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| Late 19th century view of the then
Rose and Crown |
The Tup, one of the busiest and most popular pubs in Stoke
Newington, has recently undergone more makeovers than Michael Jackson.
Up till the late 1980s, the Red Lion stood on the site (and, indeed, a pub with the same
name has been there since the seventeenth century). The Red Lion was distinguished by its
lack of atmosphere, food and decent beer, and there was local rejoicing when it was taken
over by Saxon Inns and renamed the Magpie & Stump. The pub was completely revamped and
turned into a friendly watering hole with good grub, and it attracted an amiable if
argumentative local clientele.
Last year's most recent refurbishment into the Tup (it means Ram - that's why the place is
full of toy sheep, in case you've been wondering) resulted in a more open and airier
drinking space, although removal of the opaque windows has meant that drinkers are now
subject to the scrutiny of the passing punters and it's difficult to hide from anyone,
which is, after all, what pubs are for. The installation of effective ventilators has
lured non-smokers back to the pub and the seating is more comfortable, although one table
seems to be designed for people of severely restricted growth.
 The
landlord, Karl, is a genial, engaging fellow (although don't challenge him to a round of
golf - his handicap is on the high side for such a canny golfer!) who oversaw the
metamorphosis from Magpie to Tup, and the bar staff are helpful and hard working. The cask
beer - Pedigree, Six X and Courage Best - is generally well-kept, and they offer the usual
draught lagers and Guinness as well as Becks, Budvar and other bottled delights. Although
the spirit selection, and particularly the malt whiskies, tends to the unimaginative, they
have an excellent range of red and white wines - we recommend the Rioja a. The prices,
however, are on the high side for the area but a decent, civilised bar requires expensive
upkeep.
The garden area at the back of the pub is ideal for summer afternoon drinkers topping up
their tans, and the upstairs rooms, which used to be a sequence of restaurants, are now
used for pool and table football. The pool table is in good nick and well looked-after,
and you get a good view of the upper deck of the 73 bus. The table football gets a bit
noisy, but it's good to see someone re-introducing a much neglected pub game.
What about the food, you say? Well, there isn't any, as several groups of disappointed,
hungry potential customers find out, particularly at weekends, although Church Street is
not exactly a culinary desert. Another drawback, probably only to harrassed parents, is
that children are not allowed in the pub or in the garden. Apparently, it's company
policy. However, most of the regulars don't seem too bothered about this. And if you want
a quiet drink, some light jazz and a reflective read of the paper, visit in the afternoons
not in the evenings. The musos, students, hipsters and general fun-seekers start crowding
in after 8.00 and it's a loud, raucous but goodhumoured evening thereafter.
The Tup, then, is as good a bar as you'll find anywhere in Stoke Newington. Karl is adding
to its allure by establishing regular musical duo evenings (more than two musicians and
you need a music licence) - occasionally featuring his own Michael Stipe impersonation -
and by giving his walls over to local artists, including Kate, one of the bar staff,
exhibiting their work. There's no free wall space until September, such is the demand .
There is also a pub cricket team which plays every Saturday in the summer and an
off-and-on golf society.
Karl and his staff make a real effort and deserve their success. But can we have the old
windows back?
A Church Street Dram
By Torquil McTavish
The optics in Church Street contain all sorts of spirits and long may they
continue to do so - but there is one venerable drink which is generally under-represented,
namely single malt whisky. Although the Rose & Crown stocks five different brands, and
a good selection it is, most of the other pubs carry one or two, and that's about it.
However, the standard bearer on the street is Steptoes. The landlord Alan is a member of
the Whisky Connoisseur Club and, as a Scotsman, knows and appreciates his whisky. He
carries no less than ten different malts from across Scotland.
From the West Coast, there are the salty but satisfying Oban, the peaty Isle of Jura, the
smokily pungent Lagavulin (from Islay, a small island which boasts seven working
distilleries) and the peppery and powerful Talisker, distilled on Skye. A shame there's no
Laphroaig, but let's not criticise. Representing Speyside, the home of malt whisky, are
the smoother and sweeter Cragganniore, the ever-popular Glenfiddich and the 'famous'
Macallan, regarded by many as the classic malt
From the Highland Region comes one of Scotland's best selling malts, Glenmorangie (stress
on the second syllable, please), with its pale colour and slightly spicy taste and also
Dalwhinnie, from the highest distillery in Scotland, close to the Pass of Drumochter.
Finally, from the Lowlands just south of Edinburgh, there is Glenkinchie, a light and
aromatic malt.
So, if you feel like a change from the usual spirits, drop by Steptoes and order yourself
a dram. Mine's a double.
Torquil McTavish is in exile in Stoke Newington. A Highlander, he follows the fortunes
of Inverness Clachnacuddin FC, whose time will come.
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