I thought it was Welsh initially when they re-did the sign to the pub which had recently closed, but no. It’s Cornish. Not everyone approves of the addition of the words “Arvow Den-nowydh” above the door. The regulars of the Newman Arms have reacted badly to the Celtic theming of their pub and have buggered off to drink in the Wheatsheaf, according to one of their number. They would rather have no pub than the wrong pub . It was always thus in the pubs of Fitzrovia.
I rather like it myself. The food upstairs is studiedly unpretentious, not a little rustic and very good; lots of rabbit, venison and earnest greens. No side plate for the crusty bread; crumbs everywhere. But they still offer the pies for which they were formerly known. Downstairs is a tiny mismatched hovel of a bar. Even with the emigration of the regulars, the crowd does a good impression of being too large for the available space; you stand closely pressed against the next drinker pretending you don’t mind, but that is its charm. Conversation, like the beer, flows.
Don’t go there. It’s one of my favourites.
