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Detail Pages
The Starting Gate, N22
N22
N22 7SS
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Steve of N21 left this review about The Starting Gate
This is another pub I have utilised on many occasions over the years but somehow amazingly never got round to reviewing it on Pubs Galore. It’s a fine Victorian corner pub, both inside and outside, as described by others below. For those of us who live on the Moorgate to Hertford North line it is ideally placed opposite Alexandra Palace train station and when I mistime the walk down the hill from the Palace and just miss a train (which I do frequently), it’s a great spot to enjoy a pint whilst waiting for the next half hourly service.
Originally built in 1875, at the same time as the opening of the second Alexandra Palace (the first one opened in 1873 and completely burnt down 16 days after opening), it was originally the Palace Café before becoming a pub in 1896, when it became known as the Alexandra Palace Hotel. When the Great Eastern Railway station opposite opened in 1906 it became the Alexandra Palace and Railway Hotel, subsequently known as the Railway Hotel.
In my position as a guide for both the Park and the Palace I feel I need to correct the mistake below that the pub then changed its name to the Starting Gate in 1958 when the Horse racing track originally opened. This is not true, and you should be careful what you blindly copy form WhatPub as CAMRA do not always get their facts correct. The Horse Racing track in the park originally opened on Tuesday 30th June 1868, even before the original Palace was built and had been running for some 87 years before the pub changed its name. The course started putting on floodlit evening meetings in 1955 and the pub was probably renamed sometime after to try and attract the pre and post evening meet crowds. When the track was finally closed in 1970 at some point the pub became known just as the Gate before sensibly reverting to the original name a few years ago.
It has retained several interesting and original internal features (as correctly described on CAMRA’s Heritage Interiors listing) but the multi room set up has now gone and it is possible to walk completely around the central bar.
Pre Covid it was beginning to get a bit of a local reputation for interesting ale options, but unfortunately post covid it hasn’t really got its act together and like the reviewer below I too have suffered several false starts (see what it did there!) on recent visits. For example, my early evening visit last Wednesday got me originally excited when I walked in to all four pumps badged with Dark star Skylab, Sharp’s Solar Wave, Hogs Back Surrey Nirvana and Birmingham Brewing Company Blonde Brummie. Well, I was excited until I spotted the dreaded “Coming Soon” tag on the latter two. Oh well still two decent beers to choose from. But then the conversation went thus:-
Me: “A pint of Skylab please”
Barmaid: “Sorry that is off”
Me: “Really?, OK I’ll try the Solar Wave Please”
Pump splutters and finally there is something in the glass…
Barmaid: “Er Please try it, It might be gone as well”
Me: “Ughh, no you are right that’s not good. Anyway I am in no hurry I’ll wait until you put a new barrel on of either of those”
Barmaid: “No sorry, only the manager changes the barrels and he won’t be in till tomorrow”
Now I do not agree with Tris on many things, but I will certainly agree with him that is not the type of behaviour that gets you in the GBG.
I would still recommend a visit to look at what is a splendid example of Victorian Pub architecture and just hope you time your visit to when the current manager could be arsed to put a barrel of ale on.
On 18th August 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Starting Gate
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.
On 7th February 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Starting Gate
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.
On 11th August 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Gate
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).
On 29th December 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Gate
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.
On 15th March 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Gate
This was previously called the Starting Gate and has now had its name truncated for some reason, as is the way with many pubs. It’s just across the road from Alexandra Palace station, and has nice views over the park over the road. This is a CAMRA Regional Inventory Heritage pub, so it retains some internal original features. In this case it’s mainly some original late Victorian screenwork, with the etched glass featuring small birds that the Victorians seemed to go for. The bar counter’s also original, as is the wooden arch over the central island servery.
The floor’s bare-boarded with what looks like the original boards, and furnishings are mainly normal tables and chairs although I did spot a couple of armchairs and a tall table with attendant tall stools. Because of the extant screenwork the pub’s effectively still divided into separate drinking areas. There’s no wall decor to mention – thank goodness, as it would obscure the glasswork in most areas. The tables have fake flowers on them.
There were two ales on – Brain’s SA, and something called “House Ale” advertised on a handwritten pump clip. A third pump had a Doom Bar clip reversed. The barmaid didn’t know what the house ale was, although she did give me a taster. It was clearly something by Greene King, so going for the SA wasn’t exactly a “no Brainer”. The food menu specialises in pizzas - £4.75 or so for the six-incher and £8.75 or so for the twelve-incher.
This is actually quite a nice pub, and I have to say that the pizzas seemed good quality. But I reckon I hit it on a bad day as it seemed a bit uncomfortable because they were having some work done and the drilling was a bit offputting. Another time I’m sure it would be much better. I would drop in again if in the area.
On 25th October 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Gate
I found this to be a decent enough pub with an eating area and stone oven for baking pizzas at the rear and reasonable bar at the front. Adnams, Guinness and standard/premium lagers were all available from a polite barmaid and Sky Sports football was playing on a projector screen and plasma.
This is not somewhere I would go out of my way to visit or stay in all night, but it is ok for a couple of swifties or maybe a nice looking pizza.
On 5th November 2008
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5249 recommendations about 5217 pubs]