Station Place, Finsbury Park, 1975

Comment by Martin B on October 27, 2023 at 6:54

Cigarette advertising!

Comment by Trumper on October 27, 2023 at 13:30

Does Anyone remember the Silver Bullet - a boozer that stood opposite the station? 

God, it was rough until 2010 when, after a change of hands, a change of name and then a reversion to the original name, it became a much respected music venue. Details here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silver_Bullet .

Like the Favourite on Hornsey Rise, it had a reputation as pretty basic pub with a reputation for very heavy drinking and spontaneous violence.

Comment by Madeline on October 27, 2023 at 19:15

I remember them both, and drank in them both. This area, Stroud Green/Finsbury Park was primarily an Irish area with mostly manual Irish labourers. Two of my husbands included. 

The Favourite was the 'pay-day' pub on a Friday night. Most of these men worked on the 'lump' system, as in, cash in hand, no tax paid. The subbies (subcontractors) would meet their workforce in the pub tp pay them with their cash. Not many of them made it home with a full wage packet. But the publican made a good few bob out of having all these men drinking in there with plenty of money to spend. Go in there during the week and it was a different story. By Wednesday or Thursday the'd be running out of money and would borrow against their next weeks wages. They'd never get a full weeks money because of that and have to borrow again the following week.

The Silver Bullet was the same only a bit less so. They would cash checks for some of the more trustworthy subbies so again the workers would be in there with their money burning a hole in their pockets. But the problem with that pub was with the 'outsiders'. Non regulars you could say. But they weren't quite what they seemed. They'd make friends with the over friendly tipsy Irish men buying the drinks, wait until they were quite drunk and then rob them. First their cigarettes would disappear but it was mainly the change from a round of drinks that the thief would pick up and pocket for himself. If they were spotted, well, you can imagine.

Comment by jp quethiock on November 1, 2023 at 20:17

The Silver Bullet was a regular slot for me in the mid to late 70's, usually before and/or after an Arsenal game. I remember in either '77 or '78 going there after a Rock Against Racism gig somewhere and having a slightly threatening but very entertaining conversation with a guy who told us all about his life serving with the US troops in Vietnam. Pure fantasy of course but it was one of those pubs where, as in the song Down Where The Drunkards Roll by Richard and Linda Thompson, "You can be a sailor who never left dry land". Both edgy and entertaining......

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