Friday 29 June 2007

The Chamberlayne is open!

No pictures yet, but early indications are good. It sells the new Artois range, which I had not tried, and seems nice enough. The look is exposed brickwork, expensive steaks written on boards, and the no-two-chair-alive style which every other London pub conversion has, but I suppose adds to the image. Very busy on Thursday too, which I assume was the opening night. I thought it was slightly strange it allowed smoking, given the ban in only three days away.

Sunday 17 June 2007

Gladstone Park festival


Gladstone Park
Originally uploaded by mjtphotos
Well it was a bit overcast for the "Gladstonbury" festival this Sunday in Gladstone Park, Brent, but we had a nice goat burger.

Saturday 16 June 2007

1970s Willesden

It's Sidmouth Parade...

Wilesden in May 2007


Wilesden
Originally uploaded by mjtphotos
...and the same image in May 2007. Hardly anything has changed.

Kensal Rise in 1970


Kensal Rise, 1970
Originally uploaded by seadipper
The road by the station.

37 years of progress...


20052007213
Originally uploaded by mjtphotos
This is the road by the station in Kensal Rise, shot in May 2007.

Wednesday 13 June 2007

The new pub wants a chef


13062007248.jpg
Originally uploaded by mjtphotos
Here's proof of the update to the previous post.

Monday 11 June 2007

New pub in Kensal Rise?

Apologies for the lack of posts - my launching of yet another blog coincided with a very busy time at work and in the evenings.

Anyway, I have lots of reviews and suchlike to do, which I will try to complete in the next few weeks. But in the meantime, the exciting development in Kensal Rise is the closing down of the Banker's Draught pub on Chamerlayne Road for 'refurbishment'. The question is does that mean a lick of paint and some new furniture, or a whole new pub?

The signs so far are the latter. In a way I find this exciting - the Banker's Draught was not a pub I would have gone in normally (never say never), and its replacement (or even its renovated old self) probably will. But on the other hnad, when this kind of thing happens there's always an element of concern that the people who formerly went there will have nowhere to go, and in the place of a popular (or so it seemed) pub will come a non-descript loud bar full of braying 25 year olds.

Watch this, and that, space.

Update: The Chamberlayne Bar and Steakhouse gastropub. So it could be quite interesting. But they are advertising for a chef, so here's your chance!