Worth Crossing Town For

Callum Crumlish is not likely to nix the NXI.

callumnewcrossinn

Deep within the labyrinth of South-East London, across the hipster-filled plains of New Cross, lies a plethora of personality-driven pubs offering home-cooked meals, fine ales, friendly service and musical entertainment every night of the week.

The New Cross Inn – ‘the NXI’ to those ITK (in the know) – is no exception to this exceptional string of pearls. Despite looking average on the outside, the interior of the building utilises ersatz park benches as furniture, along with dilapidated pillars and desks. Couple this rustic aesthetic with carefully muted lighting, and the pub breathes character from floor-to-ceiling.

After only two weeks of attending the NXI for live music, it has become my home-from-home: the barman – sadly – knows what I drink, I am on nodding terms with the same group of men playing pool after work, and I have enjoyed some excellent bands on the subtly understated stage, i.e. it’s only a foot off the ground, and all but overshadowed by an over-sized bar.

Though various design choices have contributed to the NXI’s particular quirkiness, none perplexes me more than the bar itself. Standing an impressive five-feet high, and three or more feet deep, I frequently find myself stretching up-and-over to claim my beverage. Maybe the bar has been assembled by giants, a friend has suggested. Whoever put it together, they were certainly up-scale from my lowly existence.

Some may dislike the fashion for ‘lived-in’ pubs, aka shabby chic or simply ‘distressed’, but the New Cross Inn succeeds in creating a bustling-without-rushing atmosphere – warts’n’all.

Ultimately, it contains friendly staff, good music and good whiskey; and isn’t that what really matters?

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