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Haringey council’s controversial so-called “regeneration” plans for Tottenham have seen many longstanding community hubs face demolition and redevelopment in recent years, so for some there may be a certain haze hanging over today’s announcement, by Hot Dinners, of the imminent opening of The Bluecoats Pub, on the former site of The Pride of Tottenham.
Nevertheless, local boy Jamie Rule and partner Louis Hyams (both of Night Tales and Background Bars), have teamed up with Tom Gibson (of Dalston bar Ruby’s), which will also feature another east London favourite, Lucky Chip — who, along with MEATLiquor, spearheaded London’s burger boom around 2010.
Named for the Blue Coats School for Girls — original occupant of the pub’s 18th century building on Tottenham High Road — The Bluecoats is certainly cut from different cloth than its predecessor (which faced multiple complaints relating to public nuisance and licensing breaches), and ticks all the requisite boxes for any hip new pub opening. The new owners say they hope to “revive the tired space and turn it back into a beacon of the community by sympathetically renovating it, making it a comfortable and welcoming space for locals, sports fans and beer lovers alike”.
The partnership with Lucky Chip means menus featuring some of London’s best burgers (seriously, the El Chappo — beef patty, bacon, jalapeños and blue cheese and aioli — has been a benchmark since it debuted out of a van in Netil Market all those years ago) and chilli cheese fries, as well as Sunday roasts.
The pub will reportedly also feature over 20 beers on draught, including much from local heroes like Beavertown, Redemption, Pressure Drop and others.
Speaking of the project, Jamie Rule said that opening a pub has “always been a dream.” “Being a local boy,” he said, “when the opportunity came to take over this amazing building, I couldn’t turn down... I’ve walked past it and admired it since I was a child, so [I’m] really excited to give it a new lease of life.”