As part of Community Pubs Week, the North London Branch awarded its Pub of the Season award to The Baring, 55 Baring Street, N1. This is a community focussed local that supports local organisations, sponsors a local kids football team and has its own cricket team. They have a long-term plan to use the pub as a training base, whereby local out of work people can be offered the opportunity to work in a public house environment with catering. It is not quite Jamie Oliver, but you get the idea. They will be trained in the whole aspect of the business, not just how to pull pints!

Following an appalling and insensitive refurbishment, which led to locals deserting it, the pub was closed for a while and it was feared it would be yet another loss in the Islington area, which has seen the closure of over 30% of its pubs in 10 years. Instead the new owners have returned it back to its roots albeit with some up to date touches, especially on the dining front.