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Detail Pages
The Scottish Stores, Kings Cross, N1
N1
N1 9DU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Collins left this review about The Scottish Stores
Just writing in to clarify a couple of the points below and, once again, thanks for the feedback & for anyone reading this we DO run a 10% discount scheme for any CAMRA members.
Firstly, for Mr Pub SignMan. The formulation for all of the Ripple Steam beers have been tweaked recently & have been received extremely well, in particular the "Gold" which we have been running a lot of recently. I'd also like to assure that with the ale volume we are moving we don't have an issue with beer sitting in cask for too long.
For Mr Malden Man. I would very much like to apologise if you were overcharged & knowing my staff as I do, I would certain suggest this was a mistake rather than anything suspicious.
For Mr Bucking Fastard. I don't remember your party being in but I would like to comment that I have been a big fan of Big Chief in the past & therefore bought it in as my first purchase from Redemption. Honestly, I have to agree with your comments that it wasn't as good as when I have had previously & haven't purchased it since as a result. I DO take issue with the fact you may think something untoward may have been going on as this is simply not the case at all & it's probably been the first time in my life that i've had a "shifty" insinuation towards me. As a gesture & as i'd like to welcome you back into the pub, please mail me in advance of your next visit and have a pint on us. (iam.collins4@gmail.com). Cheers.
On 5th May 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Scottish Stores
I have to say that our experience was better than that experienced by BF and Maldenman. There were a couple of Ripple beers on and we had a pint of each, and both were on fine form. We mentioned by chance in passing that we were CAMRA members and the barmaid volunteered the fact that we were entitled to a 10% discount. Both Ripple beers started off at £3.80, and came down to £3.42 with the discount. I would expect the other ales to be more expensive than their "house" Ripple beers though. I didn't see any sign of food or menus when we visited at early doors on Thursday around midday.
The interior is well described by others, so I don't need to repeat it. It's not surprising that it's on CAMRA's Regional Inventory of pubs with historic interiors. As we were the only customers in there, we had a friendly chat with the guv'nor.
With seven ales on, plus a cider on handpump, this is now very much a destination pub. I will certainly be coming back here.
On 8th April 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Scottish Stores
This attractive, Grade II listed pub, dating back to 1901, spent a number of years operating as a stripper's pub called the Flying Scotsman, before re-emerging from behind the obscured front windows as a cosy drink-led traditional pub. This sudden change of direction is good news for drinkers and fans of well-preserved historic pub interiors alike. Despite the place's dubious recent history, the listing has presumably meant that internal changes have been kept to a minimum. The pub has a three room layout, with pleasant dividing walls demarking the limits of each. You enter into the main bar area, where a centrally positioned island servery stands directly opposite. Dark wood flooring runs through the whole pub, with some nice checkerboard tiling around the bar area whilst attractive wood panelling covers much of the walls and partitioning, with decorative touches in abundance and some etched glass also in evidence. Some William Morris wallpaper can be seen in various spots around the bar and this is complimented by matching curtains, giving the room a nice retro feel. There is limited seating in the main bar area, but there are high tables and stools in the open right hand room where the wood panelling has a series of images inserted, each depicting various drinking scenes. Behind the bar there is a small space with more high stool seating and some large floor to ceiling images of a brewer at work, presumably taken at the Ripple Steam Brewery, whose sign hangs nearby and who seem to have a link to the pub. A full circle can be completed by passing the left hand end of the bar to emerge where you entered.
Two Ripple Steam beers - Original Best Bitter and Farmhouse Pale - were available along with Butcombe Bitter, Hop Back Winter Lightning, Stod Fold Amber and a real cider. A decent keg range featuring the likes of Gipsy Hill, Shoreditch and Hammerton was also available, with most fonts in the right hand room. I tried the Farmhouse Pale, served to me by a rather blunt barman and not in particularly good condition to be honest.
I liked the intimate feel of this pub and was encouraged by a good range of cask and keg beers, but the quality of my pint does raise a few questions. The place was a lot quieter than I'd expected, given it's close proximity to Kings Cross station - perhaps it has yet to shake off its previous reputation, but it was still busy enough to generate a good atmosphere. If they can ensure consistent beer quality and address some of the issues mentioned in previous reviews, this could become the go-to pub for the Kings Cross area. The jury is still out.
On 9th February 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Scottish Stores
An attractive old traditional interior with the island bar serving three distinct areas despite the fact you can walk through. Boarded flooring with a chequer tiled slash area around the counter, the high tables around the perimeter actually make sense in here giving much needed room. Nice wood panelling with inserted drawings of hunting scenes, some etched glass, a carved area above the bar has the pub name and date of 1901. William Morris wallpaper with songbirds and flowers matched by the curtains.
Music played but only the bass line was discernible due to the hum of conversation echoing around the hard surfaced interior, no sign of a TV that I could see.
As said previously, eight handpumps, six were on this Saturday, Rebellion Big Chief, Ripple Steam Best Bitter, King Brighton Blonde, Clouded Minds Hazel Nutter, Pig and Porter Coffee Stout and Old Rosie cider. One of the reversed was another Ripple brew.
Now, despite being a nice pub with a great selection, I have a gripe. I had the Big Chief, I don't know the beer really, it tasted ok. I did however pay with a £20 note and didn't check my change, yes, my fault I accept that. On arriving elsewhere later it was evident that either I was charged £5.50 for my pint or I was short changed, I note another reviewer paid £4.50 the previous day. I know this as I somehow left the house with no cash at all and took 20 from the hole in the wall. Honest mistake, who knows? It leaves a bit of a bad taste.
On 31st January 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Scottish Stores
ORIGINAL REVIEW Dec 2015
Formerly a strip joint,the listed interior has been lovingly restored and is worthy of a visit alone.The classic island bar serves three sections seperated by panelling inlaid with etched glass,the interior is modest but the use of high stools and small round tables maximises the space and the friendly drinking vibe is very authentic.The new operation also features 8 handpumps with pub owners Ripple Steam Farmhouse Pale and Original Best,Hammerton N1 (excellent condition),Stod Fold Amber,Wild Card King of Hearts,Pig&Porter Red Spider Rye (tip top),Butcombe Bitter and Old Rosie Cider on my trip.There are some interesting keg beers to boot in the side bar.
I am sure one day this will feature in the GBG ,but I am hard pressed to think of a better boozer than this near to Kings Cross,it's a must visit in my book.
UPDATE
Oh dear,four of us pitched up and on ordering four pints of Redemption Big Chief the guv'nor responded with " I like your style" ,a strange remark.The ale was very clear and in good condition but tasted nothing like Big Chief but rather a very malty ,hop lite brew where the high alcohol content inhibited drinking in much the same way as happens with GK Abbott or Dogbolter from days of old.Needless to say,the pints were not finished .It is always possible that on a busy Friday there may have been pump clip confusion or the wrong barrel was connected ,but there were too many tells from the guv'nor (who was keeping an eye on us) to suggest that on a busy time with a lot of transient trade ,and at £4.50 per pint something untoward may have been at play.I would be wary of a revisit .
On 30th January 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2728 recommendations about 2728 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Scottish Stores
To all intents and purposes despite its former guises, it's now a very good traditional boozer with a welcome modern outlook on the beer front,a central island bar boasts eight handpumps with a varied and interesting lineup including one Cider, handily all listed below by Bucking Fastard who shared this enjoyable visit with me along with John Gray. .It has an authentic lived in boozer ambiance and I for one will be back sooner than later hopefully.
On 31st December 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Scottish Stores
What have they done to my fav strip joint.Only turned it back into a boozer.What a great job they have done. Original panelling,tiling and glass give it a great feel.Same beers on as previous post and in good condition.Friendly staff.(maybe not as friendly as the previous staff .Know what I mean John. nudge - nudge, wink - wink.
On 28th December 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Collins left this review about The Scottish Stores
From the Manager. Many thanks for the review below, much appreciated. Just to say that there were already more chairs on order when the review was posted so the "vertical drinking" aspect has already been looked after. Cheers.
On 16th December 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Scottish Stores
This pub reopened in the second week of December 2015 having reverted back to its original name of the Scottish Stores, rebuilt in 1901 for Truman's but dating back to at least the 1880s and now Grade II Listed. It's situated at the bottom of the infamous but increasingly gentrified Caledonian Road, once synonymous with kerb crawlers. Indeed, this place had a reputation as being a rather seedy clip joint-cum-strippers pub; windows were blanked out and awful wheezing old duffers could be seen hanging around the entrance, this pub was best appreciated at a fast walk from the opposite side of the road.
Well it's not like that anymore. With the massive redevelopment and regeneration of King's Cross and St. Pancras station, it's no surprise that the increasing wealth has spread out to here. No longer are the windows blanked out, the interior is cosy and inviting; this pub is listed on CAMRA's London Regional Inventory of pubs with interiors of special historic interest. There's a lot of very fine wood panelling in here with some wood and cut glass screens and painted polychromatic panels. Lighting isn't bright and seems to be modern in source, but not so modern as to upset the purists. The interior's rather small with a bar at centre with tiled apron. It's also painfully short on seating with just a handful of bar stools to the walls with a few tiny high tables; muted music played over the stereo.
Staff were friendly and efficient and it's obvious that the emphasis here is on real ale, especially London artisanal breweries along with 6 craft beers on keg. On the conveyor belt tonight: Ripple Steam Brewery's Original Best Bitter and Farmhouse Pale Ale, Dark Star Brewing Co's American Pale Ale, Moncanda Brewery's Notting Hill stout, Hammerton Brewery's N1, Frog Island Brewery's Best Bitter and Wild Card Brewery's King of Hearts; Wurzels are catered for with Weston's Old Rosie.
My pint of King of Hearts, a 4.5% ABV blonde ale, was very good indeed and served in a proper pot. It did though cost £4.40 which is very steep - this area may be much improved but it's not £4.40-a-pint improved. I enjoyed this place and it wasn't too full - yet - though I'll bet that once news of its change of management has spread, it'll fill up pretty soon. I also didn't appreciate the emphasis on vertical drinking, though it would be hard to incorporate tables given the lack of space. Nevertheless, this is certainly one to visit.
On 11th December 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Flying Scotsman
Not sure if eta was in this Flying Scotsman or another bar. Exterior with no windows gives an initial impression that it's shut. A dark interior with a central island bar serving a standard draught selection. 2 young ladies asked if I wanted them to dance for me(don't think it was my dour Scottish Presbyterian charm that attracted them) but it was a bit early for that sort of thing. Still nice to see a place like this surviving the gentrification that seems so prevalent.
On 21st October 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]