Faltering Fullback, N4

A great looking pub internally as describeed by Ian and Tris below but was left a little disappointed by the average beer selection, Pride, Landlord and Sharps Atlantic, the TT Landlord was OK but at £5.60 a pint I won't be rushing back.

On first visit impressions, this is an absolutely cracking pub. Ignored by the 2022 CAMRA GBG in preference for the Brave Sir Robin (later visited), I was only aware of its presence from the London Pubs Facebook Group. Its slightly off the main road and with all the topiary camouflage, you may not noticed it! It got something for everyone.... two lovely front bars - with ceiling mounted nick nacks. Looked a proper pub. Good beer - TT Landlord at an eye watering £5.60 but in great condition. Think London Pride was also on. Huge sports room with high ceiling, loads of benches, all facing the big screens. Bet its amazine when there is a big game on. As you would expect, Rugby. Go involved in a long and interesting conversation with a local pub enthusiast. Everything was pleasant about my visit. Would love to come back.

Built in the mid-19th century as the Sir Walter Scott, the exterior sports a good surviving example of a red and gold illuminated Courage box sign, just visible projecting from the foliage. Inside, and it’s clearly an Irish pub with a rugby theme, hence the name. The interior is well described and photographed on CAMRA’s heritage website (likewise the pub’s own), for this has an interior of Regional Importance. There’s a fantastic field panelled ceiling from which a multitude of knickknacks dangle, a bit like the interior of the Hemingford; Daniel Radcliffe has filmed here too. There are framed prints to the walls, as well as framed rugby shirts. The front bar is essentially a very attractive place to drink or should be. The problem here is that, as mentioned, it’s very dark in here with light mainly coming from the TV as well as the illuminated fisheyes affixed to the forest of unattractive drinks’ founts, like giant chrome stalagmites rising from the bar, partially obscuring the view of the barman. Further light comes from candles stuck into JD bottles on each of the exclusively high tables. The next room has furniture of conventional height, where lighting is less dazzling due to the lack of a TV and fewer fisheyes. Beyond, is a very large room, a bit like a canteen or refectory with open kitchen but otherwise quite plain, where live music is played. What I really wanted to explore though, was the garden, which is one of London’s most famous, having the nickname of the ‘Ewok Village’ – it’s a bit like a sketch by M. C. Escher: you walk up to one level, walk down to another, then up two and so on; it’s real maze but worth the effort; waiters navigated it with aplomb, despite carrying trays of Thai food. A rather ordinary ale range though at least three, with Sharp’s Atlantic, Pride and Landlord, on good form but at a painful £5.50. This is certainly worth a visit if only to admire the garden, but the lighting in the otherwise lovely front bar makes it a place where I wouldn’t want to linger; one for the summer months, perhaps.

The Faltering Fullback is also my favourite pub close to Finsbury Park train station and I have utilised it several times for the rugby and especially for watching the Saracens when they have a televised game that I don’t have tickets for. The front bar areas and the “Sin Bin” have been well described by previous reviewers but the wonderful courtyard outback needs additional praise. As Steve says below it is indeed a triumph of terraced design in how to fit the most outside garden seating into the smallest available space and when I staggered post game into it blinking from the internal darkness of the no natural light Sin Bin, every nook and cranny, ledge table and chair was being utilised on this post Saturday lunchtime. The three available beers on for my last visit were the usual London Pride, then Sharps Atlantic and a very quaffable Trumans Swift. The Faltering Fallback is a good pub for the Rugby and it’s a good pub for when the suns out in Finsbury Park. And when the two collide, it’s a really good pub.