I got a tip-off from babe about town Gee that every Tuesday morning from 12-3pm, posh pub The Crown on Cloudesley Road, N1 hosts a Mother and Baby Club.
So Jed and I headed down with my friend Jo and her 17-month-old Evie to check it out. We walked in to find an entire table overtaken by mums with babes in arms, pushchairs lined up against the bar.
I was glad I’d come with a friend or I might have felt somewhat intimidated seeing a group of mums who all seemed to know each other. Especially as Jed at 16 months was considerably older and rowdier than the babies present.
‘Look, a big baby!’ one newbie mum pointed at Jed in wonder, unable to imagine her teeny one ever being that size (believe it, mama, these months will fly by!)
Luckily all the mums were friendly and the Crown team were more than welcoming. Staff member Fabio said they had launched the club a couple of months ago after a local mum had suggested it.
‘We’re not usually busy at this time so it’s been good, in fact the manager’s thinking of doing it on other days of the week. But we’ll need to make more space for the buggies!’
There’s a special mum’s menu that offers a hot drink, a main and a slice of cake for a tenner a head, or just hot drink and cake for a fiver. I went for the beer-battered fish and chips which both Jed and mummy agreed was delicious. Afterwards, I helped myself to a slab of home-made apple cake. Yummy and filling.
Jo was less impressed with her ham hock salad which was tasty but a somewhat measly portion of meat and greens.
They’ve set up a play mat with a few toys in the corner. This club is best suited to new mums, as there’s not much space for older toddlers to wander indoors (and on the roadside terrace Jed kept heading for the traffic).
Nonetheless our babes certainly enjoyed their lunch date, and we did too.
On the Spot
Emma and Isabel, 6 months
‘I heard about it through a friend and since I live on this road it’s pretty handy. I’ve been a couple of times, it’s a nice place to relax and the food’s lovely. The babies really enjoy socialising with each other. It’s great that it wraps at 3pm just in time to grab my older one from nursery!’
The Crown is at 116 Cloudesley Road, N1 0ED
