Tips for london night out after AFC V SAFC

safcftm · Post by **safcftm** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:52 pm

Awrite lads. Typically i found out that i was unsuccessful in my application for a ticket in the sunderland end for the aforementioned encounter but, never fear, my arsenal supporting mate thinks he is up for a trip down and a seat in the arsenal end, just need to renew my red membership that we got for roma away last season

anyway, since my mate is from glasgow (yes, i know!), neither of us are entirely familiar with London. Our plan is to get down early on the day of the game (7am ish) and have an explore. We went to the last AFC v SAFC game at highbury (went in the north bank and SAFC lost 3-1) and fancy going to the place we got our breakfast from near the stadium again as it was mint.

Our troubles start after that as we didnt get round to finding out what pubs are good before the game, and then we are planning on having a night out in london after the game. Can anyone recommend any good pubs (either away pubs, or just pubs that wont mind a stray mackem appearing for a pint!), and is there anywhere good to go for a night out around the highbury area, or is it a case of going into the centre of london? An idea of admission prices and pint prices for a night out wouldnt go amiss as well!

Cheers for any advice lads!

VforVictory · Post by **VforVictory** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 3:39 am

Boozers round ground are good for after game but about 7 ish head into West End for nightlife.

Canton is cheap but good Chinese Restaurant in Newport Place by the car park in China Town just to the North of Leicester Square tube station, same line as Arsenal tube (Piccadilly).
For clubs head to Hoxton near Old Street tube for student birds, I am 51 so Im an old codger but if you are younger you will have a laugh down there.

spoona · Post by **spoona** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 7:21 am

There is a pub right on the corner of the away end before you head over the clock end bridge,called the Drayton Arms,away fans only BEFORE the game,think its locked up after the game,head onto Holloway road after the game,follow the general driection of flow after the game from the away end back over the bridge and you cant miss it,there are a good few pubs on there,and if memory serves me right,a few of them let away fans in,dependant on the team,so reckon you should be ok.

safcftm · Post by **safcftm** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:01 am

cheers lads, looking forward to the game, should be a quality day out!

Number 5 · Post by **Number 5** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:24 am

Get your arse over to Leyton for the real Arsenal V Sunderland game.

You can be our mascot.

digger · Post by **digger** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:27 am

Drayton Arms is mixed before and after the game. Hoxton/Shoreditch is good for a beer up in the evening, and isn't as much of a rip off as the West End. Don't think you'll get in anywhere decent with colours on though!

norfbankN16 · Post by **norfbankN16** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:41 am

avoid the west end at all costs. its full of chavs from the home counties and tourists on the weekend. I don't know any Londoner that goes up west on a Saturday night. Hoxton/Shoreditch is your best bet for a mix of pubs/dj bars/clubs. Even Islington is a good night out. Loads of pubs and bars on Upper Street and a few good ones on Essex rd too (The Embassay & The Old Queens Head have music/dj's). If you are uber trendy then head to Dalston.

Expect to pay at least Â£3 for a pint.

But not knowing your age and tastes its hard to gauge but there is a huge choice everywhere.

beerintheevening.com use this link.

hatemanu99 · Post by **hatemanu99** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:51 am

I go in the Junction just off Highbury corner before and straight after the game, then walk up Upper Street to loads of decent bars and restaurants. Definitely avoid the west end, it's shit. Keston Lodge, the Bull, Wax Jambu and Pitcher & Piano on Upper Street are all good but maybe best to wear the Makem stripes under a plain top or something (or just chuck it in the bin!).

Have a good one mate

safcftm · Post by **safcftm** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:21 am

lots of good advice, cheers. just so people know, i'm 25 and so is my mate, so we will be looking for pubs with a good atmosphere pre and post match and then for the night out just any area that has a good few bars and a half decent nightclub type place (anywhere that has more than just dance/ trance music, which im not a fan of- if by some random stroke of luck we actually get something other than a heavy defeat, somewhere with some cheesy music wouldnt go amiss

)

In terms of the pubs, i enjoy going into away pubs and singing away for a few hours before the match, but i equally enjoy going into "away friendly" home pubs and just having a bit chat with the home fans. My mate being a gooner would tend to lead me to think that he will be more up for these kind of pubs than the SAFC ones!

When staying over after an away match I dont bother wearing colours, so getting into places shouldnt be a problem

thanks again lads, i enjoyed my trip to highbury and our lot tend to enjoy going down arsenal, always a good atmosphere to be found somewhere!

digger · Post by **digger** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:26 am

If you want to go to an "away friendly" home pub, try the Phibbers ( http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/ ... /Islington )... whether you get in or not depends on the mood of the bouncers, but I'd imagine it'll be ok considering we don't have a massive rivalry with Sunderland (there were Everton fans in there the other week, but they block ****, Chelskis and Manks).

And afterwards, defo go to Shoreditch if you're in your 20s. We went to the Light Bar a few weeks ago ( http://www.thelighte1.com/ )... decent atmosphere, loads of pissed up students and a decent female:male ratio. If it's crap, you can basically stumble out and end up in another bar within seconds.

marcengels · Post by **marcengels** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:27 am

hatemanu99 wrote:I go in the Junction just off Highbury corner before and straight after the game, then walk up Upper Street to loads of decent bars and restaurants. Definitely avoid the west end, it's shit. Keston Lodge, the Bull, Wax Jambu and Pitcher & Piano on Upper Street are all good but maybe best to wear the Makem stripes under a plain top or something (or just chuck it in the bin!).

Have a good one mate

Just start at Highbury Corner, pop into the world famous "Hope and Anchor"

and just carrying on from there. Can head over to Shoreditch way after that, or into the West End if you feel like being ripped off, probably mugged, driven home in an uninsured cab or walking home.

Enjoy anyway

NBM · Post by **NBM** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:09 am

digger wrote:If you want to go to an "away friendly" home pub, try the Phibbers ( http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/ ... /Islington )... whether you get in or not depends on the mood of the bouncers, but I'd imagine it'll be ok considering we don't have a massive rivalry with Sunderland (there were Everton fans in there the other week, but they block y**, Chelskis and Manks).

And afterwards, defo go to Shoreditch if you're in your 20s. We went to the Light Bar a few weeks ago ( http://www.thelighte1.com/ )... decent atmosphere, loads of pissed up students and a decent female:male ratio. If it's crap, you can basically stumble out and end up in another bar within seconds.

Recommend the Light, decent bar. Went in there after hitting Brick Lane for the other half's birthday after Wigan a few years back. Decent night out.

Post by **I Hate Hleb** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:51 am

safcftm,

My reading of your initial post is that you don't already have match tickets. Is that correct? Only it's going to be difficult to get some at this late stage on your Red membership as I think the match is Sold Out. Unless your planning to buy outside the ground from a tout, in which case you may have a chance.

I also think that Number 5's earlier idea of going to see the fans match isn't a bad one. You'd have plenty of time to get there (quite easy by tube, just follow sign/ask people where Leyton Orient's ground is when you come out of Leyton Station) and could meet both some of the forum regulars and fellow mackems. Then you could all make your way to the ground for pre-match drinks and maybe meet up afterwards.

Rocky#7 · Post by **Rocky#7** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 12:06 pm

Loads left on ticket exchange last time I looked.

safcftm · Post by **safcftm** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 12:52 pm

I Hate Hleb wrote:safcftm,

My reading of your initial post is that you don't already have match tickets. Is that correct? Only it's going to be difficult to get some at this late stage on your Red membership as I think the match is Sold Out. Unless your planning to buy outside the ground from a tout, in which case you may have a chance.

I also think that Number 5's earlier idea of going to see the fans match isn't a bad one. You'd have plenty of time to get there (quite easy by tube, just follow sign/ask people where Leyton Orient's ground is when you come out of Leyton Station) and could meet both some of the forum regulars and fellow mackems. Then you could all make your way to the ground for pre-match drinks and maybe meet up afterwards.

yeah mate, i just noticed it was sold out, thankfully i got 2 tickets through the ticket exchange so im sorted on that score- it means me and my mate cant sit together but, well, if we take the expected heavy beating at least it means he cant spend 90 minutes gloating!

I'll certainly look into getting to the fans match- we're coming down from glasgow so it'll either be train or plane, if its the latter we should be able to turn up for a watch!

Glad the ticket exchange thing exists mind, itd have been a bit annoying if id paid to renew my red membership only to find i still couldnt get a ticket

Got to go to the game at home to wigan tomorrow then i can start thinking about the AFC game (i went to portsmouth away in the cup and decided not to do the league trek as well so, after wigan, arsenal away will be my next match!). Can't wait