New cafe' in former Ajani's site (Hornsey Road)

TheMimsy

Not open yet.<div><br></div><div>Sign at the front is up: "Rusty Bikes Cafe'".<div><br></div><div>Would love to know what happened to Ajani and if he will open again somewhere else...<br><div><br><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div>

djmattyoung

<font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal;">I saw this the other day and had a quick peep inside, looks good. </span></font><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><br></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal;">Looks like it might be a Thai Cafe related to the Rusty Bike Kitchen on Ball's Pond Road </span></font><br><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://rustybike.kitchen/">http://rustybike.kitchen/</a> signage looks similar too. </span></font><br></div>

south_to_north

Just went past it.... Looks like their other place has mixed reviews. Decor looks good and it'll be interesting to see how it does given that that area isn't exactly prime restaurant turf....

Soon

Haven't had the chance to see the new place yet but it nice to see some changes in that street. I noticed quite a lot of refurbishment the last 2 years on hornsey road, so maybe there will be some changes coming. Anyway, It can only improve at this stage. Only problem for the developpment might be the amount of cars passing by...

Sutent

Nothing seems to survive that side of Hornsey Road. The organic shop tried its best but closed down. Tesco express has destroyed the local shops. Ajani has come and gone. The kebab shop has been replaced by an Indian takeaway which I havent seen anyone in there, There is a guitar shop, a hair dresser and a shop selling mirrors. The pub closed down ages ago and is still boarded up. The fried chicken shop seems to be doing ok. Good luck to the new cafe its a tough market on that stretch of road

south_to_north

I think they'll probably do most of their business from takeaway orders to be fair... Getting people to travel westwards is a tough ask atm given how much is on stroud green road by comparison. Hornsey road in general is a bit grim, though there are glimmers of light (e.g. the Shaftesbury). If someone refurbed the pub opposite it (much to the despair of some I'm sure) and a couple of the other places changed hands then that could change. We'll see. Things seem to be moving very fast atm.

TheMimsy

<div><div>Agree that there are some glimmer of lights.</div></div><div><br></div><div>The guitar shop seems to be doing okay, the Post Office near the Shaftesbury is great and the staff are mega helpful.</div><div><br></div><div>The mirror shop seem to have good prices...good luck to them.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

HolbornFox

The pub opposite Ajani (The Plough) only closed because the 'Pub Co' auctioned it off, even though the girls there were making a good (and probably fairly profitable) job of it..<div><br></div><div>It seems the only motivation for whoever bought it was to rent the flats out above and use the pub as a furniture stock room, shame as all sorts of people used to drink in there.<br><br>Hello btw, i am HolbornFox :0)<div><br></div></div>

miss annie

What sort of furniture, any good old stuff?

LizT

<font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal;">I miss Ajani. Patrick was such a lovely man, he moved to America. I've lived in the area since 2002, and nothing has survived on that corner has it? There's no foot traffic. The new place is a second outpost of:</span></font><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><br></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;">http://rustybike.kitchen/</span></font><br></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;">who can't even spell the road right on their first location. They hope customers 'enjoy the hipster atmosphere'. The mind boggles ;-) They need a proofreader. The previous place, Masaniell, failed too - incredibly brilliant Italian food but again, not a penny spent on marketing and zero foot traffic. It's just a place where people get off the bus and head home. Nobody's going to visit a restaurant there, no matter how good it is. What the new place has going for it is that it's not like the others near it. The nearest Thai place is Cats (love it) and that's more sit-down. I hope they do well! </span></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: normal;">Shame about the Plough too. Pubs find it hard round here. The one on Fonthill Road is in its 4th ownership. Unless you're on SG Rd you're a bit screwed!</span></font></div>

south_to_north

I think there are plenty of pubs this side of Hornsey road (North 19, landseer, the swimmer, the Shaftesbury). Though I never see anyone in North 19 that being said....

Arkady

Ajani didn't fail, Patrick wanted a bigger place. Where he ended up I don't know.

Papa

The Plough always had customers in it. Was definitely an old-school pub that maybe some would have avoided but I suspect it was viable.<div><br></div><div>I get your point though LizT</div>

vetski

I'm in the N19 fairly frequently. Sometimes it's busy, sometimes not. 

poxy

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"I think there are plenty of pubs this side of Hornsey road (North 19, landseer, the swimmer, the Shaftesbury)."</span><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><font color="#555555" face="Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Hornsey Road is a Mobius strip?</span></font></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Any reason why you DIDN'T mention the Prince Alfred? </span></div>

south_to_north

Because I've never been in - I've been to all the others. Whenever I pass it it's empty and though it's a bit paradoxical I don't really like going into an empty pub. Also just because it's there doesn't necessarily mean I have to go in it if you know what I mean? We have so many pubs round here that somewhere has to offer something different or be more practical in order to get me to want to go - and I'm not sure it offers either from my impression. Though I'm open to having my mind changed :0)

Sutent

I don't have official sales figures but I suspect the Tesco is doing well on that strip. There are plenty of people who live close by on Holloway side and the Andover estate. There are 2 pizza shops who sell pizza very cheaply. Again I don't have official figures but they appear to be busy and have survived a number of years though. You get a lot of flyers. Through the letter box for them.

Mirandola

Yeah, Patrick sold up, which is understandable but frustrating because he was really doing great at Ajani's. I think he wants to open somewhere else, but I haven't heard anything. 

Mirandola

As for the Plough I spoke to the developers and their plan was to wait a bit and get planning permission to convert the lot into flats. 

south_to_north

<p>What I always feel sad about is the little place that has the sign "the Tollington" outside it that used to be a pub (flats now I think). Can't help feeling every time I walk past it that you could make such a quaint (but financially unviable i'm sure) little pub out of that.... like a teeny Southampton Arms in N7.</p><p>Then there's the Victorian butcher up Hornsey Road that has open days every now and then - imagine what you could do with that!</p>

south_to_north

(For those who don't know what I'm talking about: <a href="http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/london/n7_holloway_tollington.html">http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/london/n7_holloway_tollington.html</a> and <a href="http://www.islingtontribune.com/butchers">http://www.islingtontribune.com/butchers</a>

miss annie

WC Plumb, the old butcher's is a thriving spot. The chap who owns the building lives above the old shop and rents it out for TV & film, secret suppers, weddings etc. no shortage of business, he's been there ages. Pop in and have a chat to him on Open House weekend in September.

Mirandola

New cafe looked busy today. 

kittygal

Has anyone tried this place yet, wondered if it was worth a visit?

kreuzkav

Good carpet/flooring shop there too.  

Mirandola

Just been in for lunch. It was pretty decent. Definitely worth a visit. 

djmattyoung

I've had breakfast there. Mediterranean eggs which was two poached eggs on a muffin with spinach and a very nice spicy sausage it was nice but at about £6.50 you get my for money at the hamlet cafe if you think of quantity. They are very friendly in there and I like the big windows. <div><br></div><div>Not tried the Thai food yet but have seen it full in the evening. </div>

Happystrummer

I've just got a takeaway from there....its delish and pretty authentic...guy who owns it also owns the japanese restaurant in Crouch End...warned him about the curse of hornsey road and suggested he did lots of marketing...you can go in just for coffee too

poxy

@happystrummer Which Japanese restaurant in Crouch End?  There are at least two.

TheMimsy

Went for lunch twice and it was nice.<div>Staff are friendly.</div><div>Last Saturday it was pretty packed at lunchtime.</div><div>I like it that they open the whole glass door when it's warm!</div>