Gone after 43 years: Camden’s longest serving publicans are off

It’s tucked away up on the north-west border of NW5, but the tiny Lord Southampton is a truly classic Kentish Town – no, scratch that, London – pub.

An 1850s-built corner boozer, it’s always boasted a colourful clientele, stretching back from the likes of Chris Moyles to Peter O’Toole and, most famously, Karl Marx, who used to frequent the joint when he lived on adjoining Grafton Terrace. (Rumour has it that the father of socialism preferred other people to buy him drinks rather than dig into his own pockets.)

And now the McGraths, who have been at the helm since 1972 – the longest serving publicans in the borough of Camden – are retiring. “I grew up in Ireland and we came over here when I was 17,” said Martha McGrath in an interview last year with us. “We had a place in Blackfriars first, and in those days it was promotion to come to a bigger venue like this; we were familiar with the area because my family already had pubs nearby – the Rose & Crown on Torriano Avenue was owned by my sister and brother-in-law in the late ‘60s, while the Exmouth Arms in Starcross Street was run by my brother.”

If you haven’t been, head to Southampton Road before their leaving do on January 13th to see it in its original, un-tainted #properpub glory, with a roaring fireplace, and crowd of local regulars at the bar.

Back in the early seventies there was an off-license too, which “the brewery got rid of in about ’74”, says Martha. “There was also a bridge to the toilets (pictured below), which remains. The whole back area was called the Kelly Bar, with a porthole and other memorabilia originating from the HMS Kelly Ship, commanded by Mountbatten in the Second World War. Sadly it was cleared out one day many years ago when we were on holiday.”

Martha has been quite open about the fact that the pub was up for sale for a while – and we know for a fact that several respected local operators have taken a look at it.

Yet not much is known yet about the new landlord – apart from his name’s Fabio Cao, and he’s been appointed by Enterprise Inns – but “as far as we know it’s staying the same, just a lick of paint,” says Martha’s daughter Tricia. “It would be a shame if they do more as it’s one of a kind. Let’s hope not much changes.”

So what are Martha’s funniest memories over the years? “There are quite a few but they’re all too rude for publication. I mean rude. But loads of celebs have come in over the years: Chris Moyles, for a couple of years with his gang. Getting back a bit there was Peter o’ Toole, Pete Postlethwaite, Bananarama – it was the first pub they drank in when they arrived round here – and quite a few Eastenders. Bill Nighy was a very young boy when we came here, training in the old Bubble Theatre in Southampton Road.”

Let’s hope a few of them come out in support of the McGraths next week for a final pint of Guinness, before new landlord Cao takes over on Thursday January 14th.