Over the Hill

HolbornFox

Bad times for Crouchén


The Henry Reader has shut and will be a craft beer pub, not sure if that means ran by the Craft Beer Company or not.

I am also not sure if jumper wearing film directors is the best market for them but i guess we will see.


Even worse news is that The Harringay Arms has also closed and is being taken over by Enterprise Inns, whatever that means. No more late nights i would suspect.

Scruffy

Don't know the Reader, but the Harringay Arms? On Crouch Hill, opposite Harum Records?

Only been there a couple of times recently and found it rather so-so. I wonder if they'll rename it. I've often wondered about the name, seeing as it's so far from Harringay. Anyone know about that?

Scruffy

By the way, what's the accepted pronunciation for "Crouchén"?

harpistic

I always assumed it was like Croooo-shon.

HolbornFox

The Reader was an Irish lounge type pub, not the best but had a decent landlord and was good for football.

The Harringay was a great pub when the old Irish couple had it.

It was a bit bumpy when they left but in the end it had a decent landlady, decent beer, people that can hold a conversation and a cute dog. My impression anyway.


I always think it's Croush-on (silent N).

grenners

Times change. Can't say I was impressed by Henry Reader never been in there. Haringey arms is a bit sad but it's a competitive world out there and the former owners bring on their own demise by refusing to adapt.

conformable_kate

I think it's more like Spanish. Cro-u-CHEN

HolbornFox

Disagree @grenners i think the new owners took over the Harringay and the regulars left, they then did adapt, drew in a new clientele and it was seemingly working.

I think it was probably struggling mid-week and was / is way too dark for day time drinking.

If Weathershite struggled then what hope has a two bob operation ( probably getting robbed by the brewery) got?

MMF

Don't get me wrong, I like(d) the Harringay Arms dog but - on occasion - the smell could fell a man.

Arkady

Enterprise Inns are truly dreadful. Very limited beer tie.

HolbornFox

They are apparently the biggest PubCo, i thought that was M&B, another horrendous company.

I see they are now involved with The Queens which I guess explains why that pub lost its soul a few years ago.

Arkady

Aye I find the Queens a bit sterile - no reason to go now the excellent Earl Haig is open behind it.

Papa

It's pronounced French: Crou sh..onde accentuate the on and slightly silence the de

HolbornFox

I always forget the Earl Haig is there actually, what a fantastic place that is.

@Arkady do you drink the Volden beer? What is it like?

Arkady

It's phenomenal - everything a pub should be.

I don't recall - though I have had the session beer before somewhere. I was drinking cider last time I was in there. Good stop before or after the Picturehouse.

conformable_kate

@Papa L so what's the acute accent on the e for ...?

Scruffy

Hmmm. So we have Croo-SHON, Croo-SHEN, Croo-SHEND (these two at least give the outsider some idea of where you mean), and Cro-oo-CHEN (really, Kate?—although, I have to admit, I've heard Italians pronounce it like that.) Well at least "Stroud Green" and "Finsbury Park" are safe from such ridicule (aren't they?) Ummm... Except for "Crappy rub sniff", anyway.

I just tried franglaisising it (with the assistance of Google Translate, bien sur):
"Fin d'Accroupissement"
(very pleased with the -pissement part there). Whatever happened to Miles Kington?

conformable_kate

"End of crouching". Well, it makes sense. (Resisting temptation to explicate further in relation to -pissement here.)

Pronunciation: I'm just following the spelling! Not my idea to stick an accent on the e. Blame @HolbornFox.

conformable_kate

How about the little known (perhaps early medieval) Saint Roud? He was a christian reworking of the pagan Green Man, of course.

harpistic

Or the original Green Man of Mortimer, even? (The Lion was a Norman introduction, of course).

HolbornFox

Everything can be blamed on the HolbornFox it's is de rigueur.

The first time i heard someone in Eton drawl gleefully say they were going to Strouders for a bite i was so upset i didn't know whether to ring the samaritans or give up and move to Basildon.

Papa

@conformable_kate I was merely doing the phonetics for the commonly spoken pisstake of Crouch Enders (other pisstake pronounciations may be available)

If you were to spell it, I'd go Crouchende, as the ch is pronounced sh in French and the ende is pronounced onde.

As far as I'm aware it would need no accent.

My favourite local place name gentrification remains the Highgate Slopes one seen on an estate agent advert aka Archway.

HolbornFox

I used that spelling to make it clear where i was referring to (although i would still go with it personally), given that half of Internet forum rows are started by misinterpretation!

For example, why do forums have rows, rows of what!?

therattle

We always pronounce it Croo-shon, with the N being soft in the French way.

Papa

You did us all a favour HolbornFox by starting the debate

JefkeVanHoornzehout

"Strouders"??? I'd have thrown up, preferably on his/her shoes, and then connived to have them added to the local sexual offenders list (assuming they weren't already on it).

Bad enough when people say "Finsbury" when they mean Finsbury Park.

Fox, I sympathise with your wish for clarity. Instead of having rows online, we could go all to the FP pond (aka "boating lake") and have a proper all-out row. Would clear the air.

NorthNineteen

Bit sad to see the Henry Reader go, often had a decent crowd that just wanted cheap booze and sky sports.

In terms of good beer, the Great Northern Railway Tavern in Hornsey is amazing. Best beer collection I've seen for a long time. The recent refurb and improvements to the garden are also really good.

therattle

Regardless of our differences, I think we can all agree that a posho referring to Strouders is just beyond the pale.

harpistic

Is "Stroudy" allowed at least? I'll need some advance warning if I'm to be banished from the area for calling it by the wrong nickname

HolbornFox

If you use the term Stroudie and also didn't like the Sugar Lounge you may be on thin ice.

Scruffy

Stroudy, @harpistic ? Ooh no, that won't do. Everything and anything is allowed, of course, but you might raise an eyebrow (even if you don't get vomit on your shoes). "Stroudy" sounds like we're in Liverpool or an episode of Neighbours (or Brookside, or that matter). Stroud Green has the same number of syllables and requires only a little more vocal exertion, so why Stroudy? Years ago it used to be Straaah' Green (or Strow— rhyming with cow—Green)—a saving of one consonant. Why did the D return?