Sitting proudly on the corner of Broad Lane, Mannions Prince Arthur is in many ways an old-school north London Irish pub. It is equidistant from Tottenham Hale and Seven Sisters Tube stations, a stone’s throw from the Walthamstow Marshes. The interior is everything you’d hope for: a pool table, a long bar and a life-sized mural of Samuel Beckett, brooding over the room from behind various sports screens.
The real centrepiece, however — the pub’s pride and joy — is a portrait of the landlord and landlady riding a horse through the countryside; an image as grand as it is unexpected.
It is also my local. When our boiler packed up one freezing Sunday last December, Mannions took us in. It has housed us through sickness and through health. With a pint in hand and a packet of Taytos, it’s our home away from home.
Grandad clothes are in vogue but the new lot are embracing pub culture too
Despite its old-man boozer credentials, Mannions is very much the hangout du jour. We all know Guinness is having its moment with the Gen Z crowd — designer JW Anderson included — and Mannions is the public house embodiment of the vibe. Grandad clothes are in vogue, but the new lot are taking things a step further, embracing Grandad pub culture, too. As a 25-year-old Londoner, I’m here for it — no matter how many pints of Guinness I might have to wince through.
My generation loves traditional pubs. More than 34 of them shut every month on average in the UK, and yet the ones I go to are packed with 20-somethings. My friends and I rarely go to clubs, preferring a long pub session — maybe with some karaoke or live music — over going “out-out” into town. New research shows that four out of five Gen Z-ers, and two in three millennials, would be more likely to visit pubs with karaoke sessions, games and live music, rather than the traditional Sunday pub lunch or beer tastings.
Locals find the Gen Z-ers filling the bar stools pretty amusing
It’s all part of a camaraderie that I thought I wouldn’t find in London. Old-man pubs are unpretentious, still mostly quite cheap, and I like the mix of ages. I’ve had some of the funniest conversations with locals who have been going to Mannions for the past 50 years, who find the new wave of Gen Z filling the bar stools pretty amusing.
Of course, pubs are not all like this, so you have to hunt out the good ones. The ones that welcome this new crowd. The proximity of Mannions to the High Cross Centre is part of the reason that it’s become an unlikely home for the style set. The former warehouse has a thriving creative scene, which gives Mannions a clientele as varied as its decor. The Centre is a hub for artists, designers, models and young start-ups, many of whom flock to the pub for a (sometimes far too early) weekday drink.
I hadn’t wanted to move to Tottenham when I came back to London in 2023. I knew next to nothing about the area, apart from its association with the football team that I sometimes pretend to support. My mum, [the 1990s supermodel Rosemary Ferguson] who thought Shoreditch was practically coastal back when she lived in London, was baffled that I was moving to what she imagined to be a quiet suburb beyond the M25.
Two years in, however, and it’s safe to say that I’m slowly becoming Tottenham’s biggest mascot. Not only can I be in the busy heart of London in (often under) 25 minutes, but I also have access to some of the city’s most beautiful nature reserves. Most importantly, I live within walking distance of Mannions, aka the best pub in London.
When we arrived to shoot this cover story, cake was laid out, bacon sarnies were offered, and owner Mick gave us free rein. “I’ve been here 20 years this year,” he said. “We opened in 2005 — and now we are about the only old proper pub left in the area.”
Like all great pubs, the atmosphere shifts throughout the week. If you’re looking for a quiet midweek pint, Mannions could be perfect — perhaps a little too quiet on a Monday, but buzzy by Wednesday. Then comes Friday, when the energy builds to its peak, culminating in what is quite possibly the best karaoke night in the whole of the capital. I think my favourite nights to date have actually been on the stage beneath the multicoloured disco lights. Put your name down early — before the Dutch courage kicks in — because the list fills up fast.
So if you ever find yourself near the industrial park in Tottenham, head to Mannions and settle in. I’ll see you there.
Lead image: Elfie wears The Frankie Shop sheer shirt and skirt (£169.60 and £120, thefrankieshop.com), Adam Jones vest (£130, adamjonesstudio.com) and Malone Souliers shoes (£675, malonesouliers.com)
Photographer: Elliott Morgan
Stylist: Sophie Paxton
Fashion Editor: Joe Bromley
Hair and make-up: Alice Theobald at Arlington Artists using Hourglass and Moroccan Oil
Styling assistants: Tilly Quon and Patrícia Barata
