Exactly a year ago, Camdenist posted exciting news that - bucking the national trend - four historic local boozers were preparing to reopen in 2024.

One whole journey around the sun later - including the inevitable delays and unforeseen twists and turns - and the last of them has indeed just flung its doors wide to the public once more, after many shuttered years.

Eager and curious, I dropped by proper backstreet local The Lord Southampton for a swift pint of Deya this week, seeking out the new owners for the lowdown. And what a charming duo they are.

This is Phil and Aimee’s first pub venture but, having both worked in hospitality for years, they explained that they’d always wanted to run their own backstreet boozer. Upon securing this one, you can sense the knowledge, care and passion that’s gone into restoring its splendid wood paneled interior (lush photos well worth a look on their first Instagram post).

As we ruminated last year, this is exactly the kind of pub that gets thoroughly erased by rapacious developers keen to cash out on a pokey resi conversion, so the fact it’s back to being a public house once more is a huge victory - and a reminder of just how spoiled we still are in Camden for decent pubs, despite the prevailing hostile-to-hostelry headwinds.

A short, daily-changing food menu is on the way soon, but for now, the warm oak-heavy bar room with its flickering candles and storied history - from Karl Marx being tight buying the rounds to being home to Camden’s one-time longest-serving publican, (apparently she’s popped in a couple of times this week already) - is reason enough to draw in those who love the increasingly rare joy of a beer off the beaten track.

With both The Constitution and Duke of St Albans reopening earlier in the year after long mothballed stretches, that just leaves The Lady Hamilton in Kentish Town from our list of a year ago. And while it changed owners from an odd US hotel outfit since that report, it has indeed also just reopened, scrubbed up almost beyond belief by the group that run the likes of Oak & Poppy in Hampstead and The Yorkshire Grey in Farringdon (scene of various 11am-11pm sessions in my student days, I recall 😏).

The Old Farmhouse sees the NW5 pub revert to its Victorian name (see it cut into the brickwork above the door), and now boasts bedrooms upstairs, where space-poor locals can put up relatives and visitors nearby. That alone should see it do well as a new addition to KT’s healthy and varied pub scene.

The story overall is still massively challenging though, which prompted our in-depth feature back in February, delving into various campaigns underway to protect other closed and threatened boozers, before it’s too late.

Of those locals identified with precariously uncertain prospects, there’s been good news since about a fair few. Legendary LGBTQ+ cabaret spot The Black Cap is preparing to reopen soon after an epic battle, while music pub The Harrison raised a load of money to at least keep the wolf from the door for now, and The Lock Tavern fortunately didn’t go under, even when it’s owners did.

The project to bring back the lovely little Admiral Mann continues, and we’re told that the boards have intriguingly just come down on South End Green’s sizable White Horse after five long, dark years.

But the one nobody had predicted for 2024 was the return of Holloway Rd institution Big Red’s original owner, Ben, taking on the abandoned site of failed co-working and beer venture Monarchy, aka one-time Chalk Farm Rd live music circuit hotspot The Monarch.

So I also was compelled to stop by The Imperial Palace of Big Red, as it’s now known, this week, and have a chat with Ben about what he’s hoping to achieve here, having been tipped off by a Camdenist reader that there was much excitement in the rock community at the arrival of this new hangout.

With fluro animal print seat covers and walls choc-full of wild posters and memorabilia, it’s already a world away from the anodyne corporate bar nonsense last seen here. A live music programme will begin as soon as the licensing is finalised, but Camden’s refreshingly pro-nightlife team are apparently keen to oblige.

Ben’s dream is for this to be a place that people want to linger and socialise in comfort, and for it to become an important, and massively vital, new grassroots live music venue in which to foster the festival headliners of tomorrow.

So, a heartfelt “cheers” to all these plucky newcomers - do go check ‘um out.

MORE FESTIVE UPDATES

🎄 Don’t forget, there’s a free afternoon of seasonal live performances, mouthwatering food and drinks, Santa’s Grotto for the kids plus festive stalls offering unique gifts and Xmas goodies, all to be enjoyed at Castlehaven Community Association’s Winterfest 2024 in the heart of Camden Town, 4pm-7pm TONIGHT, Fri 6th Dec.

🎄 King’s Cross hails the return of the Crafty Fox Christmas Market, starting this Sunday 8th Dec, and running next weekend too. It’s free, and sees over 100 talented designers and makers selling art prints, homeware, jewellery, ceramics, clothing, accessories and loads of other gift ideas.

🎄 COAG Wrapped is the final street art show of the year at Camden Open Air Gallery, and they’re throwing a little bash on Saturday night (7th) to honor it. Expect DJs, cocktails, dancing and, of course, art and artists from their growing network of talent on show.

🎄 Just up the High Street, COAG’s former retail partner 777 Stores are opening a massive new standalone shop selling streetwear, skate wear and accessories by the famous Camden Lock railway bridge on Sat 7th. Expect freebies for those in the queue, secret ‘£7 steal’ items on the rails, plus there are in-store basketball and punch machines, where the highest scores win seriously in-demand prizes.

📊 This week's poll

A slightly different format for the usual listings this week, as we highlight two projects promoting music and dance discovery to talented young people…

MUSIC

🎵 Live artist showcase at 3 Lock Brewery on Dec 14th

🎤 Setting out our stall for how we aim to support up-and-coming musical talent in Camden in 2025, Camdenist has teamed up with crime prevention charity Khadys Dream (who you may remember from this truly amazing story a few weeks back), for a musical showcase event.

It takes place on Saturday 14th December in the tasty railway arch venue at Hawley Wharf’s 3 Locks Brewery and tap bar. You’ll hear fast-rising Contemporary R&B singer Mellina Tey, 20-year-old soulful NW London-born vocalist Gigi Moss (pictured above) and locally raised artist Code Hatukai.

More info and tickets here. Your first beer is free with entry, plus you’ll be entered into a raffle with big prizes, and it’s all in support of the charity.

STAGE

🩰 Boys love ballet too

Euston’s home of dance, The Place, has teamed up with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and Sadlers Wells to offer two days of special workshops aimed at revealing the joy of dancing to 10-18-year-old boys.

Boys in Motion is a whole weekend of dance designed to offer young boys an introduction and a pathway into a new world, coinciding with the 30th anniversary production of Bourne’s genre-defining, gender-upending Swan Lake.

It takes place 14th-15th Dec, and includes the workshops, a Q&A with the show’s male dancers and a family-chaperoned trip to see the show at Sadler’s Wells.

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