Sam Newson behind the bar of the Brook Gate pub in Blackstock Road, formerly the Arsenal Tavern – a favourite haunt of Gunners supporters

IT has for generations been a go-to haunt for the Gunners fans on match days.

But the Arsenal Tavern in Blackstock Road, Finsbury Park, has changed its name to attract a different kind of crowd.

The publican at the Brook Gate said he hoped more women would come to the pub which gets its new name from the nearby waterway where fishermen once caught trout.

Sam Newson, publican since 2022, said: “Being called the Arsenal Tavern, whilst it’s nostalgic, doesn’t bring customers in – it alienates the majority of people.

“We want to appeal to more people than just football supporters. Being named after a football team sort of alienates anybody who supports anybody else, and most women. I mean, if you’re going out with a group of girls, are you going to go to a football pub?

“Nostalgia doesn’t pay the bills. People are complaining that on Arsenal match day – which they probably come to 15 or 20 times a year – they don’t get to go to the Arsenal Tavern. If they all came every day, I’d keep the Arsenal Tavern, but they don’t, and I can’t run my business like that.

“Girls want to go to a nice, friendly environment. Part of my job is making everyone feel comfortable. Once people come in the pub, they do feel comfortable because I don’t allow fighting or drugs – I just throw people like that out.

“But, walking down the street, you see red [on the sign], which is an angry colour, and you see ‘Arsenal’ … If you’re a girl walking down the street on a Friday night in a nice dress, are you going to go into the football pub or a nice homey pub down the road?”

Mr Newson says that the name change has already brought more diversity into his pub, bringing a 50/50 split of men and women into the venue during the opening night karaoke party.

He said: “A brook is a type of waterway, and on this corner there used to be a sluice gate.”

There had been a “little bit of stick” on social media because of the name change, Mr Newson said, but that it had been “more positive than negative”.

He said changing the name is a better choice than closing the doors of the pub for good.

According to Mr Newson, the pub “had a really bad reputation for years,” with people associating it with fights, a lot of noise, and late-night partying.

“You just can’t get away from reputation, so this is the step to change that,” he said.

“Once people come through the door they see it’s friendly, it’s clean – check out the toilets on your way out, they’re immaculate. We’re getting more regulars every day.”

The pub will still be screening football as well as cricket, rugby, Formula 1 racing, tennis, and cycling. There’s a free karaoke night every Friday and an open mic night every Thursday.