Refurb Update
Pre-Christmas I noted that one of my locals had undergone a substantial refurbishment. The Shaftesbury, in Upper Holloway, had been shut for four weeks – which is why I tagged it substantial .On further examination though they have merely lightened the decor, put some pine in (oh no) and put some decking out front. The rather moribund small crowd that used to frequent it appears to have been replace by an equally moribund but slightly smaller crowd. This refurb might be said to have been a bit of a failure.
So what new gimmicks are they trying to woo the punter in. “Free Wireless Broadband” was advertised on the window. The publog has been involved in net in pub trials before (standalone booths) and were not completely sold. Would you drag your laptop to a slight rough pub to browse? It seems unlikely, but as ever a watching brief has been set up.