It actually says that on a sign on the door, honestly. This is the (infamous) Stag, on Burnt Oak Broadway, scene of many a late-night punch-up over the years. Everyone knows the Stag, it’s one of those pubs which are always there, central to a neighbourhood, not just any old boozer, a character in its own right. I don’t go there, personally, but I did pop in to finish the colour in this drawing in the warmth. I did feel a little self-conscious getting my little watercolour set out, not exactly hard-as-nails, but nobody cared. I hadn’t set foot in there for many many years, since I was a kid. My nan (‘nam’, we called her) used to drink in here every single day, she was a true regular. I imagined her sitting in that seat by the window where she always sat. I got all nostalgic. I could smell the cheese and onion crisps. There weren’t many people in there, but the conversations were generally littered with “f***ing this, f***ing that”; having lived in the swear-free States for a few years now I had forgotten how many times you are supposed to put the word “f***ing” within sentences when you come from Burnt Oak. It’s really a f***ing lot.
After sketching this, I popped into a Romanian cafe/bakery across the road, and had a cup of tea with the owner, a Romanian man I hadn’t seen in over twenty years, an old family friend. That was nice; he gave me a huge plate of Romanian cream cakes to take home to my family. A fun first day back in Burnt Oak, the f***in’ town where I was f***ing’ born, innit.
petescully 
f****ing great!
(really.. the drawing and the story… ) :)
Yet another superb picture. Nice one! Yes indeed, the reputation of that pub is infamous but I’ve never been in so couldn’t comment either way.
Hi Pete
Great stuff again – I love your sketches.
I did go in the Stag, on the tin tables out the back with my dad then later for a pint with my brother. I was f****ing terrified!
Just found a photo from 1965 showing the house Igrew up in on the other side of Deansbrook Road from you – its awesome.
Belated happy new year mate
Chris
cheers! i took some pics around near deansbrook, to draw pictures of sometime when i’m feeling homesick, keep meaning to do some. Something comforting about the orange roofs and brick chimneys of the watling estate, sloping down in the rain. The skyline is the one thing that doesn’t change much around there.
Dear Pete I love your drawings .Is it possible you could draw a picture of woodcraft girls school that I used to attend in the late 50s
Hello, thanks for your kind comment. If I’m back over that way I’ll add that to me list, I remember Woodcroft (though I was a Goldbeaters kid, as was my mum)
I used to relief manage the f***ing place!
Great picture, but I found the natives weren’t quite so revolting! ;o)
I think they actually liked me – not bad for a Northern lad in Burnt Oak!
M
cheers! I was meaning to sketch the place for ages, it’s such an old Burnt Oak landmark. I think I only notice all the language now I live in America, no-one swears over here.
was my local in the past, had some good times in the stag, and a good bunch of mates. good times.
cheers for the comment! i’m back in the old neighbourhood next week, for a few days.
Hi Pete – great as usual.
I wrote my growing up in Burnt Oak book and noted going to the Stag with my Dad. We used to sit out the back on wobbly round tin tables with wobbly tin chairs. Dad would have his Guinness and I would have an orange juice and Bonny the dog would have one of those huge ashtrays full of Guinness from the old fellas glass.
We used to do all the pubs around there and Edgware but the Stag was always the one with the reputation. So many are gone over here now but the Stag remains. The Railway Hotel in Edgware is a massive landmark that is now all boarded up. The White Lion which stood in front of Edgware Football Ground has gone too.
Shame really – but great pics as ever Pete
thanks
Chris
Yes, the railway’ in edgwares still boarded up, which is a great shame. White Lion went years ago, i liked that place, would have loved to have drawn it. The railway in mill hill up at the green man is still there but my mum said it might close as well, next time if i get time i’ll draw a picture of it. Got to capture these places before they all vanish!
I frequented the Stag too. On many an occasion growing up I’d head to the Stag in search of my dad who managed to find his way there but rarely his way home. He was a regular and if he wasn’t there I’d head to the Broadway and the Prince of Wales. He’d be in one of them!
As a child we used to sit out the back with our bottle of Coke and packet of cheese and onion crisps and I remember the blonde haired boy that lived upstairs. He had a cowboy outfit that he wore a lot! I think he had a drum kit too and I wished I could have one. At the back of the Stag there was a great area for us kids to play in and I vaguely remember one or two gazebos. This must have been back in the 70’s probably…
I used to play darts in the women’s dart team for the Stag many moons ago and was aware of the reputation although never saw anything bad happening. Maybe I was lucky.
In response to Chris’ comment, I used to spend Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the White Lion as a teenager. Great pub and I was sad to find out it has now gone.
Cheers,
Mandy
the stag always was and still is a shitehole, when the gypsies of the world came to england they landed in burnt oak