Try harder

We’ve never been in a recommended guide before, but then again we’ve never really tried. Most of them are backed by big beer companies which feels a little at odds with what we do here.

The romantic perception is that these guides send out representatives to cover pubs across the country (like Michelin inspectors do with restaurants), then reconvene months later in a town hall somewhere to swap notes and decide who makes the cut.

That being said, we saw that the Telegraph’s 500 Best Pubs in ‘England’ came out recently. We did nervously peak at the list (for longer than we’d like to admit) before conceding that we were definitely not in it.

We just can’t imagine they’ve made it up to this outpost in Wood Green. But maybe they have!! Maybe our six cask lines don’t quite tick the right boxes & the 14 keg lines don’t carry enough lager (or Guinness, or Timothy Taylor…)

But we’re certainly not better bitter (our Almasty we think is best at 4%). Still, we have high hopes for making the next 500! Either way, our focus is the same: looking after you lot. And maybe it’s better we remain a best kept secret. I mean can you imagine the blankets running out in summer??