Farringdon
The
Castle
34-35 Cowcross Street, London, EC1M 6DB
Date of Visit : 13th June 2005
Approx. Time of Visit: 6.15 pm
Route Used: Hammersmith & City from Barbican
Distance Traveled : 0.32 miles
Guests: None
Clientele: Very mixed, some suits, students
and trendies
Pub Number : 037
| Beer |
Cost |
Comments |
| Guinness | £2.95 | |
| De Koninck | £3.90 | The worst value pint in London? |
| Characteristics | Rating | Comments |
| Ambience |
|
Lots of people in, even at this early time and without the core customers you'd expect of a music venue that would no doubt turn up later and boost things more. Some very bizarre funky music going on as well in the background |
| Facilities |  |
9-Ball Pool, replica arcade table machine (Space Invaders etc..), a fruit and a "clubbing ambient screen"?!? |
| Ladies |  |
A fair scattering, a very nice lady in green arriving shortly before we left - can you see a pattern emerging? |
| OVERALL | |
Unique character |
Opposite the station, this is a most unusual of pubs. The decor is very bizarre, with more than a flavour of Gothic in there. Red swirly carpets and black painted ceilings and walls are somewhat interestingly married with comfy sofas, stools and unmatching chairs - such as an office type chair! The usual suspect lagers weren't in place, and some enquiries about the bizarely name, De Koninck, with the ubiquitous foreign barmaid confirmed that it was a lager. When poured, the deep brown colour was slightly at odds with this statement and tasted really was awful. The ultimate kick in the knackers being the price, a whopping £3.90 for what wasn't a million miles from concentrated dishwater. We headed upstairs to find the "American 9 ball pool table", only to decide not to play as the charge was for 30 minutes play and we had plenty of pubs to visit. We walked back downstairs past the young couple arguing with the barmaid about the state of the food, the geezer coming on like a trainee Gordon Ramsey about how he was a chef and he would never serve that muck to animals blah blah blah... Another interesting "make-out" mezannaine floor was an interesting addition and it became clear from the posters advertising the evening entertainments that this was a hip and cool place for "laying down some tunes" and "rolling a fat one"....probably. However, not for us at this time of night, so off to King's Cross to visit some hookers.
Only joking.
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