Roaring back! The Lion and Unicorn pub reopens in Gaisford Street, following purchase by Geronimo Inns

Published: 16 June 2011
by PAVAN AMARA

ONE of Kentish Town’s best-known pubs is up and running again after a facelift.
The Lion and Unicorn celebrated its new look with a party on Wednesday. The Gaisford Street pub closed in February to be completely transformed into a gastropub “sense of community” after it was bought by Geronimo Inns.

The company’s training manager Sarah Deakin said: “This place is now so clean and comfy compared to before, and we wanted to top that off with bar staff who interact with you, who are chatty and polite and can naturally make people feel at ease.”
Giant Olive, the resident theatre company above the pub, continued to put on plays while work went on downstairs, and recently produced the comedy Tom Jones, an adaption of the Henry Fielding novel A History of Tom Jones, A Foundling. George Sallis, Giant Olive’s artistic director, said: “Kentish Town is up and coming. There’s a Costa here now, a Pret A Manger, and now we’re putting the Lion and Unicorn on the map too. People can now come in here, have a quick snack, watch a show, have a drink, and then have dinner together. It’s going to be really lovely.”

Lion and Unicorn regular Catherine Blackmore, 33, an administrative worker who lives in Anson Road, said: “Some people may have moaned about it being gentrified, but I love it. Before, you couldn’t come in this place as a single woman without being hassled.
“Now, it’s completely changed. The staff are really well trained,  and the food looks good.”

• Pictured celebrating the relaunch of the Lion and Unicon are George Sallis, artistic director of Giant Olive Theatre Company, Dr Who actor and Giant Olive supporter Dan Starkey, associate artistic director of Giant Olive Tamzin Paskins, and actor Demitris Andreas, who appeared in the film Layer Cake and is also a supporter of the theatre company