Stapleton Tavern

tosscat

The last time I was in, I thought the music made the venue rather.

MLA

Hello - I'm a proud new stroud greener and enjoyed an inaugral pub crawl from the Fullback up to the Noble's fireside with everything in between on Saturday. I went in the Stapleton when it was still the Larrick (I started scoping out S.G. back in the summer before moving into my new place last week) and the transformation is fantastic! The live band they had sounded great from the big hall in the back, and seemed like a lovely-jubbly crowd of merrymakers. Very good change I say :)

Thomas

speaking of pub crawls, anyone crawled home from highbury barn? epic and massively entertaining!

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miss annie

Weren't we discussing something similar for a group outing Misscara?

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WillM

Misscara?!

Arkady

Someone must have hacked her account.

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katiejane

Does anyone from SHT (!) read this? If so, please can you fit some cigarette butt boxes on the walls oustside?

Arkady

And fix the lights around the sign. And make it warmer.

ADGS

Warmer? We were sat right by the door, which admittedly could be better at closing itself, but I still found the heat ample. I can't abide hot pups, I was in the Cask in Pimlico last night and that was baking, which really marred an otherwise good evening.

Arkady

'hot pups' A always thought the Cask looked a bit scary from the outside. Last time I was in the Stapelton in was coat & scalf weather *inside* - glad to hear it's been remedied.

ADGS

That must be my most Freudian typo in ages.

The Cask's previous incarnation, as the Pimlico Tram, was indeed rough as guts, but now it's a slightly more office-y/gastro version of the Southampton Arms.

Arkady

What takes you that way? I work nearby.

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Arkady

I'm talking about the Cask Pub & Kitchen, formerly the Pimlico Tram. I can't imagine it ever being nice to sit outside, even if it were the finishing point of a naked ginger parade.

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ADGS

Is the Cask & Glass the tiny little one off the Victoria shopping street?

I used to work down that way too, and was in the Cask to meet my former colleagues. Since two of the department didn't get outsourced to India and still work there, and the rest of us all still have at least a vague grasp of the area's geography, then the old stomping grounds seemed like the obvious rendezvous.

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missisclack

I had the worst Sunday-lunch-with-friends I can remember in the Stapleton Tavern this weekend.

They took an order of a Bloody Mary, which took 15 minutes to make and was just a vodka & tomato juice with the addition of 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce.

Wine was served in a glass that had 2 different shades of lipstick from the night before running 'round the rim.

Starters took an hour to arrive. Except for mine, which they forgot about, and didn't even bother to 'fess up that they had forgotten when we reminded them, twice.

Mains took another hour and the roast ribeye beef was 80% fat and inedible. Roast supds were cold.

Extra veg, requested in lieu of a Yorkshire pudding, was just another (cold) roast potato, for which I was charged £1.50.

Every single plate and glass used throughout the afternoon, throughout the whole place, were left piled on the bar for hours.

They were obvioulsy understaffed and it was a shambles.

They did give me a glass of red on the house 'though.

Not sure if I want to risk a return visit.

sincers

I went for Sunday lunch a few weeks ago. They didn't have their very nice home made chips, but charged me the same price for some microwave fries. They also double charged me for the whole order and I felt like a prat when I asked them to check. They did refund though. I think they've got some issues. I reckon their other venues don't have the same potential footfall and they've underestimated the drinking capacity of Stroud Green residents. They need to get more staff.

jandb

I was there on Saturday afternoon, and things didn't seem quite right I must say.

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ActionVerb

Only two Ales on the Friday, and one of them was a festive themed one, which I don't think is good enough. Concur on coldness close to windows and there's something lacking in atmosphere, but not sure how that's quantified.

Ian

We went there for a drink last week and it seemed pleasant enough, but it was an empty week night. Thought about going there on Saturday but it was packed. For restaurants though, in this day and age of internet types like us it's a pretty tough market. We would have given the food a go, because we think everything is worth trying but I think we might wait a bit now for more positive reviews.

tosscat

I was in the same position Ian, and they were on my list as a place to lunch over the festive period, as I'd heard a good review. Understaffed is no excuse at all unless they're completely taken by surprise.

ADGS

A lot of places have been understaffed this past week or so, the combination of snowpocalypse and winter flu has been a killer. Though in many cases it also reduces the number of potential punters sufficiently that no problem arises.

Jenowl

Last night I went to the Stapleton for the first time (having been several times when it was the Larrik). The fire was roaring, Estrella flowing, barstaff friendly and efficient, tables plentiful. I like the new layout alongside the bar, with lots of smaller tables instead of the big bench-and-table combos. The bar area was busy but the front and back rooms were almost empty. We didn't try the food but the menu looked OK.

Despite all the right ingredients, the place still lacks something - I can't pinpoint exactly what. Is it just too big?

ActionVerb

I think the front and back rooms are too big and would benefit from being split up somehow. We've been going there more recently as it's relatively quiet most nights, there's (rotating) ale on tap (although don't think two is enough) and you're guaranteed a seat somewhere not too far away from the fire. The problems are the (male) toilets, which are pretty horrible and clearly haven't been refurbished for a good while, and with any ale that has a tendency to develop a head, I always have to ask the same two barstaff for a top-up. One of the other barstaff is pretty good however and always waits for the beer to settle before topping up without asking. There is something about the atmosphere/emptiness of it sometimes, but then if it did become as busy as The Dairy we'd probably look to go elsewhere...