Pub Heritage Shaftesbury Tavern
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Greater London North - Upper Holloway
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed Status: Not listed
534 Hornsey RoadUpper Holloway
N19 3QN
Tel: (020) 7272 7950
Email: shaftesburyt@remarkablepubs.co.uk
Website https://theshaftesburytavern.co.uk/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Shaftesburytavern
Real Ale: Yes
Real Cider: Yes
Lunchtime Meals: Yes
Evening Meals: Yes
Nearby Station: Finsbury Park
Station Distance: 1400m
Public Transport: Near Railway Station (Finsbury Park) and Bus Stop
Bus: Yes
View on: Whatpub
Built in 1897 with rich wood and glasswork, so typical of the golden age of pub-building. There has been much change but it is clear that there would have been more compartments than the two spaces we have today. The star feature is the richly treated, original L-shaped bar-back. The counter too seems original. A certain amount of the late Victorian glass survives, including a panel bearing the name of the pub. In the left is a double-width door leading to what was probably a billiard room (hence the round-ended skylight). This room also has a fine surround. The baffles with etched glass in the main bar are probably result from modern rearrangements. The pub was restored in 2014 from a 'very tired' state by the small pub chain Remarkable Restaurants Ltd: their work included the impressive black and white marble flooring and also the gilding on the on the bar-back and the pilasters in the left-hand room.
Built 1897 (on front) and restored in 2014 by Remarkable Restaurants Ltd (owners of the Salisbury, Green Lanes, N4). The main bar has what looks like the original curved two-sided bar counter with two different styles to the counter front. The L-shaped bar back appears original and the cornice at the top has been recently painted in gold as is the broken pediment and urns along the top. On the right it has two bays with mirrored backing to shelves but fridges have replaced the lower shelving. On the return are six bays (and there is a small corner bay) but is only mirrored panels in good wood surrounds with no shelving top or bottom. The back fitting on the left runs all the way to the wall of the rear room but the counter here stops well short so it seems to have been shortened at some point.
There are deep-cut and frosted exterior windows with ‘The Shaftesbury’ wording and some have replacements (or transfers?). There are two good vestibule entrances with more etched and frosted panels and a couple of short screens with an etched and frosted panel. Note the small section of decorative plasterwork on the ceiling at the corner. The floor is part wood and some black and white marble tiles laid diagonally, possibly as part of the 2014 refurbishment.
A double width doorway in a shallow arched partition leads to what may have been the billiard room (?) with a round-ended skylight. This room has a black and white marble floor laid diagonally (in 2014?) and has a good carved wood surround fireplace with modern cast-iron interior and a bevelled mirror in the overmantel. There are four pilasters on the walls painted black with capitals in gold. There are three modern seating bays on the right.
Hidden away in a hallway (now private access to the accommodation) on the far right is the tiled wall of the original vestibule entrance. It has floor-to-ceiling tiling including above the dado tiled panels either side of a large plain mirror and some tiles are in relief including some cherubs.
Full Description
There are deep-cut and frosted exterior windows with ‘The Shaftesbury’ wording and some have replacements (or transfers?). There are two good vestibule entrances with more etched and frosted panels and a couple of short screens with an etched and frosted panel. Note the small section of decorative plasterwork on the ceiling at the corner. The floor is part wood and some black and white marble tiles laid diagonally, possibly as part of the 2014 refurbishment.
A double width doorway in a shallow arched partition leads to what may have been the billiard room (?) with a round-ended skylight. This room has a black and white marble floor laid diagonally (in 2014?) and has a good carved wood surround fireplace with modern cast-iron interior and a bevelled mirror in the overmantel. There are four pilasters on the walls painted black with capitals in gold. There are three modern seating bays on the right.
Hidden away in a hallway (now private access to the accommodation) on the far right is the tiled wall of the original vestibule entrance. It has floor-to-ceiling tiling including above the dado tiled panels either side of a large plain mirror and some tiles are in relief including some cherubs.
