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They wouldn't let me in about 6pm on Saturday because they said they were fully booked! i'd say about 1/3 of the tables were taken. To be fair the manger saw sense a minute or so later when i was outside deliberating where to go next and found us a table. The bell went about 9pm, all shuttered and lights off by 9:45 :eek:

Still, this time next week, i suspect ill be happy with just that.
 
They wouldn't let me in about 6pm on Saturday because they said they were fully booked! i'd say about 1/3 of the tables were taken. To be fair the manger saw sense a minute or so later when i was outside deliberating where to go next and found us a table. The bell went about 9pm, all shuttered and lights off by 9:45 :eek:

Still, this time next week, i suspect ill be happy with just that.
I love the Albert but if I decide to go out for the last two nights it won't be there because getting booted out at 9.30pm seems particularly mean given the impending one month lockdown.
 
The Albert kicked out even earlier last night with the last orders bell going around 9.03 followed by atmosphere-removing lights on/music off. We repaired to the Dogstar which, apart from the prices, was really pleasant and we were left in peace to drink until 10.10 when everyone immediately left. I'm not going to the Albert tonight.
 
Pretty much agree with this Buzz reader comment:
All for more vegan places but I really hate how they’ve set themselves up like this in the market. They want to replicate the fast-food burger chain aesthetic, fine – but do that on the high-street. Even in an environment that is increasingly moving away from the traditional market stalls this stands out like a sore-thumb and feels like an f.u. to it’s surroundings.
 
I saw on Twttter this afternoon that Streatham's Pratts & Payne has been sold by Antic to Portobello - so took a look on the latter's website and so it appears. They also seem to own the Old Red Lion (kennington), Knowles (W Norwood), Effra Social (Brixton) and King & Co (Clapham Common) - although I suspect they've owned the latter for longer as I now recall seeing signage up to that effect.

 
I saw on Twttter this afternoon that Streatham's Pratts & Payne has been sold by Antic to Portobello - so took a look on the latter's website and so it appears. They also seem to own the Old Red Lion (kennington), Knowles (W Norwood), Effra Social (Brixton) and King & Co (Clapham Common) - although I suspect they've owned the latter for longer as I now recall seeing signage up to that effect.

That's a big chunk of Antic's pubs gone!
 
Blimey - look at this message on the Effra Social's webpage:

I’m afraid that 36 hours before the latest lockdown our long term financial partners decided to serve notice upon us to terminate our management relationship for those pubs in which they had an interest, including Effra Social, with immediate effect and replace us with Portobello Brewing, and so you may see some changes when you visit post lockdown. We had no prior notice of this intent and we have made it clear that such an action was to our mind untimely, unwarranted, and we believe ill-conceived, and certainly not what one would expect from an 11 year relationship. I guess that all break ups are a surprise for the party on the receiving end…



We shall do all that we can to ensure that these pubs are returned to the Antic Collective, sooner rather than later, after all they were all conceived by us and quite a few were established long before our funders involvement, and the spirit of our rather eclectic public house approach is clear to see within both the buildings and the lovely folk who put them at the heart of the communities that they serve. We are well aware that your pub is more than just a building investment upon a ledger, and having been doing what we do for some 21 years, we firmly believe in our approach and so worry not, we have no intention of going quietly into the pandemic night. Some things are just too damn important.



I am really sorry that we at Antic won’t be welcoming you back on December 2nd to The Effra Social, but do please continue to provide your support as the pub is infinitely more important than the machinations and manoeuvrings of us mere mortals, and the pub staff, all of whom will largely be the same, will be delighted to see you I’m sure. Do also feel free to email us via the Bosses Ear on the AnticLondon site with any feedback that you might have with regards to the pubs affected by this and the Portobello style of operation, as we shall need to address any issues on our return, and a thankfully a parent doesn’t disappear through wishful thinking.



It has been a year full of surprises, and whilst this rather took the biscuit, we shall use it to crumb our trail back to our pubs. In the meantime, thank you most sincerely for all your support and our very best wishes for the festive period to you all.



Antic x​
 
Well there was some suspicion Antic would run into difficulties during the pandemic, and i guess this must be it. They dont sound too happy about it do they?

Portobello have owned The King and co for a while, i've not been in since they took it over, but before it was an expensive craft beer pub run by a bearded hipster twat. I doubt they would have changed too much about it as it was often busy and popular.

I was in the Effra Social recently on Halloween, due to queues around the block at Hootananny's, and it was shit, empty and not reasonably priced anymore. I'd be more concerned about Portobello ruining Pratts & Payne or Knowles.
 
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Well there was some suspicion Antic would run into difficulties during the pandemic, and i guess this must be it. They dont sound too happy about it do they?

Portobello have owned The King and co for a while, i've not been in since they took it over, but before it was an expensive craft beer pub run by a bearded hipster twat. I doubt they would have changed too much about it as it was often busy and popular.

I was in the Effra Social recently on Halloween, due to queues around the block at Hootananny's, and it was shit, empty and not reasonably priced anymore. I'd be more concerned about Portobello ruining Pratts & Payne or Knowles.
Happy to say my nights at the Effra Social were always busy, but it's not really fair to judge businesses at this time - Hootananny does well because it has a huge outdoor space. I've never seen Knowles busy even before the Covid crisis...
 
I saw on Twttter this afternoon that Streatham's Pratts & Payne has been sold by Antic to Portobello - so took a look on the latter's website and so it appears. They also seem to own the Old Red Lion (kennington), Knowles (W Norwood), Effra Social (Brixton) and King & Co (Clapham Common) - although I suspect they've owned the latter for longer as I now recall seeing signage up to that effect.

I always thought Portobello was good stuff -mainly on the basis of their Ameircan Pale Ale - 5%, but even more do their Apache IPA - 7%, bioth Beehive favourites.
Neither of these are mentioned on their webste - maybe they have a limited offer during Coronavirus.

Regarding what is going on with Antic, I turned to the trade paper The Morning Advertiser - who sourced their information from Brixton Buzz.
 
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