... what a sweet music they play

Hello everyone again. The week has gone and we are here with a little more info and as promised, this time we'll talk about our weekly music. You can see what we have to offer on the blackboard. There is the open mic from 8pm on Wednesdays. It's free to come, play or watch. So if you feel like enlightening others by your talent, you'll be always welcome. The majority of acts comprise of solo artists, but as open and friendly as it is, many acts welcome others to join in and jam away, which all in all produces a greater experience with a better sound. At the moment, and after many changes, the evening is hosted by Steve Mepsted and Jo Ryan as they rotate each week.

On Fridays, roughly for a year, we have a threesome called Rhumbaba De Luxe (Adrian singing and playing guitar, Ayoze on the drums and Jo with his huge double bass). Their style can be described as flamenco, or spanish hot-blooded rhythms, and characterised by the ability to entice girls to start dancing and keep dancing all night long. It's our most popular evening, which we're gladly proud of. The atmosphere is really great as the band always deliver a brilliant vibes.

On Saturdays we provide acoustic music. Oli Hipkins ( check his music ) and Robert James, sometimes even both, why not..? The acts are generally more established so the atmosphere is more steady and comfortable. On the second picture you can see Elizabeth McGovern ( check her music ) to play with two supporting guitars. She is mostly know for the series Downton Abbey  but she takes music as seriously as acting. On the third picture is the host of the evening Robert James supported by a local talent Pietro on the drums. When it comes to special occasions; Notting Hill Carnival, New Years and so on, we tend to have a guest DJ to kick the beat up. A bit of music of future. Catch you next time.

 

Closer look at the pub

Hello everyone again and welcome to the second round of info about our pub. As the pictures shows it's not huge, but it's definitely friendly and comfy. We have around twenty tables and an open kitchen, so please no dogs inside (even if Luke loves them), but you can still bring them down and chill on the tables outside.
Change of management, around year and half ago, brought a lot of changes into the pub. In 2009, there was a lot of innovations and improvements in the pub, but most of them benefited back of house, although we make up for it with our personality and art on the walls.

Despite of a quite bad name in the past, the pub is making a lot of progressive changes and things are rolling faster and faster. Particulary, I can proudly speak of our brilliant customer response system as we received some great and encouraging opinions. Here is the thing. On the page http://www.castleportobello.co.uk/ click on "Are you being served?" and there you can give us your opinions, ideas and notions ... Plus, if you are lucky enough, you can win two meals and a bottle of wine. Sound alright, don't you think? We'd love for everyone to write us something, just a little bit or even an essay if you like.

When looking closer at our history, I can only refer to what I heard from locals. I heard that the whole inner space of the pub was split into four separate rooms, leading four separate businesse. One of them was true Irish pub, the others were normal bars or bistros. However, after breaking down the walls of separation, the pub still kept on going in some kind of Irish spirit, but highly dilluted by flux of tourists to the pub on weekends. Even if some locals and current manager are Irish, the pub doesn't appear as an Irish pub at all now, mostly because of an art and market atmosphere.

I also heard that roughly fifteen years ago, the uncivilised behaviour was conducted on a weekly basis, so that might sort of explain the rough reputation in the past. During last couple of years, we haven't had any major problems, apart from the occasional characters who consumed a little too many.

I think that now you might have much wider picture what is the castle all about. Next week we will bring some more of the art and we closely touch down on our music events. Always something to look forward to. See you next time.

 

Introduction into the pub community

There is a well-known market in London located on Portobello road and this market attracts thousands of tourists from all around the world every week. The road is long and narrow in size, but it's fairly wide in variety of what it offers.

 

And somewhere in the middle of that long road is our pub called The Castle. In closer description, it's on the corner of Portobello road and Westbourne grove road, which is basically inside of the whirl of tourist's path where many and many of them just pass by or they stop for a drink or meal.

Plus the pub is situated right opposite the door in front of which Hugh Grant gets to kiss Julia Roberts in the movie Notting Hill.

 

But this is still not the most interesting thing about it. The whole area around somehow appears (and feels) to be highly influenced by artistic endeavour and

many different forms of art base a foundation of supportive background in here. Our pub contributes to this stream of creativity as well. Particularly in music, we supply live acts three times a week. Wednesday's open mics, Rumba Flamenco Fridays, and Acoustic Saturdays. Moreover, some of the paintings we have on the walls are work of art as well. So if you stick around we'll bring you some more details about the pub in about a week time and until then bye.