Flat Iron Square, near London Bridge, is setting new standards for sports bars
England and Ireland are the only teams unbeaten in the Six Nations so far, so this coming Saturday’s fixtures will be crucial for both teams in maintaining those records before they meet on 9 March. And not least because the games on Saturday 24 February represent the fiercest rivalries in the tournament: Ireland v Wales at 2.15pm and Scotland v England, the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield, at 4.45pm.
Other than making the trip to Dublin or Edinburgh itself, the best venue to watch the matches is at Flat Iron Square, London Bridge. A brand-new space, Camden Clubhouse (don’t get confused – it’s named after the beer, not the location) is set under a railway arch that previously housed a brewery, with a huge vaulted space that allows an enormous HD screen.
Flat Iron Square features an enormous vaulted space that accommodates a giant HD screen
Various seating areas, with efficient table service, provide suitable spaces for different-sized groups. There are booths outdoors, each with its own screen synched to the main screen with no delay (avoiding the worst thing about some sports bars – the cheer coming from one area for a try that hasn’t appeared on your screen yet). That’s part of a package called The Scrum (see what they did there?) for up to eight people. A little more spacious is The Bench, also for eight, while The Grand Slam is available for up to 15 guests in a private area with its own large private screen. All the packages (from £125, plus booking fee) include a welcome Camden stout, extra beer tokens or a bar tab (the venue serves wine and spirits too), plus – for the top “Grand Slam” package (15 people, £337.50) – a designated host who will fetch not only your drinks but food too.
Burgers at Flat Iron Square
Street-food stalls (including Breddos Tacos and Cluck Farmyard) are offering Six Nations-themed menu items. Prepare to be punned into your own half with the likes of “Cauliflower of Scotland”.
It should be noted that the packages are valid for one match, so you need to double up on Saturdays if you want to watch both games, and multiply by three for the final weekend. Alternatively, if you fancy something perhaps a little calmer, the Southwark Quarter, of which Flat Iron Square is a part, has a number of sit-down restaurants, including In Horto, the alfresco restaurant centred around a wood-fired oven, and Lupins, known for its small plates and wine. Live music venue Omeara is also here.
But as Flat Iron Square will play host to DJs and celebrity appearances (ie, famous former egg-chasers), it may well be too tempting to stay and unleash another Camden Hells lager.
