# Elm Park Tavern, 76 Elm Park, SW2 2UB - chat, quiz, updates



## clandestino (Jul 16, 2009)

We're venturing out to the Elm Park Tavern quiz tonight. I haven't been since the days of Team Clever and Chris Filter's encyclopedic knowledge of cheese, but I'm looking forward to it. I know some other Urbanites are regulars at this, so maybe see you there.


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## billythefish (Jul 16, 2009)

I am a regular there, but sadly won't be making it due to suspected swine flu...

Good luck - and don't forget to buy raffle tickets for the rollover!


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## clandestino (Jul 16, 2009)

Ha ha! We won! Almost...well, we came second. We won a box of Magners.



We lost, of course, to a team called Muffdivers For Jesus.


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## 5t3IIa (Jul 16, 2009)

Congratulations! Sometimes at my quiz the winners win _so hard_ that it seems like the 2nd placed people really won 

Gimme some sample questions?


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## clandestino (Jul 16, 2009)

The best one was the one that eme got right. It was something like: which mammal has the longest tongue?


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## 5t3IIa (Jul 16, 2009)

ianw said:


> The best one was the one that eme got right. It was something like: which mammal has the longest tongue?



Anteater?


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## 5t3IIa (Jul 16, 2009)

No! A whale!


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## clandestino (Jul 17, 2009)

No, and no.

Eme's answer was so hilarious that I insisted we had to put it down. And it was right!


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## billythefish (Jul 17, 2009)

A bat?


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## Pickman's model (Jul 17, 2009)

a jesus muffdiver?


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## clandestino (Jul 17, 2009)

No.

Think of the funniest and most unlikely mammal to have a very long tongue. It's that.


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## toblerone3 (Jul 17, 2009)

Hi Top Of: New Posts 00.27


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## clandestino (Jul 17, 2009)

Pickman's model said:


> a jesus muffdiver?



You were on our team the night of the cheese round, weren't you?

Oh, the cheese round...


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## billythefish (Jul 17, 2009)

ianw said:


> No.
> 
> Think of the funniest and most unlikely mammal to have a very long tongue. It's that.



A sloth?


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## Pickman's model (Jul 17, 2009)

a giraffe 

i was there the night of the cheese round


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## clandestino (Jul 17, 2009)

billythefish said:


> A sloth?



No. 

/Jeremy Paxman


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## clandestino (Jul 17, 2009)

Pickman's model said:


> a giraffe
> 
> i was there the night of the cheese round



Right on both counts!


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## DJWrongspeed (Jul 17, 2009)

let us know in future, i'll be there to join the team, we always seem to come 3rd or 4th so got bored with it, do have the winning team.


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## editor (Jul 17, 2009)

We were near-winners tonight. And that felt good, goddamit!


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## clandestino (Aug 7, 2009)

ianw said:


> Ha ha! We won! Almost...well, we came second. We won a box of Magners.
> 
> 
> 
> We lost, of course, to a team called Muffdivers For Jesus.




We did it again!


Came second to Muffdivers For Jesus. Those guys...


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## editor (Aug 7, 2009)

We'll have to get a couple of ringers in and sort 'em out.


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## onemonkey (Aug 7, 2009)

what has happened to the team that always used to beat us until our moment of pure filtered cheesey goodness?  i can't imagine them changing their name to muffdivers for jesus


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## clandestino (Aug 9, 2009)

A team with a different name but featuring some of the same people played the last two times we were there. They came third the first time, then last last time. They're my neighbours - there were saying they came last last week too. They seemed quite happy though. Looks like they're just having a laugh at the quiz now. I remember that other team being more serious.


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## billythefish (Aug 10, 2009)

ianw said:


> A team with a different name but featuring some of the same people played the last two times we were there. They came third the first time, then last last time. They're my neighbours - there were saying they came last last week too. They seemed quite happy though. Looks like they're just having a laugh at the quiz now. I remember that other team being more serious.



The other team might have been us... we were often in the back room and changed our name each week... we've not been for a few weeks now - for no particular reason - just lots of people been on holiday etc.
That Muffdivers for Jesus team are tough to beat though - their leader hangs out with some of the guys from Eggheads...
Hopefully we'll be back soon. I've often wondered how many urbanites attend that quiz and how I would recognise them! I've asked a few randoms and been met with blank stares


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## ska invita (Aug 10, 2009)

billythefish said:


> That Muffdivers for Jesus team are tough to beat though - their leader hangs out with some of the guys from Eggheads...



I was there a couple of months back and Muffdivers got 100% answers right. I smell a rat. They sit in the back too, which is suspect.

Plus the questions at this quiz are suited to the 50+ age bracket I find (i.e. we came last). shit quiz! great pub.



billythefish said:


> Hopefully we'll be back soon. I've often wondered how many urbanites attend that quiz and how I would recognise them! I've asked a few randoms and been met with blank stares



Look out for a loud Iraqi/liverpuddlian guy usually with an indian woman, early 30s. I usually tag along with them.

We were at the Elm for NYE this year - great fun was had by all - including lots of dancing across the ages!


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## 5t3IIa (Aug 10, 2009)

100% right? As a quiz host I'd be well suss of that. I'd have to assume someone had been at my Briefcase of Destiny


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## clandestino (Aug 10, 2009)

billythefish said:


> The other team might have been us... we were often in the back room and changed our name each week... we've not been for a few weeks now - for no particular reason - just lots of people been on holiday etc.



There was a team that beat us a few times years ago, that was made up of people from my street - as I say, a different version of that team plays now, but they don't do so well. They were there last Thursday.

And, yeah, Muffdivers For Jesus playing in the back room does seem a little suspect! But we're happy with our box of Magners anyway. What do you win for first prize?


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## billythefish (Aug 11, 2009)

ianw said:


> There was a team that beat us a few times years ago, that was made up of people from my street - as I say, a different version of that team plays now, but they don't do so well. They were there last Thursday.
> 
> And, yeah, Muffdivers For Jesus playing in the back room does seem a little suspect! But we're happy with our box of Magners anyway. What do you win for first prize?



You get to choose between the Magners or the pot, depending on what's worth more...


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 11, 2009)

These Muffdivers sound suspicious.

I managed to cheat quite well once when I visited a pub in North London my friend was running.  The quizmistress there happened to be doing the same quiz a few days later at a Brixton pub


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## colacubes (Aug 13, 2009)

What time does the quiz start?  I possibly fancy a bit of quiz action tonight if anyone fancies it?


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## clandestino (Aug 13, 2009)

9pm. We were going but then our babysitter had to cancel so no show from us this week sadly. 

Good luck!


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## colacubes (Aug 13, 2009)

Ta   Will see if I have the energy to venture into the wilds of Brixton Hill later


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## MrSki (Aug 13, 2009)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> These Muffdivers sound suspicious.
> 
> I managed to cheat quite well once when I visited a pub in North London my friend was running.  The quizmistress there happened to be doing the same quiz a few days later at a Brixton pub



I was at one where all the questions were on 15-1 a couple of day earlier.


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## billythefish (Aug 14, 2009)

Well, we failed miserably last night - came about fifth IIRC... 
Our team name was 'who are the urbanites?' but no-one responded when the marks were read out, so I guess no-one made it...

The good news was that Deuchars IPA was half price, so I made great inroads to their supply


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## colacubes (Aug 14, 2009)

billythefish said:


> Well, we failed miserably last night - came about fifth IIRC...
> Our team name was 'who are the urbanites?' but no-one responded when the marks were read out, so I guess no-one made it...
> 
> The good news was that Deuchars IPA was half price, so I made great inroads to their supply



Heh.   We didn't make it in the end.  Got waylaid in central Brixton


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## clandestino (Nov 19, 2009)

After the first round, we were joint second with the Muff Divers For Jesus! Joint second!!

We ended up fourth.


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## billythefish (Nov 21, 2009)

ianw said:


> After the first round, we were joint second with the Muff Divers For Jesus! Joint second!!
> 
> We ended up fourth.



Bad luck... it must have been you that tied with us for third? There's a new quiz master there now and it's got much harder imo...


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## clandestino (Nov 22, 2009)

I wasn't hugely impressed, I have to say. I thought the earlier rounds were too easy, and the last round on the news of the past week was terrible. Hopefully they were just filling in for the regular bloke...


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## billythefish (Nov 22, 2009)

ianw said:


> I wasn't hugely impressed, I have to say. I thought the earlier rounds were too easy, and the last round on the news of the past week was terrible. Hopefully they were just filling in for the regular bloke...


The regular bloke's gone sadly - back to South Africa...


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## Orang Utan (Nov 22, 2009)

we came second last time we were there. there were only four teams though!


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## clandestino (Nov 22, 2009)

billythefish said:


> The regular bloke's gone sadly - back to South Africa...



Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!


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## billythefish (Nov 23, 2009)

Orang Utan said:


> we came second last time we were there. there were only four teams though!



Nice one! Everyone's a winner


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## Orang Utan (Nov 23, 2009)

not the fourth!


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## billythefish (Nov 23, 2009)

Orang Utan said:


> not the fourth!



I though they gave shots to the losers...


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## colacubes (Jan 7, 2010)

Anyone know if this is on tonight?  I fancy some hardcore new year pub quiz action


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## billythefish (Jan 7, 2010)

nipsla said:


> Anyone know if this is on tonight?  I fancy some hardcore new year pub quiz action



We're planning to go, so it better be on!


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## colacubes (Jan 7, 2010)

billythefish said:


> We're planning to go, so it better be on!



Excellent


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## mccliche (Jul 13, 2010)

*Elm Park Tavern*

I have just moved a bit deeper into ‘the hill’ and have stumbled across this fine example of a proper pub.

It must have some history/stories/rumours to go with it??


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## Crispy (Jul 13, 2010)

Their quiz is great fun


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## Nanker Phelge (Jul 13, 2010)

Erm, it's not changed a bit since I first went in there in about 93/94....and I suspect it hadn't changed much before then.

It's my ex's local so I don't really go in there anymore...although have been in a couple of times recently because I've been looking at houses around there.

They used to have a meat raffle back in the early nineties.....and there was always plenty of racist graffiti in the bogs.


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## editor (Jul 13, 2010)

Some veh blurry pics:
http://www.urban75.org/brixton/features/elm-park-tavern.html


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## clandestino (Jul 13, 2010)

It's one of the best in Brixton IMO. The quiz is great, and there's usually a friendly atmosphere in there. And not the kind of "friendly" atmosphere that involves some random drunk sticking his face in yours either. 

The KoS sign in one corner is from the King Of Sardinia pub that used to be around the corner (now flats). I think the Thursday quiz was originally held in the KoS and then moved to the EPT. 

Anyway, great pub. Welcome.


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## editor (Jul 13, 2010)

I heard that the pub was in danger of closing down recently. I hope not as Brixton needs boozers like this.


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## marty21 (Jul 13, 2010)

I had a few drinks in there last summer, proper old fashioned boozer, liked it


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 13, 2010)

I went there a few times in the mid-80s.  It had an air of menace (although it could have been racism) then.  It has better customers now.  Still incredibly tatty looking though


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## marty21 (Jul 13, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I went there a few times in the mid-80s.  It had an air of menace (although it could have been racism) then.  It has better customers now.  Still incredibly tatty looking though



I liked the tattiness


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 13, 2010)

marty21 said:


> I liked the tattiness




So do I.  Some people are too posh for tattiness though.  They want leather sofas and stainless steel bars, bare brick walls, art on the wall, gastropub food, etc.


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## wemakeyousoundb (Jul 13, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> So do I.  Some people are too posh for tattiness though.  They want leather sofas and stainless steel bars, bare brick walls, art on the wall, gastropub food, etc.



good riddance I say


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## Nanker Phelge (Jul 13, 2010)

It is tatty, but they let us have our lunch in there the other week and even lent us a knife to cut some bread and cheese.

It stinks as well.....ha ha


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## marty21 (Jul 13, 2010)

Nanker Phelge said:


> It is tatty, but they let us have our lunch in there the other week and even lent us a knife to cut some bread and cheese.
> 
> It stinks as well.....ha ha



another victim of the smoking ban - that covered up a host of smells before


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## nagapie (Jul 13, 2010)

Nanker Phelge said:


> It stinks as well.....ha ha



This. Tatty I have no problem with, stink I do.


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## Griffter (Jul 13, 2010)

*Another brilliant thing about the Elm Park...*

the old love seats in there are from the KoS too - q unusual. There have been constant rumours about closure but it's still going strong with some very loyal locals. It was used as a photo-shoot by Metro for an "authentic" pub location.

The pub doesn't do food but you can get pizzas delivered there and eat them in the pub without being tutted at for not spending £12 on some gastro-burger.

It also has fresh flowers on a very regular basis and has just got a new range of bitters in. I love this place.


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## Onket (Jul 13, 2010)

Is it this one?- http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/53/5390/Park_Tavern/Brixton


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## Nanker Phelge (Jul 13, 2010)

marty21 said:


> another victim of the smoking ban - that covered up a host of smells before



It smells of wee to be honest and there's a lot of people who drink in there that look like they probably piss themselves a lot. Not editor or Crispy. They probably only piss themselves occasionally.

Actually, there's one guy that used to go in there (who died a little while ago) that never used to wash at all. He maintained a level of filth in order to keep his sickness benefits (he felt it helped his mental health claims).

I was in there by myself on Christmas Day, and there were some odd bods in there that day......It didn't make for any xmas cheer.


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## Crispy (Jul 13, 2010)

Onket said:


> Is it this one?- http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/53/5390/Park_Tavern/Brixton


yep. fascinating and detailed entry there


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## Onket (Jul 13, 2010)

Crispy said:


> yep. fascinating and detailed entry there



Isn't it.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 13, 2010)

Onket said:


> Is it this one?- http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/53/5390/Park_Tavern/Brixton




Well it's the only pub in Elm Park that I know of


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 13, 2010)

Griffter said:


> the old love seats in there are from the KoS too - q unusual. There have been constant rumours about closure but it's still going strong with some very loyal locals. It was used as a photo-shoot by Metro for an "authentic" pub location.
> 
> The pub doesn't do food but you can get pizzas delivered there and eat them in the pub without being tutted at for not spending £12 on some gastro-burger.
> 
> It also has fresh flowers on a very regular basis and has just got a new range of bitters in. I love this place.




You can bring your own food into the Windmill as well


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## Crispy (Jul 13, 2010)

better coverage here http://www.fancyapint.com/pubs/pub2994.php


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## Onket (Jul 13, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Well it's the only pub in Elm Park that I know of



I don't know any, that's why I asked.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 13, 2010)

Onket said:


> I don't know any, that's why I asked.




It is the *only *pub in Elm Park


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## Onket (Jul 13, 2010)

I didn't know that. That's why I asked.


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## teuchter (Jul 13, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> It has better customers now.



Yes. Sometimes I am one of their customers.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 13, 2010)

Like I was saying, it's gone downhill recently


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## teuchter (Jul 13, 2010)

Until about a year ago, I was a more frequent customer than I am now. Everything correlates beautifully.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 13, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Until about a year ago, I was a more frequent customer than I am now. Everything correlates beautifully.




Yeah, like I said, it's been going downhill for a few years now


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## boohoo (Jul 21, 2010)

Anyone up for this tomorrow?


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## gaijingirl (Jul 21, 2010)

ooh - I might be!  Depending on how knackered I feel and how much sleep I get tonight.


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## tastebud (Jul 21, 2010)

ooh i know some mates (extremely infrequent posters/if ever/unregistered people that know urbs) go to this. might be up for it also. would not be able to contribute to the quiz  but i like the pub and might be up for a pint or two tomorrow.


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## boohoo (Jul 21, 2010)

any more for any more... there is a variety of the brixton folk online at the mo... but what are they doing... not paying attention to this thread!!!


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## colacubes (Jul 21, 2010)

I think me and memespring might pootle along


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## boohoo (Jul 21, 2010)

yay!!!


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## sleaterkinney (Jul 21, 2010)

Depending on whether bookgroup goes ahead or not I might come to this.


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## colacubes (Jul 21, 2010)

boohoo said:


> yay!!!


 
We're hitting our form as well.  We came a close 3rd in the Grosvenor quiz yesterday


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## boohoo (Jul 21, 2010)

excellent!!


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## ska invita (Jul 21, 2010)

meh. muffdivers for jesus always win by a mile


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## ethel (Jul 22, 2010)

possibly!


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## editor (Jul 22, 2010)

*Applies light pencil to diary


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## tastebud (Jul 22, 2010)

will email the non urban urbanites.


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## tastebud (Jul 22, 2010)

a few of us will be in there from 8.


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## billythefish (Jul 22, 2010)

Don't think I'll make it tonight I'm afraid. Haven't been for ages, but was glad the cash prize had returned for last time I went (£25 token that could only be spent there was a rubbish idea...)


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## editor (Jul 22, 2010)

We'll be there about 830ish....


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## sleaterkinney (Jul 22, 2010)

I'm knackered and I've got another busy day tomorrow so I'm afraid I'll have to wuss out of this.


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## Streathamite (Jul 23, 2010)

I'll possibly come next week


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## editor (Jul 23, 2010)

The Bay City Rollers answer was WRONG.


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## colacubes (Jul 23, 2010)

editor said:


> The Bay City Rollers answer was WRONG.



OMFG


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## boohoo (Jul 23, 2010)

That makes it a joint third with us... what was the answer?


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## editor (Jul 23, 2010)

boohoo said:


> That makes it a joint third with us... what was the answer?


 
The named line up should have included Derek the paedo drummer (!), who was in the band from the start and played throughout their glory period.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Longmuir


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## colacubes (Jul 23, 2010)

There's no place for nonces in pop *shakes head sadly*


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## ska invita (Jul 24, 2010)

did the muffdivers win again?


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## clandestino (Sep 5, 2010)

*Elm Park Tavern to stay open as a pub!*

A minimum bid of £720,000 will buy you the Elm Park Tavern. I guess it'll be turned into flats. A very sad day...

http://www.willmotts.com


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## brix (Sep 5, 2010)

ianw said:


> A minimum bid of £720,000 will buy you the Elm Park Tavern. I guess it'll be turned into flats. A very sad day...
> 
> http://www.willmotts.com



Oh that is sad


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## gaijingirl (Sep 5, 2010)

oh no!!  that's really sad.. it's probably my favourite pub....


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## clandestino (Sep 5, 2010)

gaijingirl said:


> oh no!!  that's really sad.. it's probably my favourite pub....


 
mine too


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## Biddlybee (Sep 5, 2010)

No, it's a proper boozer


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## editor (Sep 5, 2010)

That's a real shame


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## Orang Utan (Sep 5, 2010)

that's bad news, it was the only proper pub left in brixton. i don't like any of the bars and pubs on coldharbour lane. will have to resort to stockwell or streatham now.


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## marty21 (Sep 5, 2010)

it is a shame - went there last summer, an uncle of mine drank there a few years ago.


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## Biddlybee (Sep 5, 2010)

I might go for a drink there tomorrow night.


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## slcr (Sep 6, 2010)

Oh, crap.


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## ska invita (Sep 6, 2010)

that is very sad - it would be a miracle if it stayed a pub.
had a fun new years eve there a couple of years back, dancing with the regulars at midnight to the jukebox ... and losing to the muff divers for jesus 100% scoring pub quiz team on more than one occassion too. i suggest an urban send off - if someone wants to pick a date ill be there.


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## co-op (Sep 6, 2010)

Is it really so certain that it is a gonna? You need to get permission to convert a pub into flats and I thought there was a bit of a presumption against this now? You usually have to show that it isn't viable as a pub anymore. Obviously there will be some little scumbags hanging around sniffing easy money but a decent campaign should see them off I'd have thought - the EPT always seemed busy enough to me that it's blatantly "viable".


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## clandestino (Sep 6, 2010)

co-op said:


> Is it really so certain that it is a gonna? You need to get permission to convert a pub into flats and I thought there was a bit of a presumption against this now? You usually have to show that it isn't viable as a pub anymore. Obviously there will be some little scumbags hanging around sniffing easy money but a decent campaign should see them off I'd have thought - the EPT always seemed busy enough to me that it's blatantly "viable".


 
From the advert:

It is considered that the property may be suitable for conversion or redevelopment subject to the necessary consents. Interested parties must rely on their own enquiries in this regard to London Borough Of Lambeth planning department. 

What I found surprising is that the details reveal that there's a first floor bar and function room.


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## co-op (Sep 6, 2010)

ianw said:


> From the advert:
> 
> It is considered that the property may be suitable for conversion or redevelopment subject to the necessary consents. Interested parties must rely on their own enquiries in this regard to London Borough Of Lambeth planning department.
> 
> What I found surprising is that the details reveal that there's a first floor bar and function room.


 
If enough local users object to the conversion it might be hard to get permission. If anyone cares enough about this, the thing to do is to get objecting right now so that any buyers are aware of the fact that there will be objections. Apart from anything else this might depress the price which gives any potential buyer a better chance of making a go of it as a pub.


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## Nanker Phelge (Sep 6, 2010)

Surely if enough people cared about the Elm Park Tavern it wouldn't be up for auction in the first place.

I doubt the regulars will have the get up and go to man a 'Save the Tavern' campaign, and I doubt anyone on here who is sad to see it go will bother either.

It's a pretty run down and sorry place, with a pretty run down and sorry clientele (including me from time to time).


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## Kanda (Sep 6, 2010)

Orang Utan said:


> that's bad news, it was the only proper pub left in brixton. i don't like any of the bars and pubs on coldharbour lane. will have to resort to stockwell or streatham now.


 
Hand in Hand mate


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## editor (Sep 6, 2010)

Nanker Phelge said:


> Surely if enough people cared about the Elm Park Tavern it wouldn't be up for auction in the first place.
> 
> I doubt the regulars will have the get up and go to man a 'Save the Tavern' campaign, and I doubt anyone on here who is sad to see it go will bother either.
> 
> It's a pretty run down and sorry place, with a pretty run down and sorry clientele (including me from time to time).


I did what little I could and visited the place when I could (it's miles from where I live) and plugged it on urban75's pub guide. It's such a shame when a traditional local pub goes. 



Kanda said:


> Hand in Hand mate


I like the pub, but it's a fair schlep out of town, and it's not exactly well stocked with real ales.


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## editor (Sep 6, 2010)

If any locals are thinking of putting together a campaign, there's a guide here: 

Save your local pub!
Info, guides and useful links to help you save your local boozer
http://www.urban75.org/info/save-your-pub.html


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## co-op (Sep 6, 2010)

Nanker Phelge said:


> Surely if enough people cared about the Elm Park Tavern it wouldn't be up for auction in the first place.
> 
> I doubt the regulars will have the get up and go to man a 'Save the Tavern' campaign, and I doubt anyone on here who is sad to see it go will bother either.
> 
> It's a pretty run down and sorry place, with a pretty run down and sorry clientele (including me from time to time).



I won't quibbe with the second two sentences because I haven't been for years, but the first is just not true. Perfectly healthy pubs get shut down in places like Brixton because property prices are sky-high, nothing to do with whether they are "cared" about. If you can swing the necessary permissions it's quick buck time and another little bit of our public space is privatised.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Sep 6, 2010)

co-op said:


> If enough local users object to the conversion it might be hard to get permission. If anyone cares enough about this, the thing to do is to get objecting right now so that any buyers are aware of the fact that there will be objections. Apart from anything else this might depress the price which gives any potential buyer a better chance of making a go of it as a pub.


 

I only found out about this today.  Problem may be that a lot of locals now are yuppies.  Elm Park used to be predominantly working class, now it's full of yuppies who probably think it's too scuzzy a pub for them to drink in.

Maybe Brixton will get yet another yuppy pub?  A yuppy pub would be preferable to yuppy flats however


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## Orang Utan (Sep 6, 2010)

a puppy club would be even better


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Sep 6, 2010)

Orang Utan said:


> a puppy club would be even better


 

for working class puppies or yuppy puppies?


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## Nanker Phelge (Sep 6, 2010)

co-op said:


> I won't quibbe with the second two sentences because I haven't been for years, but the first is just not true. Perfectly healthy pubs get shut down in places like Brixton because property prices are sky-high, nothing to do with whether they are "cared" about. If you can swing the necessary permissions it's quick buck time and another little bit of our public space is privatised.



It's kerching time for the owners of the Tavern, as it was when they sold off the King of Sardinia......which is now also flats.

My point was, if they were making good money as a pub they wouldn't be selling it. It's a run down little local that probably has little financial return.


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## clandestino (Sep 6, 2010)

I don't think it's run down, it's just not tarted up. It's a traditional old boozer, preserved in the state of a traditional old boozer. I wouldn't want it done up any more than it is. I love the paintwork and the ceiling and original features and stuff that gives it the charm and character that it has, simply because you know it's been like that for donkeys years. Unfortunately, one of its attractions is also that it's never that busy, so you can always get a seat, which for a relatively small pub can't be too good for business. And the fact that there's an upstairs bar and function room which presumably hasn't seen action for many years isn't too good a sign either. But it's by far my favourite pub in Brixton and I wish there was another like it. Is there? I can't think of one.


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## editor (Sep 6, 2010)

ianw said:


> I don't think it's run down, it's just not tarted up. It's a traditional old boozer, preserved in the state of a traditional old boozer. I wouldn't want it done up any more than it is. I love the paintwork and the ceiling and original features and stuff that gives it the charm and character that it has, simply because you know it's been like that for donkeys years. Unfortunately, one of its attractions is also that it's never that busy, so you can always get a seat, which for a relatively small pub can't be too good for business. And the fact that there's an upstairs bar and function room which presumably hasn't seen action for many years isn't too good a sign either. But it's by far my favourite pub in Brixton and I wish there was another like it. Is there? I can't think of one.


The Marquis of Lorne has a similar, untouched-by-the-march-of-time feel about it.












http://www.urban75.org/brixton/bars/marquis-of-lorne.html


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Sep 6, 2010)

editor said:


> The Marquis of Lorne has a similar, untouched-by-the-march-of-time feel about it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

The carpets and velvet seats are a dead giveaway aren't they  

Unfortunately that's the other end of Brixton


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## clandestino (Sep 6, 2010)

editor said:


> The Marquis of Lorne has a similar, untouched-by-the-march-of-time feel about it.


 
Yeah, I fancied going there on Saturday but some bloke talked me out of it...


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## editor (Sep 6, 2010)

I fear for the future of the Marquis too.


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## editor (Sep 6, 2010)

ianw said:


> Yeah, I fancied going there on Saturday but some bloke talked me out of it...


Well, there's the rub. It's a crap pub for a Saturday night, unless you're keen on bright lights, a somewhat less than lively clientele and _non ambience._


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## clandestino (Sep 6, 2010)

editor said:


> Well, there's the rub. It's a crap pub for a Saturday night, unless you're keen on bright lights, a somewhat less than lively clientele and _non ambience._



Ah, I'm not so keen on bright lights. One of the things I love about the EPT is the dark green of the ceiling and the thick curtains and nothing in the way of bright lighting. 

I wish we had gone to the Marquis though. Let's face it, it can't have been any worse than the Queen's Head. But then you were right about that place too...


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## editor (Sep 7, 2010)

ianw said:


> I wish we had gone to the Marquis though. Let's face it, it can't have been any worse than the Queen's Head. But then you were right about that place too...


I've been to the Marquis a few times and, sad to say, it's always been rather a depressing experience. The best nearby pub is the Grosvenor. That place fucking rocked on Friday. It's a great local.


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## teuchter (Sep 7, 2010)

Hmm. I just came across the auction notice and came here to start a thread but ianw beat me to it.


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## teuchter (Sep 7, 2010)

These are the viewing times by the way:

Wed, 08 Sep	12.00 PM
Fri, 10 Sep	        12.00 PM
Tue, 14 Sep	12.00 PM
Thu, 16 Sep	12.00 PM
Sat, 18 Sep	12.00 PM

http://www.eigroup.co.uk/auctioneer-templates/LotDetails.aspx?LotID=585628&a=2&c=and


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Sep 7, 2010)

Maybe The Black Ant Company will buy it 

I heard it was them that owned the Car Wash (old tyre place/Elf/Total petrol station) on Brixton Hill


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## slcr (Sep 7, 2010)

co-op said:


> If anyone cares enough about this, the thing to do is to get objecting right now so that any buyers are aware of the fact that there will be objections. Apart from anything else this might depress the price which gives any potential buyer a better chance of making a go of it as a pub.


 
This is a good idea - big posters in the windows warning that organised objections will be put into Lambeth against any proposed change of use?


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## slcr (Sep 7, 2010)

editor said:


> If any locals are thinking of putting together a campaign, there's a guide here:
> 
> Save your local pub!
> Info, guides and useful links to help you save your local boozer
> http://www.urban75.org/info/save-your-pub.html


 
Hey, I don't know if much of that will actually help the EPT if it is already up for auction.  The best chance people will have is of writing *individual letters* of objection to Lambeth's Planning department once any change of use application is made (if that's the correct word for it) to change it from pub to flats.  A petition will *not* have as much impact as individual letters - not a chance in hell.  People need to be mobilised for this kind of thing knowing (a) planning guidance to refer to in their letters (b) draft outlines for their letters.  When the time comes I would be happy to help with this.  I wonder when it will come - the new owners may leave it as a pub for a while if it's at all viable.


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## co-op (Sep 7, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I only found out about this today.  Problem may be that a lot of locals now are yuppies.  Elm Park used to be predominantly working class, now it's full of yuppies who probably think it's too scuzzy a pub for them to drink in.
> 
> Maybe Brixton will get yet another yuppy pub?  A yuppy pub would be preferable to yuppy flats however


 
But here's the thing, there are yuppies and there are yuppies. There are those that want highly-priced wannabe "bars" which exclude anyone not earning over £30k and  have all the latest stupid gimmicks foisted on them by marketing wankers, and there are those who moved into places like Brixton because they actually quite like the vibe. Often (IMO) pubs like the EPT manage to accomodate both groups (and others too) pretty well - hence their slightly downbeat, accepting vibe; they aren't dominated by any particular ethos. But this is often something that has just evolved rather than been striven for (although I reckon many a PubCo Brand Manager has tried to work out how to replicate it). 

But when a pub is under threat - and when there are so few nice 'ordinary' pubs left - I think it's possible to get up a coalition of groups to save a pub - and to save its ethos too. There's an old boozer in Kentish Town called the Pineapple that did this (they have a facebook page now) - it's a bit on the poncey side if you ask me, but there's Kentish Town for you nowadays. I'm sure there are other examples.


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## co-op (Sep 7, 2010)

Nanker Phelge said:


> It's kerching time for the owners of the Tavern, as it was when they sold off the King of Sardinia......which is now also flats.
> 
> My point was, if they were making good money as a pub they wouldn't be selling it. It's a run down little local that probably has little financial return.


 
And my point was that "financial returns" are all relative; the EPT could be perfectly economically viable as a pub (ie making a decent profit) but still be closed because of the relative cost of the capital tied up in the building - and that is merely an expression of stupid property prices. 

Hence the point of organising some objections to the change of use.


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## Plumdaff (Sep 7, 2010)

I've only been to the EPT a few times and it seemed like a more amenable pub than the Marquis - which is my end of Brixton but always seems to come about third on my list of "where could we go" at any time - below the Priory, the Grosvenor and the Beehive for north Brixton/Stockwell - and also seemed to have a reasonable mix of proper locals and recent "I may earn over 30k but I hate bloody bars" types. 

Is it worth sending in objection letters even if you don't live locally? I'll certainly alert the mates of mine for whom it's more of a regular.


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## co-op (Sep 7, 2010)

lagtbd said:


> Is it worth sending in objection letters even if you don't live locally? I'll certainly alert the mates of mine for whom it's more of a regular.



If it's a pub you drink in, you can object (I mean anyone can, but it's a bit more credible if you're a user).

I have thought of possibly a better model than the Pineapple one I mentioned earlier, the Robin Hood in Brighton which is a very nice pub, is owned by these people http://www.peoplespubs.com/ - if anyone up near the EPT is interested in saving the pub, they might be the sort of people who could help.


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## gabi (Sep 7, 2010)

editor said:


> I've been to the Marquis a few times and, sad to say, it's always been rather a depressing experience. The best nearby pub is the Grosvenor. That place fucking rocked on Friday. It's a great local.


 
I like the marquis. nice place to chill with a guiness and the sunday papers without being bothered.

best pub in brix is definitely the trinity tho. best pub in london in fact imo.


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## co-op (Sep 7, 2010)

gabi said:


> I like the marquis. nice place to chill with a guiness and the sunday papers without being bothered.
> 
> best pub in brix is definitely the trinity tho. best pub in london in fact imo.


 
Yep, the Marquis is more for the quiet pint of a midday, read the papers and have a fag than for the rockin' night out. It's run by Conway Taverns who seemed to specialise in proper old-school boozers, I spent a good part of the 1980s in the Warrior down in Loughborough Junction which was theirs...

*weeps into pint of cheap lager*


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## matt m (Sep 7, 2010)

Yeah, I often go past the Marquis of Lorne - it's pretty much just round the corner from my flat. Never been in though.  A thing of beauty on the outside, but doesn't look too cheerful in there.

I wonder if they'd consider an acoustic gig there?


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## leanderman (Sep 7, 2010)

I have always wanted to own a pub. 

So all I need to do then is find £760,000 down the back of my sofa ...

And then start to sell a lot of pints of beer


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## billythefish (Sep 22, 2010)

It looks like it didn't sell.... it is now listed as 'available for £750,000'.


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## editor (Sep 22, 2010)

matt m said:


> Yeah, I often go past the Marquis of Lorne - it's pretty much just round the corner from my flat. Never been in though.  A thing of beauty on the outside, but doesn't look too cheerful in there.
> 
> I wonder if they'd consider an acoustic gig there?


I'd come to that although I suspect it's one of those pubs that likes things just as they are, even if staying that way means they're heading for oblivion.

I hope they survive.


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## Griffter (Dec 7, 2010)

ianw said:


> A minimum bid of £720,000 will buy you the Elm Park Tavern. I guess it'll be turned into flats. A very sad day...
> 
> http://www.willmotts.com


I went in last night - it was supposed to be closed because the sale went through yesterday and they had only just completed. The new owner seemed like a good bloke and opened up for us (it was a friend's birthday and we had all arranged to meet up there before going on so we stayed for a couple) and we had a chat. It looks like he completely intends to keep it as a pub - he said it was listed and so had little choice - and has some plans for doing it up a bit over time and converting some of the flats above it. I am going to make a concerted effort to drink more and encourage his decision to keep this local alive...


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

Griffter said:


> I went in last night - it was supposed to be closed because the sale went through yesterday and they had only just completed. The new owner seemed like a good bloke and opened up for us (it was a friend's birthday and we had all arranged to meet up there before going on so we stayed for a couple) and we had a chat. It looks like he completely intends to keep it as a pub - he said it was listed and so had little choice - and has some plans for doing it up a bit over time and converting some of the flats above it. I am going to make a concerted effort to drink more and encourage his decision to keep this local alive...



How many other pubs have been listed and subsequently become flats I wonder?

Good that he's keeping it a pub although I hope he doesn't turn it into a yuppy one, although I suppose a yuppy pub is better than no pub at all


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## teuchter (Dec 7, 2010)

Griffter said:


> I went in last night - it was supposed to be closed because the sale went through yesterday and they had only just completed. The new owner seemed like a good bloke and opened up for us (it was a friend's birthday and we had all arranged to meet up there before going on so we stayed for a couple) and we had a chat. It looks like he completely intends to keep it as a pub - he said it was listed and so had little choice - and has some plans for doing it up a bit over time and converting some of the flats above it. I am going to make a concerted effort to drink more and encourage his decision to keep this local alive...



Good news!

As Minnie says it would be a shame if it turned into a bit of a yuppie pub but that's better than it going altogether.

If there are lots of non-yuppies in the area who don't want this to happen - go and drink in it and there won't be the incentive to change!


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

teuchter said:


> If there are lots of non-yuppies in the area who don't want this to happen - go and drink in it and there won't be the incentive to change!



Well that didn't make any difference with the White Horse.  They literally made it as uncomfortable and unwelcoming as possible to drive the working class out and get the yuppies in


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## Griffter (Dec 7, 2010)

There is a core of regulars who live so locally that I am hoping they will continue to keep the pub's existing character. He also was surprised at how many people the previous landlady had barred and said that he wanted people to come and enjoy themselves so that it was a pub that was fun again. All sounded good but obviously let's wait and see. One slightly odd thing was that he mentioned he wanted to get rid of the Sky sports licence because that's £900 a month and have a licence for international football instead since that would be £1200 a year, but at least this suggests that he doesn't just want to sell out, doesn't it?


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## teuchter (Dec 7, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Well that didn't make any difference with the White Horse.  They literally made it as uncomfortable and unwelcoming as possible to drive the working class out and get the yuppies in


 
Yeah I'm not denying that this happens but there are pubs which close/change because no-one really drinks in them ... it's not unusual for the EPT to have no more than a smattering of people drinking in there. If I was the landlord looking to pay the rent, I'd be thinking of ways of getting more people in there, and one of those would be trying for the yuppie market.

Of course, not all yuppies want to drink in yuppie pubs...


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

Griffter said:


> One slightly odd thing was that he mentioned he wanted to get rid of the Sky sports licence because that's £900 a month and have a licence for international football instead since that would be £1200 a year,


 
I don't understand that at all


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Yeah I'm not denying that this happens but there are pubs which close/change because no-one really drinks in them ... it's not unusual for the EPT to have no more than a smattering of people drinking in there. If I was the landlord looking to pay the rent, I'd be thinking of ways of getting more people in there, and one of those would be trying for the yuppie market.
> 
> Of course, not all yuppies want to drink in yuppie pubs...


 
Difference is, the White Horse was already a busy pub


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## teuchter (Dec 7, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Difference is, the White Horse was already a busy pub


 
Fair enough. I totally understand why you would resent that.

I'm not ancient enough to remember it pre-yuppy (un)fortunately.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Fair enough. I totally understand why you would resent that.
> *
> I'm not ancient enough* to remember it pre-yuppy (un)fortunately.





It had a total mix of characters from all classes, ages, sex and races.

Now it's predominantly white, middle class


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## Kanda (Dec 7, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Now it's predominantly white, middle class


 
Just like the surrounding area then.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

Kanda said:


> Just like the surrounding area then.





It was a proper pub, where you could walk in, ask the barstaff if they knew any plumbers, decorators, bricklayers, electricians etc. and they'd find one for you.

The White Horse is probably fine if you're looking for erm... whatever middle class people do


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## Kanda (Dec 7, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> It was a proper pub, where you could walk in, ask the barstaff if they knew any plumbers, decorators, bricklayers, electricians etc. and they'd find one for you.


 

That's what The Hand is like, still


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

Kanda said:


> That's what The Hand is like, still



Good. What's happening with it anyway?


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## Kanda (Dec 7, 2010)

It's up for sale. Landlords want to move back to Ireland.


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## Orang Utan (Dec 7, 2010)

let's buy it.


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## Kanda (Dec 7, 2010)

Orang Utan said:


> let's buy it.


 
Lease is yours for about 25k.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

Kanda said:


> It's up for sale. Landlords want to move back to Ireland.




WTF would he want to move back to Ireland with it in the state it's currently in?


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## teuchter (Dec 7, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> The White Horse is probably fine if you're looking for erm... whatever middle class people do


 
People who post on here?


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## mccliche (Dec 7, 2010)

Griffter said:


> All sounded good but obviously let's wait and see. One slightly odd thing was that* he mentioned he wanted to get rid of the Sky sports licence because that's £900 a month *and have a licence for international football instead since that would be £1200 a year, but at least this suggests that he doesn't just want to sell out, doesn't it?


 
i live round the corner & prob on avergae go there once a week to watch football, maybe once a week purely socially (and would describe myself as middle-class )

If he stops the football i will be hugely pissed off, though at 900 per month i can understand it. Hardly anyone is fussed with Intl football in a pub unless it is a tournament.

Brix Hill has NO good pubs for watching Football, unless some place has gone un-noticed?
I just don't think it works at Hooters, too big and funny angles of screens etc etc

-anyway, glad to hear the place lives on post-sale. but KEEP THE FOOTIE!


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## teuchter (Dec 7, 2010)

It would be nice if all footie could be removed from the Effra and put in the EPT instead.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

teuchter said:


> People who post on here?



ah, good point.  White Horse is probably good if you want help from people who are tech savvy


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## Orang Utan (Dec 7, 2010)

would love to find a decent pub with no sports, no tellies, nothing to interfere with a good old chat.


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## tarannau (Dec 7, 2010)

Shedloads of pubs in Brixton don't generally have their tvs on apart from on sporting occasions. It surely isn't beyond folks to time their odd visit outside of the handful of game hours.


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## Orang Utan (Dec 7, 2010)

trinity hardly ever has it on, but that's not a great pub. i hardly go to the pub, but the ones i do go to always seems to have some game on.


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## teuchter (Dec 7, 2010)

tarannau said:


> Shedloads of pubs in Brixton don't generally have their tvs on apart from on sporting occasions. It surely isn't beyond folks to time their odd visit outside of the handful of game hours.


 
Music nights in the Effra sometimes have to wait for the end of the football before they start. And sometimes, go ahead but with the giant screens down in the front bit. I think it's since they installed the projector screens and giant TVs that it's felt a bit like football is a higher priority than music in there sometimes, which I find sad.


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## Fingers (Dec 7, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I don't understand that at all



I think I do ..... PM me though.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

maybe he doesn't want Sky in case it means he has to put on darts, golf, tennis and every other boring sport so just wants strictly football?


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## tarannau (Dec 7, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> It was a proper pub, where you could walk in, ask the barstaff if they knew any plumbers, decorators, bricklayers, electricians etc. and they'd find one for you.
> 
> The White Horse is probably fine if you're looking for erm... whatever middle class people do



That's not a proper pub - that's a place with a concierge for a barman. You ponce.


Proper pubs have the plumbers, decorators and electricians (etc) drinking in them. I'd be screwed without my pub contacts - they've solved pretty much any DIY emergency I can throw at them over the years. It's a valuable resource.

To be honest I don't really recognise your description of the White Horse either. I remember drinking there when it was a dive, then slightly less of a dive, then the Whorse management got the money together for a better quality of revamp (ie some money). I don't think I've ever felt particularly unwelcome or pushed away in there tbh - it wasn't my favourite place back then either tbf. 

It can be a little clean living in there early on now, people munching on decentish food, but it's hardly the Hope and Anchor/Grand Union. And come late nights there and a reasonable blend of folks packed in there ime - the same more youthful Clapham-Urbanite overspill through to more local faces. I can think of more than a few Dick Shepherd old boys who drink in there of my era and beyond, so it's hardly all fresh faced incomers


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

tarannau said:


> That's not a proper pub - that's a place with a concierge for a barman. You ponce.
> 
> 
> Proper pubs have the plumbers, decorators and electricians (etc) drinking in them.



That's what I meant, but the discreet landlord would check with the plumber, bricklayer etc. before giving their number out to all and sundry


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 7, 2010)

tarannau said:


> To be honest I don't really recognise your description of the White Horse either. I remember drinking there when it was a dive, then slightly less of a dive, then the Whorse management got the money together for a better quality of revamp (ie some money). I don't think I've ever felt particularly unwelcome or pushed away in there tbh - it wasn't my favourite place back then either tbf.



Well I was more referring to when it was first sold by Scottish and Newcastle.  When the new lot took it over, I remember quite a few of the elderly regulars abandoned it because the doorstaff made comments like "I don't think you'll like the music in here" etc.  The fact that they had doorstaff also put some of them off.

They also removed all the barstools so the old regulars lost their regular spots.  

It was all little things, but enough to make the old regulars abandon the place

PS:  And yes, it was a dive, but then a lot of people consider the Windmill, Albert and GeorgeHobaHootCanning to be dives


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## tarannau (Dec 7, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Music nights in the Effra sometimes have to wait for the end of the football before they start. And sometimes, go ahead but with the giant screens down in the front bit. I think it's since they installed the projector screens and giant TVs that it's felt a bit like football is a higher priority than music in there sometimes, which I find sad.


 
I quite like the Effra - I used to live a handful of doors away down Rattray Road - but the landlord's such a sleazy, rude and arrogant tool that I can't bring myself to drink there any more on principle. He's just crossed the line a few two many times with friends and those dear to me for me to let it lie really. I miss Blue and his everfilled rum mug.

I do know what you mean about the football in there at times, but the Jazz was always fairly late in there and although it feels awkward on occasion, it's a reasonable compromise imo. It's certainly a moneyspinner that's helped them to preserve the regular music policy largely intact. I would say it's one of the more obviously affected pubs in Brixton - equally the Jazz occasionally could be a pain in the arse (to me at least). I've seen some fantastic acts in there over the years - Sundays used to be really good - but equally I've experienced my fair share Kenny G Parp-a-likes, saxophoning me in the ear from 3 yards away. It wasn't entirely conducive to a good pint either.


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## clandestino (Dec 7, 2010)

Orang Utan said:


> would love to find a decent pub with no sports, no tellies, nothing to interfere with a good old chat.


 
I agree. 

I was talking to the people at the Grosvenor about some of the reviews the pub gets online, and on one site there's four very positive reviews and one critical one which basically said: "there was a match on, but they didn't even have the big telly on, what's up with that??" I said I took that to be a positive review, and they said: "What that bloke didn't know is that we don't even have Sky..."



I think with a pub the size of the EPT, you should be able to get away with not showing sport...


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## teuchter (Dec 7, 2010)

tarannau said:


> I do know what you mean about the football in there at times, but the Jazz was always fairly late in there and although it feels awkward on occasion, it's a reasonable compromise imo. It's certainly a moneyspinner that's helped them to preserve the regular music policy largely intact. I would say it's one of the more obviously affected pubs in Brixton - equally the Jazz occasionally could be a pain in the arse (to me at least). I've seen some fantastic acts in there over the years - Sundays used to be really good - but equally I've experienced my fair share Kenny G Parp-a-likes, saxophoning me in the ear from 3 yards away. It wasn't entirely conducive to a good pint either.


 
Yeah, the Sunday Jazz can veer between some stuff that's really excellent considering it's free, and some that's really not, but that's to be expected with an open mic type thing and I think Lauren Dalrymple who runs that night does a pretty good job of maintaining a pretty good standard on average and providing an excellent alternative to spending Sunday night sitting mildly depressed at home. Even if some of the acts might be irritating or distracting it's not really comparable with football because it's a fairly unique thing and people go there specially for it. Football seems to be everywhere, at least to a non football fan like me and it's particularly grating when it feels like it's taking priority over one of the really good things Brixton has to offer.

I do realise that the football is a moneyspinner of course, for many pubs, and appreciate that their viability might be dependent on it in many instances.


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## tarannau (Dec 8, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Y it's not really comparable with football because it's a fairly unique thing and people go there specially for it. Football seems to be everywhere, at least to a non football fan like me and it's particularly grating when it feels like it's taking priority over one of the really good things Brixton has to offer.
> 
> I do realise that the football is a moneyspinner of course, for many pubs, and appreciate that their viability might be dependent on it in many instances.



Ach, I think that's more than a little misplaced in reality. The Effra became a football pub largely because there was massive demand for it. It filled a gap because there were, and still are, comparatively few pubs in the centre showing games - The Albert, Dogstar, Wetherspoons, Rest Is Noise, BBG, Hive etc are all Football free to a large extent. It's far from the omnipresent force that you appear to be making it out to be.


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## Brixton Hatter (Dec 8, 2010)

great news the Elm Park Tavern is gonna stay open. I used to live round the corner and I really missed it when I moved to the other side of Brixton. Fortunately, Mrs Hatter has just moved round the corner so it's on the local pub menu again!

On the subject of decent pubs, it's worth checking out the Queens Head on Stockwell Road if you havent been in recently...they have real ale and cider on tap and I think they've done well to try and retain the traditional old boozer feel in a slightly updated pub.


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## billythefish (Dec 8, 2010)

Good to know the EPT is going to stay a pub. There's a fully equipped kitchen and function room upstairs which should be fairly easy to bring back up to spec. They only need to sort out a safe means of escape IIRC - probably need to build a partition between the stairs and an outside door.
As for sport - most of the people I meet who know the EPT discovered it by looking for a place to watch a game (they show Cricket and Rugby too...) - so it would seem to be folly to stop this. Keeping the Thursday quiz going would be a good thing too.


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## slcr (Dec 8, 2010)

Fantastic news.


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## editor (Dec 8, 2010)

*Thread title edited for clarity and reTweeting!


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## bowlerd (Dec 13, 2010)

The Elm Park tavern IS staying as a pub .....not an overpriced gastro pub but an old fashioned boozer for locals .Serving decent drinks and eventually decent food . It will be getting closed down for a big refurb sometime in 2011. In the meantime its open and ticking over nicely 
Like you guys we think its a great pub and intend to restore it to its former glory  . watch this space !!!


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 13, 2010)

bowlerd said:


> The Elm Park tavern IS staying as a pub .....not an overpriced gastro pub but an old fashioned boozer for locals .Serving decent drinks and eventually decent food . It will be getting closed down for a big refurb sometime in 2011. In the meantime its open and ticking over nicely
> Like you guys we think its a great pub and intend to restore it to its former glory  . watch this space !!!


 
Excellent news.  Are you the new landlord?

Hello

PS:  I'm sure you've heard plenty from the regulars, but if you do a search on here, you'll find posts about it.

The quiz was very popular


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## Brixton Hatter (Dec 13, 2010)

bowlerd said:


> The Elm Park tavern IS staying as a pub .....not an overpriced gastro pub but an old fashioned boozer for locals .Serving decent drinks and eventually decent food . It will be getting closed down for a big refurb sometime in 2011. In the meantime its open and ticking over nicely
> Like you guys we think its a great pub and intend to restore it to its former glory  . watch this space !!!


 
excellent.

Another vote for the quiz. And proper beer. (And football!)


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## slcr (Dec 13, 2010)

Quiz


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## gaijingirl (Dec 13, 2010)

Another quiz vote here!


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## editor (Dec 13, 2010)

bowlerd said:


> The Elm Park tavern IS staying as a pub .....not an overpriced gastro pub but an old fashioned boozer for locals .Serving decent drinks and eventually decent food . It will be getting closed down for a big refurb sometime in 2011. In the meantime its open and ticking over nicely
> Like you guys we think its a great pub and intend to restore it to its former glory  . watch this space !!!


Huzzah!

Be sure to keep us updated!


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 13, 2010)

Do U75 regulars get a free pint?


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## ska invita (Dec 14, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> The quiz was very popular


 muff divers for jesus want barring  this is the perfect oppportunity!


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## billythefish (Dec 14, 2010)

ska invita said:


> muff divers for jesus want barring  this is the perfect oppportunity!


 
lol! I think they've defected to the Sultan now.

Another vote for the quiz though - and for some decent real-ale


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## clandestino (Dec 14, 2010)

bowlerd said:


> The Elm Park tavern IS staying as a pub .....not an overpriced gastro pub but an old fashioned boozer for locals .Serving decent drinks and eventually decent food . It will be getting closed down for a big refurb sometime in 2011. In the meantime its open and ticking over nicely
> Like you guys we think its a great pub and intend to restore it to its former glory  . watch this space !!!



Great news! Good luck with it, and keep us updated please. And keep the quiz!


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## Nanker Phelge (Dec 14, 2010)

...and let kids back in. They've been banned for about 5 years.


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## teuchter (Dec 14, 2010)

Nanker Phelge said:


> ...and let kids back in.


 
nah


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 14, 2010)

teuchter said:


> nah


 
up until a certain hour is reasonable enough I reckon


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## teuchter (Dec 15, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> up until a certain hour is reasonable enough I reckon


 
1pm


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 15, 2010)

teuchter said:


> 1pm


 
Ah, good idea, school hours


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## teuchter (Dec 15, 2010)

Do kids finish school at 1pm "these days"?


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 15, 2010)

No, they'll be *at * school, probably on their lunch break


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## teuchter (Dec 15, 2010)

except on weekends. But I don't generally want to go to the pub before 1pm on the weekends so that's fine.


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## clandestino (Feb 3, 2011)

Walked past the EPT the other day and the new paint job looks great - just an update of what it was before really.

It's the quiz tonight so we're going to along and try out the new look EPT.


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## clandestino (Feb 7, 2011)

This was great fun - quite a bizarre, eccentric night out, felt like an old school Brixton night out. The new quiz master is quite a character - one of the guys who used to be in a team in the back bar. Not Muffdivers For Satan or whatever they were called, but his team sat next to them. Anyway, he was quite a sardonic, funny guy, dressed up as Obi Wan Kenobi. He kept his hood over his face for most of the quiz and mumbled the questions into the mic, and spent the rest of the time either slagging off the questions, or varying people in the bar. Apparently he dresses up as something different each time - he was the Invisible Man one week, he was saying (he turned out to be a friend of one of our team) - which is funny because he has the least dress-up personality imaginable, more of a grumpy sarcastic type. Anyway, he was brilliant and finally a worthy successor to the Kiwi guy no one could understand.


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## editor (Feb 9, 2011)

I've done a little feature on the pub (I've quoted your post above Ianw - hope that's OK).


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## clandestino (Feb 18, 2011)

Another fun night at this. Quiz master was dressed as a pirate this time, still hilariously grumpy.


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## mwareing1 (Feb 21, 2011)

bowlerd said:


> The Elm Park tavern IS staying as a pub .....not an overpriced gastro pub but an old fashioned boozer for locals .Serving decent drinks and eventually decent food . It will be getting closed down for a big refurb sometime in 2011. In the meantime its open and ticking over nicely
> Like you guys we think its a great pub and intend to restore it to its former glory  . watch this space !!!



A good Sunday lunch would be perfect. Sick of walking over to Herne Hill.......Will come and support......P.S i do hope it is a little bit 'yuppie' (quote Minnie the Minx) Sadly life moves on and people want different things.......At the end of the day some of these people dont own businesses. In this financial climate its about making money. Not just pouring a pint to a local propping up the bar. Good Luck!


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Feb 21, 2011)

mwareing1 said:


> A good Sunday lunch would be perfect. Sick of walking over to Herne Hill.......Will come and support......P.S i do hope it is a little bit 'yuppie' (quote Minnie the Minx) Sadly life moves on and people want different things.......At the end of the day some of these people dont own businesses. In this financial climate its about making money. Not just pouring a pint to a local propping up the bar. Good Luck!


 
As long as there's a good mix, and it doesn't turn into an 18-30s, white, middle-class pub, I'm happy enough


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## Janers (Mar 15, 2011)

*Elm Park Tavern*

Does anyone know who's bought the EPT? I walked past the other day and saw it's being refurbed. Apparently it re-opens tonight, but there's no information anywhere. I think it's going to be great for the area, especially as it's basically at the end of my road...


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## TruXta (Mar 15, 2011)

There's a large thread further back in the Brixton forum, search for it.


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## editor (Mar 15, 2011)

Let me merge them. Hang on...

...done!


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## Griffter (Mar 15, 2011)

It's being run by Gary the smiley landlord in there now. He and his business partner bought it a few months ago from the landlady who had owned EPT and the King of Sardinia when it existed. He's got plans to open up downstairs which is a huge cellar and to have a restaurant in the pub. The outside had a lick of paint a while ago and now they've cleaned up inside (that carpet was possible the stickiest floor covering I've ever walked on) so it's re-opening again tonight. Think this is a bit of an intermediate stage while they get planning permission sorted out for the rest of the place but it's made a difference to the pub already, just by making it a bit lighter and less knackered.


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## editor (Mar 15, 2011)

Great to hear the boozer is bouncing back.


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## teuchter (Mar 15, 2011)

Not sure the new thread title is quite specific enough.

Anyway, just walked past and there seem to be some finishing touches going on.



Sorry for rubbish photo quality.

I see they have installed the dreaded glass chandelier in the front bar - always a good indicator of yuppification/gastroisation - or has that always been there? I don't remember it if it was.


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## nagapie (Mar 15, 2011)

I walked past the other day when they had just started pulling everything out. The doors were wide open and it reeked. I think those furnishings have seen better days.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 15, 2011)

teuchter said:


> View attachment 14232



puts sunglasses on


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## mwareing1 (Mar 20, 2011)

teuchter said:


> Not sure the new thread title is quite specific enough.
> 
> Anyway, just walked past and there seem to be some finishing touches going on.
> 
> ...


 
If it was there or not who cares....hope you support them as whats the point in your yuppification comment......didnt relise you are above glass chandeliers.....maybe you would like a nice gas lamp like the old days....Give me strength! If  you can do better why dont you have the balls to open a pub in this economic climate.


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## mwareing1 (Mar 20, 2011)

GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!! I hope it works out and people come flocking through the door. It takes a lot of guts to do what you have done. I take my hat off to you. I do question myself that if all these know it alls supported the Elm Park Tavern  prior then maybe just maybe they wouldnt have had to sell............Maybe they are just 'glory supporters'  GOOD LUCK. Chandelier or no chandelier!!!


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## twistedAM (Mar 20, 2011)

mwareing1 said:


> GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!! I hope it works out and people come flocking through the door. It takes a lot of guts to do what you have done. I take my hat off to you. I do question myself that if all these know it alls supported the Elm Park Tavern  prior then maybe just maybe they wouldnt have had to sell............Maybe they are just 'glory supporters'  GOOD LUCK. Chandelier or no chandelier!!!



Well, why don't you organise a meet-up for Brixton urbanites then?


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 28, 2011)

I went in there this evening to have a nose.

Looks fine.  I don't think it's going to turn into a yuppy pub any time soon (hope not).

Been painted in the bar areas but the loos are the same. 

New seating (including the obligatory leather sofa), very minimalistic, kind of burgundyish/purpleish paint inside with woodwork painted grey, floorboards instead of carpet, jukebox and LCD tv.

Frosted glass effect in the windows now.

Pricier than the Windmill, but then almost everywhere is


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## teuchter (Mar 28, 2011)

I noticed the frosted glass too. Strange because usually when sticky-carpet pubs are revamped, the frosted glass is removed to make them seem more inviting.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 28, 2011)

teuchter said:


> I noticed the frosted glass too. Strange because usually when sticky-carpet pubs are revamped, the frosted glass is removed to make them seem more inviting.



You still have plain glass edging round the frosted glass bits so can still sneakily look in to see if your wayward partner is in the pub


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## billythefish (May 3, 2011)

Some of my house-mates went to the quiz on Thursday, only to find it had been cancelled due to a double bereavement in the pub.
Sadly, it appears that the new owner and landlord died from a heart attack last week, and a few days later, one of the bar-staff's father (who drank in the back bar regularly) also passed away.
There was a Wake instead of the quiz, but I am told that the business partner who bought the pub with the landlord intends to keep the place going as before.
All very sad, and my thoughts are with the bereaved.


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## editor (May 3, 2011)

That's terrible news. My best wishes to the families.


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## nagapie (May 3, 2011)

I was in there on Monday after the windmill festival and heard the same story. Very sad. 

It was quite empty. It would be nice if it got busier as it's so much nicer now that that rank carpet's gone. And they had two good ales on tap.


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## clandestino (May 3, 2011)

Really shocking news. Best wishes to his family.


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## teuchter (May 3, 2011)

I'm sorry to hear this too.


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## CH1 (Jul 4, 2011)

Lambeth Planning have just granted planning permission for an application to enlarge one of the dormer windows in the roof of the pub, thus improving the top floor flat (from the point of view of the user or tenant).
http://planning.lambeth.gov.uk/publ...lication_detailview.aspx?caseno=LIRVH7BO0AY00
There are other mods which I can't easily describe, not being familiar with the pub.
The council have made a condition that only people connected with the pub can inhabit the top floor flat.
This may or may not suit whoever owns the place - since it limits the scope to raise capital by selling the flat, or generate income by renting it out.


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