I first went to this pub about a month ago. I was at The Ice Wharf with my friend and her mother when a drunken woman with her quieter male friend came up to us and started to make conversation. She seemed intent on showing us around Camden (as my friend was only here for a university interview) and insisted on taking us to the DevonshireArms. She told us it was a Goth pub and that my friend (who appears Gothic to some people) would love it. So the five of us made our way over there...
Well I did not feel that positive as I read the sign on the front door warning that only "appropriate" dress code was allowed... Although I sometimes dress in this way, that day I was wearing towny-ish clothes finished off with a pair of silver hoop earrings and a green plastic necklace....so I was feeling slightly apprehensive....
Now this woman was obviously not a Goth and her friend looked like a type of business man probably in his fifties...my friend's mum was looking very quiet and very much like a...mother...
Well we walked in and I'm sure everyone was staring at us. The fact that the three of us weren't drinking that night made us even more out of place next to this pre-clubbing community of heavily made-up youngsters, many with hair in colours that wouldn't look out of place in a children's book. What made it worse was when my friend's mum hesitantly asked if there was anywhere to sit and the woman who had dragged us there (out of kindness may I add - she was very unaware how we must have appeared), preceeded to walk round the pub asking everyone if her "friend" could have their chair... Not good...
Well anyway, a couple of weeks ago my friend and I went back - dressed "appropriately" - though this did not seem to limit the amount of stares we received as we walked in...obviously a pub for regulars...
We commiserated about how we did not have any friends, and staring into our empty glasses did not seem to do us any favours as it would have done in pubs on the Isle Of Wight...
...Until a vampire look-a-like started to chat up my friend. She was enthusiastic that we had started to make a friend but I pointed out that he was only interested in her for "other" reasons. Well she put some eyeliner on him and he took her number then we DIDN'T follow him to the club he was going to afterwards...
When I had built enough courage to communicate with the punters, after several doubles (which might I add were more reasonably priced than in many London pubs), I asked people where they were going afterwards, clubbing-wise. They told me "Slimelight" a rock club near Angel tube station (mostly in one word answers....).
I managed to convince my friend that "Electric Ballroom" would be better so we went there but could not afford to go in and so spent about three hours getting on the wrong buses to get home and being followed by tramps....
So unless know your way around London well, are a regular, or are planning on becoming a regular I would not advise going to this pub. If you like to feel like you "belong" stick to your local Wetherspoons...
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I just hate going into a pub where the regulars stare at you as if you're from another planet and 'freeze you out' ~ pubs are meant to be relaxing! Interesting story! Sharron xxx
salem_witch 12.04.2004 21:40
When I went to uni in Bristol we were 100 yards from a 'local' pub. I think we went in there once and were made to feel really uncomfortable. After that we stuck to the student union!
Emma1973 12.04.2004 19:57
Everywhere I've been, anytime I've been in London, its always like that (And I'm one of 'them!')
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Apr 12th, 2004
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