North London Food & Culture

Will this become Gospel Oak’s new destination boozer?

It's long stood opposite the increasingly busy Overground station. But will it now tempt commuters and visitors in for a pint of ale?

"" Photo by Sarah Fox
“We still want it to be a community pub,” says manager Jan. Photo by Sarah Fox

The Old Oak reopens today after being closed for an 18 day refurbishment. It’s long had a regular crowd, all with a propensity to lap up the evening sun on its wide pavements, so what are the owners actually changing?

We popped by this morning to chat to manager Jan, as tables and chairs lay piled outside, the finishing touches to the paint and interior being put into place by half a dozen builders.

“We still want it to be a community pub,” she says, “but we also want people who get off the train at Gospel Oak to feel welcome and pop in too.”

Getting ready for opening night
Looming: opening night
So far, so good. Community is the key word in the success of any refurbished boozer. But is the addition of a quiz night and a real ale pump or two enough to bring in some new faces?


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How about some simple but tasty tucker like the pork baps and sausage rolls at the nearby Southampton Arms? Jan said food was definitely on the horizon, but was cautious about revealing any details. But hearty, home-cooked and perfect for a post-Heath scoff would, we think, work best.

Over at neighbouring coffee shop Housepresso, we asked owner Gavin and his regulars what they thought. Some said it’s good it hasn’t gone gastro. The overall verdict? The place was definitely in need of some kind of spruce-up.

So let’s hope the fresh lick of paint is enough to really put it on the map. Swing by and decide for yourself from tonight.

The Old Oak is at 1 Mansfield Road NW3

14 thoughts on “Will this become Gospel Oak’s new destination boozer?”

    1. Agree ,also had to wait several minutes for the ” guv ” to finish his fag ,was unfriendly ,didn’t speak English ,and didn’t understand my request for a pint of real ale ? Cold ,smell of drugs wafted around ,and kids drinking bottle of beer outside and obvioulsy no older the 16 ! Would never drink here again ,would rather freeze waiting for my train !

  1. Three pints of Guinness Extra Cold and the Champions League Arsenal v Marseilles match on. A good evening for me last night. Yes, it’s a proper boozer and a decent one. We’ve got a massively mixed community in Gospel Oak and there’s somewhere for everyone. The loos have been done up to a good standard and there are loads of local pictures on the wall, a dart board, and some decent beers. The outside now has some branded barriers too. It’s a nice improvement and Jan is a lovely neighbour. Good luck to her.

  2. This is maybe one pub I’d love to see go ‘gastro’. Have used said pub three times and it felt each time like walking into the sort of pub typical of where I grew up – the sort of place you’ll get a beating just for having mastered literacy. And before you ask, I used the place due whilst waiting for friends at the station over the road.

  3. A dive ,no matter what they do to it .Drugs are running rife ,underage drinkers are served freely ,no atmosphere what so ever ,and a barman who doesn’t speak English and could not understand my request for a pint of real ale ? Ludicrous ,unfriendly and would pass it by without hesitation .

  4. The advertising controls for tobacco and alcohol are meaningless when this pub has a platoon of puffers & boozers constantly displayed right outside the primary school. I often hear punters F-ing and such like when school and nursery children walk by. Suppose the open air staff smoking lounge outside the train station is no better. Really surprised council hasn’t acted – they would if a ciggy ad went up on the hoardings. An example of our mixed demographics not being too positive for once?

  5. Disgusting place, yeah a destination pub for buying drugs off mental cases in the smoking area, was summoned over and asked if I wanted to buy weed, when I said no I was threatened. Horrible dive

  6. Passed by whilst waiting for my train,drugs offered to me by a burly looking bloke ,I also refused and was threatened .I went in to speak to the management who were unavailable ,so i spoke to a foreign man who laughed in my face when i mentioned the incident ? I was appalled at the language opposite a primary school ,i have now reported this establishment ,i shall persevere with the complaint ,utterly disgusted at the attitude of the place !

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14 thoughts on “Will this become Gospel Oak’s new destination boozer?”

    1. Agree ,also had to wait several minutes for the ” guv ” to finish his fag ,was unfriendly ,didn’t speak English ,and didn’t understand my request for a pint of real ale ? Cold ,smell of drugs wafted around ,and kids drinking bottle of beer outside and obvioulsy no older the 16 ! Would never drink here again ,would rather freeze waiting for my train !

  1. Three pints of Guinness Extra Cold and the Champions League Arsenal v Marseilles match on. A good evening for me last night. Yes, it’s a proper boozer and a decent one. We’ve got a massively mixed community in Gospel Oak and there’s somewhere for everyone. The loos have been done up to a good standard and there are loads of local pictures on the wall, a dart board, and some decent beers. The outside now has some branded barriers too. It’s a nice improvement and Jan is a lovely neighbour. Good luck to her.

  2. This is maybe one pub I’d love to see go ‘gastro’. Have used said pub three times and it felt each time like walking into the sort of pub typical of where I grew up – the sort of place you’ll get a beating just for having mastered literacy. And before you ask, I used the place due whilst waiting for friends at the station over the road.

  3. A dive ,no matter what they do to it .Drugs are running rife ,underage drinkers are served freely ,no atmosphere what so ever ,and a barman who doesn’t speak English and could not understand my request for a pint of real ale ? Ludicrous ,unfriendly and would pass it by without hesitation .

  4. The advertising controls for tobacco and alcohol are meaningless when this pub has a platoon of puffers & boozers constantly displayed right outside the primary school. I often hear punters F-ing and such like when school and nursery children walk by. Suppose the open air staff smoking lounge outside the train station is no better. Really surprised council hasn’t acted – they would if a ciggy ad went up on the hoardings. An example of our mixed demographics not being too positive for once?

  5. Disgusting place, yeah a destination pub for buying drugs off mental cases in the smoking area, was summoned over and asked if I wanted to buy weed, when I said no I was threatened. Horrible dive

  6. Passed by whilst waiting for my train,drugs offered to me by a burly looking bloke ,I also refused and was threatened .I went in to speak to the management who were unavailable ,so i spoke to a foreign man who laughed in my face when i mentioned the incident ? I was appalled at the language opposite a primary school ,i have now reported this establishment ,i shall persevere with the complaint ,utterly disgusted at the attitude of the place !

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