Monday, November 01, 2021
2024... are we ready?
WE ARE READY FOR 2024!!!
Game on Kiwis. Saturday Feb 3rd we are BACK on the streets of London....
Join the official Facebook event and here is EVERYTHING you need to know about the day here!
See you on the streets... we will provide info on the after parties here later
See you soon!
The 2024 Pub Crawl Team!
The 2024 Pub Crawl Team!
Friday, January 10, 2020
Everything you need to know! The 2024 Version!
Here is all you need to know to survive the big day!
Is the Circle Line open???
At this stage YES! The information on the TFL website says the Circle Line is open!
If things do change, we will let you know on the Facebook event page.
Starting time? Starting locations? Date?
10am Saturday February 3rd 2023
If you're starting at the traditional time of 10am then head to the Pride of Paddington (map) or their website here) The Pride of Paddington is usually open earlier so get in and have some breakfast there!
If they are closed, they still have seats outside to have your first tinny...
You can also go to the Bayswater Arms too - find the route map here for info!
Also from 11:30am-12pm Notting Hill Gate will have a few of you starting there. The Old Swan will be open or you can hang around the Bird Statue. (the Old Swan website here) Mostly people get here around 11:15amish... depending on if they are walking or tubing.
(We recommend kicking off at the traditional starting point at Paddington at 10am, and no it's not too early, ya princess...)
What's the route?
Here it is! Hit the link and all will be revealed!
How much? Are there tickets? Is this free?
It's all 100% free to do the pub crawl! Join in whenever along the route. It's free. The only cost is your drinks and the after parties!
What can I expect from the day??
It's a street/pub party like you have never ever experienced before. Good natured fun, Kiwis having a laugh, meeting new friends, finding old friends, being good to the locals and not breaking any laws.
Any rules? Instructions from the police?
Don't be dicks. Don't carry glass about and listen to everything the cops say on the day. A full run down of what the police have told us can be found here.
NO DRUGS - The Police are monitoring this rule especially hard. Refer to the first rule of not being a dick and leave that shit at home...
We use old school Waitangi rules which means when you are on the tube there is NO SITTING, DO NOT hold onto anything but one another and of course courtesy to ALL tube travellers not on the crawl. Do not use the District Line, that is cheating. :)
Advice from the NZ High Commission can be found here.
Can we drink on the streets??
The Police will enforce the street drinking ban but they will be using their common sense, (and expect us to as well) just like every other year. Essentially, be sensible and follow instructions from the Police. If you have done the pub crawl in other years you are all aware that the police are very easy going and get into the spirit of the event - but that is because we are also good natured enough to not be dicks. No glass on the streets!!! If you want to drink underground, do it as you would sneak booze into a family funeral, nice and subtle.. in plastics!
We encourage when you see members of the public trying to get through the crowds to give them 100% your support and let them through. Give them absolutely no reason to complain, and surprise them with our typical Kiwi charm and politeness!
HAKA?!
4PM at BROAD SANCTUARY you'll have Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament behind you. It's a nice space, the same as other years. The police will point you in the right direction. We have published a map at the bottom of this post for you! It will be very crowded here so listen to any instructions from the police and help any Kiwis out if they seem a little overwhelmed at this point.
**The Haka is NOT organised - it will be all about who will throw one down at any time from 4pm. There is no set Haka organised by any person or group. If you are sober and are keen to get one started, go ahead and do it respectfully. Most people miss it. However if you're still in Westminster and it's 4:30pm and you still don't see it - chances are you missed it. Get off the streets and head to an after party instead :) **
If you are pissed please try not to do the haka and leave it for the experts.
As time goes by, we are seeing more and more armchair experts from New Zealand criticise anything the expat community does, even if positive. The Pub Crawl has had zero arrests in so many years and a fantastic relationship with the local police and community... but that does not matter to the haters/people in NZ. Don't give ammunition to people that try to make themselves famous back in NZ by moaning about the haka. They've never been here or participated but that won't stop them trying to kill this event. By doing haka drunk or being a dick disrespecting it only adds to their argument. These days it doesn't take much to offend people so try to not give them oxygen.
Would you do a drunk Haka back home? No... so don't do it here.
Would you do a drunk Haka back home? No... so don't do it here.
Ok, what about the after parties???? Do I need tickets for anything??
We will organise something for you! Watch this page or our Facebook page.
Map of where we will all meet for the Haka
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Labels: 2024
Monday, January 12, 2015
The Walking Route....
If the Circle Line is closed, we will have to walk the route. To be honest, this is the fun part of the day! You get to see a lot more of London getting out there on the streets and for years we have had some amazing street parties and randomness happen out there.
Here it is! A map and toilet list for the day. Whew.We have to stress that with the several (several) thousand participants coming on the crawl - that this is a rough map of how to get about on the day! We have broken it up into stops and will also try and include toilets as well (We will add more details to it as we get closer to the date)
This map is useful to those who will be walking the route. If you are on the tubes, you will probably only need some of this map - however with tube overcrowding, (thanks to us!) there may be a need to walk a little. It's good for you and you'll see some cool parts of London too!
The Police are aware of this route and the areas around it, so if at any stage you get lost or have any problems, find an officer or one of our lovely stewards!
All the times we have mentioned are a rough guide according to Google. We know that these are wildly wrong as we will be getting our party on and enjoying the warmth of the pubs (and other people)....
Remember the drinking laws as well... We have covered the laws here
Pride of Paddington to Bayswater Arms
This is the traditional starting point for the pub crawls of recent history. The Pride of Paddington will be open nice and early for us. We meet here around 10am, have a feed, a breakfast pint or two and head along the street to the next stop... a gentle scenic walk to Bayswater. This is a 16 minute walk.
Most years Kiwis play cricket along the street at Bayswater, thanks to its not so busy main street and plenty of willing fielders... incl in the past the friendly police.
TOILETS - just make sure if you do decide to break the seal, to do before you leave Paddington. otherwise hold on until Bayswater.
Bayswater to Notting Hill Gate (The Old Swan)
Notting Hill Gate where we will meet up with others who either start here or walk up from Shepherds Bush Walkabout. It will take around 12 minutes to get here. This area can be chaotic and a lot of fun. As the streets are more narrow and full of regular non drinking folk, please make sure every one of them gets the right of way and through the massive crowd that will be assembled here. This is a good place to have a funnel! :)
TOILETS - I recommend using the toilets at the Old Swan just around the corner from the station. This area has a lot of bars and places like Mcdonalds - but some may not let us in to use their facilities. If can hold on or are not needing to go, there are a few more options in the next stage!
Notting Hill Gate to High Street Kensington
(The Prince of Wales)
Click for bigger image
A nice straight line to The Prince Of Wales pub which is approx 10 mins walk, but lets be honest. This is going to take a bit longer as there are pubs along the way which may be open. Most years they do open but we can't count on them.
In other years the very end of this street (where I have put a red cross) which is by a war memorial, gets really really busy. Please DO NOT use this outside area to go to the toilet in. This area will have a few police around to keep us off the road as well.
TOILETS - Try all the pubs along this long street. Be polite too, as they might not be expecting us. The Prince of Wales will have toilets too, and as it's a 10 minute walk, try to hold it in until there. Where I have put a Green Spot is where there are more Public Toilets (20p) by Kensington Church Street Bus Shelter.
High Street Kensington to Gloucester Road (Stanhope Arms)
biclick for bigger image
We will be heading towards the Stanhope Arms This is potentially the longest stretch on the crawl, and this means a lot of us will be stretched out along the roads and we will be passing lots of shops, a few High Commissions, banks and this is where we get a lot of complaints about public pissing. The recommendation for this area is to NOT piss on any shops or houses. (be discreet) This is a tough part as toilets are just hard to find. Ladies, I cannot apologise too much for this inconvenience!) The Stanhope Arms are ready for us, as they are every year - so say hello to them!
TOILETS - There are pay toilets (20p) outside the station according to the local council. Good luck!
Gloucester Road to South Kensington (Zetland Arms)
A "mere seven minute" walk to the Zetland Arms ... but again we will be now quite well spaced out along the route. There will be toilets at the Hereford Arms, which are labelled here with a blue cross - just a little bit down Gloucester Road. Zetland Arms will also have toilets and will be rocking and ready for our arrival!
TOILETS - Easier said than done, but hopefully the 7 min trek will not be too painful for you all.
TOILETS - Easier said than done, but hopefully the 7 min trek will not be too painful for you all.
South Kensington to Sloane Square
This used to be the wastelands, where people used to skip due to a lack of a good pub in the area.
There still isn't a designated pub here as far as I know either so it's a free for all if you can find a decent one! It's a 20 min walk between stations so plenty of time for trouble and mayhem. Try and not break any laws, at this stage we will be well refreshed and no doubt noisy! Just remember to NOT BE DICKS
TOILETS. There are pay toilets outside W H Smiths Junction with Sloane Gardens (20p)
There still isn't a designated pub here as far as I know either so it's a free for all if you can find a decent one! It's a 20 min walk between stations so plenty of time for trouble and mayhem. Try and not break any laws, at this stage we will be well refreshed and no doubt noisy! Just remember to NOT BE DICKS
TOILETS. There are pay toilets outside W H Smiths Junction with Sloane Gardens (20p)
Sloane Square to Victoria
Another 17 minute walk and by now we are back into an area with more pubs. Our usual pub has been demolished so it's another free for all around here. The good news is having more pubs around here, we will have more toilets as well as Victoria station. Try to not scare the tourists coming out of Victoria :)
TOILETS - Try all the bars in the area and also the toilets at Victoria station. Try to hold on and don't piss on any shops or houses unless you want Dylan Clements taking a photo of you!
Victoria to St James Park (The Old Star)
This is a 12 minute walk and we are almost nearing the last stage of the crawl, so I know lots of you will have your beer/wine coats on. We are going to the Old Star who are ready and waiting for us and with toilets! Be aware we will be passing council buildings on this leg, so try not to piss on any of their buildings.
TOILETS - There is a McDonalds along this route where you could try and use and little else. As this is the last big push before we get to Westminster, it might be ok to hold as there are toilets in Westminster and lots of pubs too.
TOILETS - There is a McDonalds along this route where you could try and use and little else. As this is the last big push before we get to Westminster, it might be ok to hold as there are toilets in Westminster and lots of pubs too.
St James Park to Westminster (Haka zone)
The Haka will be in Broad Sanctuary
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Click map for info
Check out these links for toilets:
TFL Toilet Map! (pdf)
Kensington And Chelsea Toilet List
The Haka will be in Broad Sanctuary
click for bigger image
Six minutes walk they say, I suspect much longer as we will be getting toilet breaks in and getting into the haka area, the map is below. There are a number of bars in this area - we usually choose the Red Lion but lets be honest, this area is going to be packed. If this is your first pub crawl, this area will really surprise you. If you are here early, find a pub and use their toilets and then get to the haka zone.
TOILETS - There may be some portaloos here for us. There are a few public toilets for tourists, but I recommend at this stage to find a pub, be nice and get it out of you there. Police are expecting some people to be urinating in public, but please do not piss on monuments or buildings of any type. Do whatever you can to look after yourself and others.
TOILETS - There may be some portaloos here for us. There are a few public toilets for tourists, but I recommend at this stage to find a pub, be nice and get it out of you there. Police are expecting some people to be urinating in public, but please do not piss on monuments or buildings of any type. Do whatever you can to look after yourself and others.
The Haka Zone
The only advice for you around this area is to keep an eye on each other. Only because there will be thousands of us and we will be pushing and trying to see the haka. Our words of advice is that try and not lose any of your belongings and also don't damage any property in this area - and of course, be good to tourists and the locals, including the police who will be watching this area. Do not attempt to go onto Parliament Square, this will be fenced off.
As for the Haka - this is as unorganised as everything else on this crawl. Out of the all the crawls we have done, we have seen it 10 times and have been a particpant 4 of them. It is hard to know anything at this point as we're drunk, tired and plus nobody organises this publicly. If you are drunk we seriously would reconsider participating in the haka. Leave it for the experts or those who won't look dumb doing it.
The last think we want Kiwis back home to see on the news is a lot of drunk people doing this... the media will paint us badly, no matter how much you love NZ and our culture, so don't get tempted!
In this area it pays to get yourself to the front of the yard area, or if not, get to a point where you can watch it. If you miss out, don't stress. Get some photos of the event, thank the police for another awesome day out and get yourself out to an after party. (after parties will be advertised here on this blog and on the Facebook page)
As for the Haka - this is as unorganised as everything else on this crawl. Out of the all the crawls we have done, we have seen it 10 times and have been a particpant 4 of them. It is hard to know anything at this point as we're drunk, tired and plus nobody organises this publicly. If you are drunk we seriously would reconsider participating in the haka. Leave it for the experts or those who won't look dumb doing it.
The last think we want Kiwis back home to see on the news is a lot of drunk people doing this... the media will paint us badly, no matter how much you love NZ and our culture, so don't get tempted!
In this area it pays to get yourself to the front of the yard area, or if not, get to a point where you can watch it. If you miss out, don't stress. Get some photos of the event, thank the police for another awesome day out and get yourself out to an after party. (after parties will be advertised here on this blog and on the Facebook page)
Check out these links for toilets:
TFL Toilet Map! (pdf)
Kensington And Chelsea Toilet List
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Meeting the Police! (updated for 2020)
Note, this is now updated for 2020 as we have had more information come in from the police. They are up for a great day, but if they see crazy drunkenness and misbehaviour, they will be making sure they will calm us down. Stick with your mates, find a steward if possible or flag down an officer if you find yourself in any difficulty.
Pub Crawl tradition is having a bit of a laugh with the police during the route of the pub crawl and this year will be no exception.
Many believe the police are quite a stern bunch but my visits and phone calls with the police were completely the opposite as we shared Waitangi Day memories and jokes.
They have let us know that our presence is an event the police look forward to, not just observing, but also participating in. Many police are also trying to learn the haka in time for the event!
In the past we dealt with Bruce, who helped us a LOT in 2012, 13 and 14. He has been 100% supportive of the day and TV3 did a great feature of him in 2014 which you can watch here!
Now days, we have loads of police who want to get involved and who talk to us on the day. After 2019 we had a police officer thank us on our Facebook page for being excellent examples and he is planning to join us in 2020!
The Police just want us to be reminded about what will make the day easier for us and them. They have already done all the planning regarding blocking off the area for the haka and have police allocated (many who jumped at being involved) for the day.
As many of you know, Parliament square (thanks to protesters) have made it impossible for us to have the haka in the traditional spot on Parliament Square. However, as like last year, we have been moved ever so slightly across to Old Palace Yard, and police will point us in that direction on Saturday, so that’s no problem. We’ll still have Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament as our backdrop!
Just a few things to keep in mind:
Look after yourselves and your mates.
Try and have a decent breakfast and eat along the way.
Running in front of traffic or straying too far off crossings isn’t such a great idea.
Look out for your belongings and throw your trash out in bins. (Police will ask Westminster to provide more bins for the event) Please don't chuck litter/cans on the ground, be a Tidy Kiwi and hold on until you see a bin.
There is STILL a drinking ban around Westminster, so Police will probably ask for you to empty your vessel! (compulsory consume!!!)
Drinking on the street and underground will be challenged by police, please try and keep it to the pubs.
NO DRUGS....
Police ARE going to enforce the street drinking ban if you are caught being dumb and waving about open vessels. They WILL be handing out exclusion notices which are warnings to those who think they're above the law. If you get one of these, get out of the area or you may be fined.
Essentially don’t be dicks.
Glasses/glass bottles or any other unsuitable drink container will be seized by police (don’t want anyone to get hurt or any punctures from broken glass etc)
If the police direct you, please try and follow their directions.That’s pretty much it. We have to admit the police were extremely enthusiastic about the event and want it to run for many many more years without any problems for us or them. It’s a sign that we have been bloody brilliant in previous years for them to still be this good natured about it considering all the trouble that the police have had in London over the last 12 months.
Don’t forget while we’re out there enjoying the crawl that the police have been working extremely hard recently and we should take a moment to thank them for being legends during the riots and being hugely supportive of our annual event. We couldn’t have honestly have asked for a better bunch of officers working with us on the day, so we know it will be a wicked day out!
Labels: 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Our meeting with the NZ High Commissioner
It's been many years since we spoke to the High Commission about pub crawl but the last meeting was very good, and they are more than aware of the event and do not ask us to stop doing it. (not that we organise it, but obviously we share info about it as it will happen regardless)
We asked for some words of wisdom from them to share with you all and they responded with: "The New Zealand High Commission in London supports a responsible, safe and respectful celebration by the New Zealand community in London to honour the occasion."
Lets try and keep to the spirit of these words! If we have any updates from the NZHC we will share!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Classic video of 2008 Pub Crawl
This was done the last year we had the Circle Line open back in 2008. A cracking sunny day!
Labels: 2008
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The route for this year....same as the other years!
Thanks for visiting the site. If you're new to the pub crawl, or even a seasoned pro. You got to know the loose arrangement of pubs that sort of participate in the pub crawl. These are the pubs that have been visited for years and expect a busy day on Feb 7th.
They are:
Paddington - Pride of Paddington
Bayswater - Bayswater Arms
Nottinghill Gate- The Old Swan
High Street Kensington - Prince of Wales
Gloucester Rd - Stanhope Arms
South Kensington - Zetland Arms
Sloane Square - Oriel
Victoria - Duke of York
St James Park - The Old Star
Westminster- Red Lion
Embankment - Queen Mary
Temple - Temple Walkabout (get in here right after the Haka or you'll be waiting ages to get in!)
FYI - blow up sheep (for the day!) can be found here. Only £3.50 (plus delivery)
New Zealand flags ONLY £3.99 for a 5"x3" (plus delivery) can be found here.
They are:
Paddington - Pride of Paddington
Bayswater - Bayswater Arms
Nottinghill Gate- The Old Swan
High Street Kensington - Prince of Wales
Gloucester Rd - Stanhope Arms
South Kensington - Zetland Arms
Sloane Square - Oriel
Victoria - Duke of York
St James Park - The Old Star
Westminster- Red Lion
Embankment - Queen Mary
Temple - Temple Walkabout (get in here right after the Haka or you'll be waiting ages to get in!)
FYI - blow up sheep (for the day!) can be found here. Only £3.50 (plus delivery)
New Zealand flags ONLY £3.99 for a 5"x3" (plus delivery) can be found here.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Welcome
Welcome to what has now become a popular website giving YOU the thirsty drinker the details about the famous or infamous Waitangi Day Pubcrawl!
We do not endorse any of the pubs we visit nor do we work for any pub/club. We don't collect money for this event nor do we aim to ever profit from our community for it... it's our national day and we're on the other side of the world. Lets enjoy it!
The WDPC team change over the years, but we're a bunch of enthusiastic Kiwi volunteers who liaise with the police, maintain the route maps, seek out ideas for improvements, meet with other council/TFL reps and of course participate on the crawl. We have supporters from loads of the NZ communities here and we thank them for keeping promoting this annual event.
Any questions, PM us on our Facebook page
Media queries - lol, every year we get a few idiots in NZ trying to make a name for themselves and write fake stories about it, yet never speak to us! But yeah, feel free to hit the link above too.
We do not endorse any of the pubs we visit nor do we work for any pub/club. We don't collect money for this event nor do we aim to ever profit from our community for it... it's our national day and we're on the other side of the world. Lets enjoy it!
The WDPC team change over the years, but we're a bunch of enthusiastic Kiwi volunteers who liaise with the police, maintain the route maps, seek out ideas for improvements, meet with other council/TFL reps and of course participate on the crawl. We have supporters from loads of the NZ communities here and we thank them for keeping promoting this annual event.
Any questions, PM us on our Facebook page
Media queries - lol, every year we get a few idiots in NZ trying to make a name for themselves and write fake stories about it, yet never speak to us! But yeah, feel free to hit the link above too.
