The Castle (Bar)

The Castle is blessed with a unique history. In the 18th century, King George IV, having pawned the shirt off his back at a local cockfight, found himself in desperate need of some extra dollar. In exchange for his watch, The Castle landlord offered George a bagful of coppers and a few swift jars for him and his mates. The King was so chuffed that he granted the accommodating innkeeper a pawnbrokers’ licence on the spot. To this day, the pub is still in possession of this extraordinary privilege.

So, a pub that allows gamblers the opportunity for further ruin should be a hit with local scrubbers. Not in Farringdon. On week nights, the punters arrive suited, and with little regard for ceremony. The bar caters for this, providing a lively assortment on draught (Leffe, De Kroninck, and even Früli – a strawberry flavoured lager), without a cocktail in sight.

The walls are black, the tables are tiny, and there is nothing to intrigue the senses. Within the tight space of the main room they have somehow squeezed in a raised non-smoking section and a bench table near the bar with its own theatre curtain. Apart from an old painting depicting George IV’s cockfighting story, there is really nothing that demands attention. But then, there seems no need for it.

At face value, the food menu is as you’d expect – brief, homely, but unappetising. However, the sticky, interlocking skewers of chicken yakatori (£5.50), and the delicious veg pie in a Roquefort cream sauce (£8.50) prove that real effort is afforded in even the most humble of dishes.

Upstairs houses a pool table and a retro space invaders arcade, and can be hired out for private functions. Every Friday and Saturday night, the ground floor brings in a rotation of House DJs to warm up the clubbing crowds. It is these people who capitalise on The Castle’s main appeal as a pre-clubbing, straightforward and intimate pub: a great venue for small numbers, either on your way to one of the big clubs down the road, or to down a few, peaceful beers....read more