structural column, all to a Dire Straits and Mungo Jerry soundtrack; furniture is traditional with some tall tables, uncleared and a bit sticky.
Aside from some older more traditional locals, the crowd was generally young and enthusiastic to say the least, many standing on the windowsill (see photo), mass hysteria breaking out when the final whistle blew, England beating the Netherlands 2:1, viewed in the shadow of the Emirates’ Clock End, across the Danny Fiszman bridge.
There’s no cask, just a fizz lineup with two keg offerings from Camden and one from Meantime, Pale at £3.00 a half, served by an indifferent barman.
Like a cheap hotel bar, this isn’t a great place; the Woodbine and Bank of Friendship can sleep easy at night.

Rated 3.5.

On 15^th July 2024 - rating: 3
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Rex Rattus left this review about Drayton Park

This is another very basic pub that is probably best avoided when Arsenal are playing at home. It's clearly a locals' pub as there was a group of them around the bar counter in the room on the left. It's carpeted throughout; there are TVs around the place; the room on the right has a pool table, and there's still a bit of old Courage signage on the bar back.

There's no real ale, and no sign of food late afternoon on a Wednesday. I can't see any real reason to want to make a return visit, but I'm very pleased to see that this pub's still here for the locals to enjoy.

On 28^th January 2020 - rating: 4
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]

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