More work to be done in Wapping/Limehouse. I know the classics - Town of Ramsgate, Prospect of Whitby and so on but my new Facebook Group - London Pubs - has been recommending a couple of locals only boozers that are slightly off the tourist track.
A decent little pub crawl can be developed - but with hindsight, I maybe wouldn't have started at Westferry DLR. The Grapes was a little too far away from the others.
The Grapes, Narrow Street, Timothy Taylor Landlord
Much written about, much visited. Google will return it as the answer to "Which pub does Gandalf own?" before you have finished the sentence.
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| Stone Cold Classic |
There are photos of Sir Ian McKellen both pouring pints and more interestingly, running the pub quiz.
Which must be quite a sight to behold.
7pm on a Saturday night and its heaving to the point of stupidity. I know where the best seat in the house is.... a little wooden terrace out the back, with possibly the finest view from a London Pub. The Founders Arms may wish to protest.
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| But they don't have a Gormley |
The Dockers, 97 Wapping Lane, Camden Hells
This is the first of the non-tourist pubs that I have planned to visit. Solid looking from the outside, but over modernised inside - complete with American Diner style booths along the front window.
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| The Dockers |
They were setting up for a 30th Party. I asked if I was in the way, but found myself invited along.
Looked like it was going to get messy - and a handily place Indian with good Tripadvisor reviews is positioned next door. Not a patch on what we have in the West Midlands but the only other customer was from just down the road from me. Alvechurch.
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| Happy Birthday in the Dockers. |
Turners Old Star, Watts Street, Southwark Brewing Route Master Red
The post on the Facebook page is the reason I am here. For this is where the fight scene in the Krays Film, the Legend was filmed. Do not click on the link if you are upset by violence. Or bad language. Or unrealistic dialogue.
You can see why the location scouts chose it. It still maintains a very authentic feel as a locals pub - when all around, nearly everything has been gentrified or modernised.
The Taylor Walker regalia is still displayed externally.
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| Reminding me of Coach and Horses in Soho |
Inside, a huge open plan room, so that all the cockney's voices can carry. Not that they need much help. When one man claims he still buys 34" trousers, the rest of the pub to a lady shout "Faaaaackkk off" at him.
Minimum purchase on a card is £5 and with £4.20 pints, the landlady has a cunning way of making you stay for 2.
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| 34" waist man through the chair |
As I leave, one of the lads playing pool tells his group that this is the pub where they filmed that Krays film. To which his mates reply was "Yeah, it was shite, weren't it".
Captain Kidd, Wapping High Street, Sam Smiths Stout
Its finally happened. I have found a Sam Smiths that I like. Not totally fair, as I have a soft spot for some of the more historical ones - Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and The Angel in Rotherhithe - but at the moment, they are not being well run in the capital. Often out of draught beer and now quite expensive, when compared with their own reputation.
Incredibly, I've never been to this warehouse conversion before. This is possibly because it doesn't look like a pub from the outside. Entry, via a little alleyway - complete with a noose hanging over the door.
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| Noose - just inside. |
No mistaking it as not a pub inside - even if its not as old as the others in the area. Converted a couple of decades ago.
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| Pub Like |
Like the Grapes, it benefits from a spectacular riverside view. Its just that 4 pints in, my photography skills are waning.
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| Unfocused pint. Post in the way of Canary Wharf |
Town of Ramsgate, Wapping High Street, Harvey's Sussex Best
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| Next to Wapping Old Stairs |
This is the pub that should scream about its historical associations - which have mostly been stolen by the other pubs in the area.
The Prospect of Whitby claims that Judge Jeffries was captured in its cellar - when in fact, it was on Wapping Old Stairs next to this pub.
The previously visited Captain Kidd hangs it's noose to support the claim it was the site of Execution Dock - when again, in reality, it was much nearer this place.
But when you have a Landlord who dresses like Tender Prey era Nick Cave and you serve the best pint of the evening, maybe you don't have to self promote as much.
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| A(nother) stunning Harveys. |
With the stop for the 100 bus to St Pauls right outside - this made a fitting place to call the crawl to and end.
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