By Rab MacWilliam
Tucked away on a small street off Stamford
Hill is one of Stoke Newington’s oldest pubs.
The Wheatsheaf was built over one hundred years ago
and, unlike many bars in Stoke Newington, has hardly been touched
since. The pub is a relatively small, friendly local, with an oval
bar, overseen in an efficient manner by Bridget, and it stocks an
amazing range of malt whisky (Auchentoshan, Highland Park, anyone?),
as well as excellent Guinness and the usual range of lagers and
beer.
A family-friendly boozer, which welcomes children
until 7pm, it also boasts a first-rate pool table, five TV sets,
a dart board and a juke box which, unusually, contains songs by
such as Fats Waller, Johnny Cash and rare Irish country & western
music. Landlord, County Mayo-born Jimmy Phillips, is celebrating
his twentieth anniversary at the pub next year, and he describes
The Wheatsheaf as ‘a real local pub with a friendly atmosphere’.
He has planned for the forthcoming smoking ban by building an outside
smoking area at the rear, which will be open soon.
The atmosphere is pleasant, everyone seems to know
each other and there is apparently never any trouble. All in all,
exactly what you need to relax and leave your problems outside.
A regular described it as ‘a perfect place to while away an
afternoon, drinking Guinness, playing pool and listening to mellow
music’. There is no food, other than homemade lunchtime sandwiches,
but Church Street is only a stroll away if you’re hungry.
The pub also hosts a golf society which is looking
to recruit new members (phone Alan Dodsworth on 07814 813164 if
you’d like to whack a ball around), and has a darts team which
competes in local leagues.
The Wheatsheaf is exactly the sort of pub which you
wouldn’t expect to find in Stoke Newington, so it makes a
pleasant change. I guess that it’s no longer now a ‘secret’,
so drop by and find out what you’ve been missing.
The Wheatsheaf, 6 Windus Road, N16
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