Party like it's 1999, as Soho pub turns the till back 25 years.
Ah, boozing in the 1990s. You could get a full round in for a tenner, and still have change for pork scratchings. Of course, the beer choice was slender — a selection of lagers, Pride and Guinness-if-you're-lucky — and you'd go home smelling like an ashtray. But it's all we knew back then.
Fast forward to 2024 and the drinks are better and the smoking's gone. But now a modestly ABV'd pint is commonly over £7 a pint. But not everywhere. One place that's bucking the trend, albeit for one day only, is the bijou Shaston Arms in Carnaby (or "near Carnaby Street" as they'd have said in the 90s).
On Thursday 28 November, the pub will serve beer at just £2.50 a pint. The move celebrates the pub's 25th anniversary under the stewardship of Sally Graham. It will be temporarily renamed the Lady Shaston in her honour.
It is, to be honest, a surprise to learn that the Shaston is only a quarter-century old. Its cosy wooden interior has the feel of a much older establishment but, apparently, the venue was a pair of shops until almost the eve of the Millennium.
To grab yourself the nostalgically priced pint, head to the Shaston on 28 November (any time from opening at 11am) and order a "Lady Shaston" (a rebadging... or rebadgering... of Winters Tale by Badger). The £2.50 price tag is a two-thirds reduction on the usual cost, and more in line with what Sally would have charged you back in 1999 when she first opened the doors. Importantly, the offer stands until 250 pints have been poured... so you'll probably be out of luck if you wander in near last orders.
At £2.50, this temporary deal is certainly cheap, but it's not the lowest in town. The Wetherspoon chain commonly puts on discount pints, and we've seen a Greene King (this year) for as low as £1.79 — so remarkable that we had to take a photo. Whether you'd rather drink in the Shepherd's Bush Wetherspoon or the characterful Shaston, though, we'll leave up to you.
