Boston Arms, Tufnell Park, N19

Tris C left this review about Boston Arms

Though having passed this pub all my life, last night was my first-ever visit to this former Whitbread house which dates from the mid-19th century but was rebuilt in 1899 as this very commanding junction landmark with distinctive clock tower and cupola, visible far and wide.
This place never had an appealing-looking clientele, seemingly old men in varying states of pickledness; and whereas Jesus could walk on water, these men seemed to run on lager. It was also a rather scruffy place and the name in Gaelic script along with the festoons of painted shamrocks made the place even less inviting.
Due to the pestilence lockdown, the owners have decided to give it a makeover to bring it in line with the expectations of those who live in this increasingly gentrified area and are more likely to frequent the Lord Palmerston and Junction Tavern which bookend this pub, around 150 yards each side to the north and south.
The interior is substantial and it’s obvious on entering, that ‘makeover’ is an understatement. There’s a modern wood laminate floor with a slightly raised area to the curved front. The furniture is dark wood modern traditional and there’s a peripheral banquette to the eastern periphery, upholstered in pale grey and blue tartan cloth. Walls and ceiling are white, the latter covered in Anaglypta; downlighting seems to rule the roost here. There’s a modern traditional bar with enclosed pot shelf above. What really strikes the drinker though, is the incredibly low ceiling. This must once have been something of a gin palace so I simply don’t believe that the ceiling is as low as you’d expect to find in a village pub; it may be to house the ducting for the flush fitting aircon vents, which aren’t attractive. There’s a fair amount of bare brick to the rear along with some dark wood wainscoting. The four or more TVs (and projector zone) indicate that the pub will doubtless become a sports bar, especially when the team playing is from the Emirates, just up the road; on our visit they were showing the news with the sound off, to what purpose (other than look unattractive) is not certain, but at least they didn’t compete with the subdued music wafting out of the stereo. There’s little in the way of décor here, apart from some period prints of the area to the wall at the rear; there are also a fair number of potted palms dotted about. There’s still darts though, contained in a recess to the rear. Oddly, the windows are double glazed and are shaded with dark wood louvre blinds, which are a bit incongruous in a Victorian pub, not that anything Victorian remains, sadly. The lavs are modern and swanky with two cubicles no less, but have to have male and female genders applied to the doors in Gaelic, for some reason.
Customers were few, but they certainly weren’t the old geezers of yore, most being rather young and fashionable. Indeed, I overheard a couple sitting near me commenting on the change in the pub’s calibre of customer, for the better.
Staff were friendly and efficient, bringing drinks to table as is now the custom. Unfortunately, there’s still no real ale here, the mainstay being Beavertown’s Neck Oil or Gamma Ray, thereafter Eurofizz, Strongbow, Guinness (of course, good but at a staggering £5.40 per pint) and then John Smith’s Extra Smooth Crap.
It’s good to see a rather moribund pub reinventing itself, but the overall result is a bit like drinking in a soulless airport departure lounge, without the benefit of real ale. I don’t see how the Boston Arms can compete with the Junction or Palmerston and the retention of the name in Gaelic script flanked by shamrocks will be off-putting to some.

On 22^nd October 2020 - rating: 3
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