Famed for the fame that might be found within, The Hawley Arms is an indie kid heaven that boasts many a musical luminary as its guest.

The Venue
Cleaner and less grotty than the majority of Camden’s armpits, the predominantly wooden decor of The Hawley Arms gives it the kind of spit and sawdust impression it was looking for. There’s an admirable mix and match to the fixtures that doesn’t feel too contrived – no single chair or table is the same and most of the tables are modified with occasionally humorous scribbles. This kind of behaviour is encouraged and fits the customer-community ethos that makes it such a popular place. The famous faces that have visited make this community an ever more attractive proposition, especially when they’re constantly visible, staring down at the lowly patrons from signed photos on the wall. It’s only the cynics that might suggest the accompanying price tags are taking advantage of the customers’ dedication to the scene.

The Atmosphere
It’s a friendly bunch that permeates The Hawley Arms and as you can imagine, given its revered status, it gets pretty busy. In typical Camden fashion, there’s a fine and varied selection so don’t be surprised to see tourists mingling with oldies, though for the main part the crowd’s full of twenty-somethings who know their music and are looking for a good night out. Recent column inches do mean that it will attract a few impressionable youngsters with eyes trained on the door looking for a battered beehive or two, but these are easily ignored, especially with one of the best jukeboxes in London to fiddle with.

The Drink
As you’d expect from a place like this, there’s a good, if not adventurous selection of drinks on offer and that’s fine – you get the impression most people are drinking JD and Coke anyway. There’s a couple of ales on tap to complement the more popular beers, which is always admirable, and the wines are certainly very drinkable. The spirit selection is lengthy for a pub and is enticingly displayed behind a very impressive looking bar.

The Food
The food is exactly what you’d expect from a Camden boozer - okay and not much more. If you’re visiting The Hawley Arms then you’re not exactly going for the food, but if you get caught short and fancy a feed then it’ll certainly do the job, with staple pub-grub being the menu’s theme. The pies are the best thing you can go for, with the Heidi (spinach, sweet potato and goats cheese) and the Matador (chorizo, beef and Mediterranean vegetables) being worth a nibble, despite the unconvincing mash and peas. Penny sweets behind the bar are quirky little addition and hopefully an ironic nod to the autograph hunters. But it’s doubtful.

The Last Word
Certainly one of Camden’s better pubs, The Hawley Arms is certainly worth a visit, boasting friendly staff and clientele. However, those following the press hysteria really might wonder what all the fuss is about.

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