Antipodean Pubs
British pubs take many shapes and forms these days,
and the expat community are well served by their
own drinking establishments. So, for those with
a serious herding instinct...
Backpacker, Kings Cross
Location: 126 York Way, N1. King's Cross Tube.
An Aussie party pub in an unremarkable stretch of
King's Cross - sawdust on the floor and plastic glasses
says it all.
Bondi Bar, Acton
Location: 79 Church Road, Acton W3.
A litle slice of Bondi in Acton? Not quite, but lots
of sport, free BBQ's etc.
The Church, Kings Cross
Just around the corner from the Backpacker, the infamous
Church is for serious hedonists only. Drunken nudity
is standard, so the easily offended or those wanting
'a quiet pint' should look elsewhere. Open on Sundays
only (from noon) for a bit of 'sinning'.
The Crown, Cricklewood
Location: 152 Cricklewood, NW2. Kilburn Tube,
Cricklewood TL.
Open to midnight during the week and to 1.30am Fri-Sat,
The Crown has become a popular place to catch some
live music.
The Elusive Camel
Location: 121 Lower Marsh, Waterloo. Waterloo
Tube.
A fairly new kid on the block, the Elusive Camel
chain - with locations at Victoria and Tower Bridge
too - is aiming at a slightly more sophisticated market.
Pizza nights and Sunday Roast deals make a change
to the booze and DJ's formula. Check out the Elusive
Camel website.
Liquid Blue, Duke Street
Location: 31 Duke Street, London W1. Bond
Street tube.
Two new entrants at the top end of the Antipodean
pub market, Liquid Blue is more cocktails and wines
than stubbies and pints. Friday night is dance night,
so don't wear your rugby jersey. Check out the Liquid
Blue website for details.
Maple Leaf, Covent Garden
Location: 41 Maiden Lane, WC2. Covent Garden
Tube.
A little slice of Canada in Covent Garden, with North
American-style burgers and lots of ice hockey on the
big screen. Draught Molson on tap.
Polar Bear, Leicester Square
Location: 30 Lisle Street, WC2. Leicester
Square Tube.
For Kiwi rugby fans in particular, antipodeans in
general.
Prince of Teck, Earls Court
Location: 161 Earl's Court Road, SW5. Earl's
Court Tube.
An Aussie pub in the heart of Earl's Court, with
a quieter alternative upstairs.
Redback Tavern, Acton
Location: 264 High Street, Acton W3. Acton
Town tube, buses 207 and 266.
Proclaiming itself as 'London's Leading Australasian
Live Music Venue', the Redback does have live bands
or DJ's Wednesday to Sunday. A big following with
those out west, the Redback also has a free BBQ or
two.
Slug And Lettuce, Fulham
Location: 474 Fulham Road. Fulham Broadway
Tube.
Out west, with the usual mix of cheap drink, sport,
and live music.
Southern Junction, Piccadilly
Location: 4/6 Glasshouse Street, Piccadilly.
Piccadilly Circus Tube.
A hard to beat central location, just a short stroll
from the Circus. Happy Hour stretches from 1pm to
8pm every day.
Southside Bar, Central
Location: 125 Cleveland Street, W1. Warren
Street Tube.
Originally in Covent Garden, the Southside is now
just a short stroll from Tottenham Court Road. Sport,
happy hours, even - say it isn't true - karaoke. Check
out www.southsidebar.com.
The Swan
Location: 215 Clapham Road, Stockwell SW9.
Stockwell tube.
For those on the 'south side', The Swan is a beacon
for those a long way from home. Tribute bands are
a specialty. Visit The
Swan website for more information.
Walkabout, Shepherds Bush
Location: 58 Shepherds Bush Green, W12. Shepherds
Bush Tube.
One of the most popular and well-patronised of all
Aussie/Kiwi pubs. There's now a handful of Walkabouts
(part of the Regents Inn Group), with another popular
branch being in Covents Garden and a new location
in the City. Check out the Walkabout
website for details.
World's End, Camden
Location: 174 Camden High Road, NW1. Camden
Town tube.
Busy most of the week and hectic in the weekend.
Opposite the tube station, and just a stones throw
from the markets. Another branch in Covent Garden.
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