Londoner’s Diary
Fanatical Arsenal supporter Sir Keir Starmer was left disappointed yesterday when his team narrowly missed out on becoming Premier League champions. Despite beating Everton, Arsenal were still pipped to the top spot by Manchester City when they triumphed 3-1 over West Ham.
But the season-ticket holding Labour leader, who nearly always watches Arsenal play at home at the Emirates, still looked in good spirits yesterday evening when he marched into a nearby pub for commiseration drinks.
Starmer turned heads when he arrived at the Landseer Arms shortly after full time and ordered a pint of bitter.
The Labour leader and his entourage, which included his security detail and a small group of friends, took a quiet table at the back, avoiding attention from other patrons.
Starmer drank Five Points Best, a bitter brewed in nearby Hackney. Shortly after arriving, his party was joined by Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, who was wearing a suit and ordered a pint of lager. Streeting had watched the match in the director’s box at the Emirates, hence the suit. The pair are both Arsenal supporters.
Starmer stayed for an hour and a half before a black Range Rover arrived and whisked him away, leaving Streeting and others behind.
Located in Jeremy Corbyn’s Islington North constituency, the Landseer Arms is a new favourite for Starmer. It is close enough to be within a short walk of his beloved Arsenal’s ground, but far away enough to avoid the heaving crowds of drunken fans.
“He comes here every game,” said a barman at the pub, “his security are with him and he sits at the back with a pint. He’s part of the furniture now.”
Starmer’s other favourite pubs are closer to home in nearby Kentish Town.
He has long frequented The Pineapple which he describes “a fabulous local”. A drink at the pub on Christmas day has become Starmer family tradition. The backstreet boozer combines a broad selection of beers with a Thai restaurant.
Traditional Christmas drink with neighbours in the local. Happy Christmas one and all. pic.twitter.com/U7lDfPDERA
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 25, 2023
Another favourite is The Grafton Arms, located close to a sports pitch where Starmer plays five-a-side football at the weekend. His team often enjoy a pint at the Grafton after the whistle blows.
In 2020, Starmer was involved in a minor road traffic accident outside the Grafton when his car collided with a cyclist.
