The Old Oak — Restaurant in London

🚇 Gospel Oak 🍺 £5.50 Cruzcampo

The Old Oak is located in Gospel Oak which is close to Hampstead Heath in Northwest London. The nearest station is Gospel Oak which is just across the road.

This pub was built after World War II as part of the redevelopment of the area, the current building replaced an earlier building destroyed during the war. This pub is part of the @craftunionpubs chain of pubs.

This is a one bar pub that has a traditional local pub feel. The servery is located on the right hand side and has a few stools in front to perch on. The bar is “C” shaped with a pool table and dartboard at one end and a seating area with a curved banquette at the other. The walls are clad in burgundy wood panels plus plenty of screens for watching live sport. One thing that is always great to see, is a proper pub carpet running throughout. If you fancy a bit of fresh air with your pint, there are a number of benches around the front of the pub.

The beer line up was all keg with a range of familiar brands to choose from. I decided on a Cruzcampo, my pint was great, price point was below average. This is a Wet-Led pub, meaning it doesn’t serve food.

We arrived just before 1pm on a mild Saturday lunchtime in May. The pub was quiet at first, then it started filling up with a local crowd both inside and out. The atmosphere was relaxed, we watched the Celtic v St Mirren game on mute with Bob Marley playing in the background. The service was good, we were served by a nice fella behind the ramp.

The @theoldoakpub1 or the “Double O” is down to earth community boozer which has loyal local punters. The beer was decent and not pricey, the atmosphere was relaxed and there was a nice local pub feel to the place. Worth a look if you’re in the area.

📅 18th May 2024

More London Pub info...

First of all, I was travelling long, quite long distance on this day. I did have to leave my overground journey because I had to use the bathroom really really bad. First time in my life when this happened. I did go to this pub just outside the station and was asked by security guys why I wanted to enter the premises. I was polite and tried to explain that I really need to use a bathroom as there are none around. Another security member chipped in the conversation and said that they are in charge and there is no way I could use one. I tried to explain still in a calm manner that I really need to go and they both just shut me down saying that there is one in the train station. I did ask why not, as I'm not drunk, disorderly or being rude. They said if I'm not a paying customer it is not possible. I did ask what if I would be buying a drink? The person in charge told me that I quote " it is busy and till the time you get a drink you will wet yourself". This was an inhumane and humiliating treatment. To leave a fellow human being to wet themselves in London in this day and age is something I do not want anyone to go through. The station did not have any toilets and the person in the booth said that the pub keeps sending people to them knowing that the one they have is out of order. Maybe the reason behind their actions was the fact that I'm a white male? I would never recommend a place where people are being treated worse...

My brother and I got off the Tube on the Gospel Oak station as he needed to go to the toilet to a point where he barely held on. We saw this pub across the road and thought we go in there so he can relieve himself, was more than happy to buy a drink if asked to. The staff on the door immediately stopped us and asked as about our intentions which we told them about. They were hostile from the get go and told us it's not possible since it's busy. We told them we are happy to buy a drink to what they answer was -paraphrasing here- "since it's busy, by the time you order a drink you will wet yourself, so no you can't come in" Disgusting behaviour. Unprofessional and they seemed to have a chip on their shoulder since both of us are white males.

I have been working in this industry -running restaurants- for 13 years now. Never in my life I have ever refused a customer or non customer to use the bathroom especially if they looked desperate. Shame on you and the two employees wearing black shirts...