I never went to The Scottish Stores in its previous incarnation. Because until late last year the building housed The Flying Scotsman, a strip club where (I’m told) the ladies would reveal themselves in return for ‘50p in the pot’. Fortunately, King’s Cross has gone from grotty to gleaming in the last decade or so, so instead of a titty bar named after a train we’ve got a small but handsome wood-panelled pub specialising in interesting beers that’s run by a good old-fashioned gentleman.
The beer options are not your usual suspects; on my second visit I tried a Basqueland Brewing Project IPA (brewed by an American who’s set up in Spain), which apparently went down a storm at a recent tap takeover. But even if you prefer a pint of the familiar you’ll find something to quench your thirst – there are around ten draught options and a good few more in the fridge.
Beyond some posh-looking bags of pork scratchings there’s no food on offer, but considering its size, you probably wouldn’t settle in for a meal. Unless, that is, you claim a table on their newly opened roof terrace, which, though spartan, is quite a find in this area. My only complaint is that the prices are a bit high, but this is the sort of pub that fits in so well, you wonder how it hasn’t been around longer. And as for its insalubrious past, I’m sorry I brought it up.