Four Pubs - 90 Seconds Apart
YouTube is really rather excellent these days. I read an article on the weekend by someone who had cancelled all other streaming services for a single YouTube subscription.
I haven't quite gone that far - happy to use the adverts to take notes. This pub crawl coming courtesy of the ever entertaining Tweedy - who manages to use a stop watch to take 90 seconds to walk between four pubs, two of which are in the Good Beer Guide.
And some people don't like London.
Armed with things to look out for, I recreate his steps.
The Devereux
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| The Deveraux |
Tweedy has done my research for me - a former coffee house known as the Grecian - and a regular was my name-sake, and some would say look-alike - Sally Mapp.
Sally Mapp, famously nicknamed “Crazy Sally,” was an 18th‑century bonesetter who became a minor celebrity in London for her fearless and unconventional treatments of dislocations and fractures. Operating out of the Grecian Coffee House in Devereux Court, she treated everyone from ordinary Londoners to upper‑class clients, often performing manipulations in public spaces. She was as flamboyant as she was skilled: she reportedly drove herself around town in a chariot, turning heads wherever she went.
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| There's a definite resemblance |
The pub is nicely comfortable, with a vague Irish theme - presented in the crisps, a nice little partitioned booths for added privacy and stopping pub bloggers from getting material.
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| Half a London Pride and Taytos |
The George
Moments away - with a rear entrance that saves you braving the chaos of Fleet Street - is the George, dating from 1723. I would have missed the fine external carvings if it hadn't have been for Tweedy. I didn't miss the Cask Marque certificate, which needed staff intervention to scan as it was located bar-side.
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| Carvings in Gold Leaf |
I also didn't miss an extensive line up of cask. You've got to laugh at Londoners naming a beer "Headless Cavalier". I'm going to start an export firm dealing in sparklers. That'll fix it.
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| Goodnight Pete - from Park Brewery - selected |
The Cheshire Cheese
No, not that one. One tucked away in Little Essex Street.
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| 1928 - Not ancient |
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| The History |
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| Tweedy Points out the lead glass and Saloon labelling |
I am the only punter - and as it's a Shepherd's Neame House - hardly helping to keep the lights on. Shuddering at the thought of early days of the Saxon Shore Way, when I converted to cider, it's a half of Guinness for me.
At least the uncomfortable silence is soon broken by four American tourists bursting through the side door. Taking loads of photos and asking questions about the age of the building, the barman at least has the grace to let them know they need the other Cheshire Cheese.
Maybe this is how they make their money? Picking up the scraps of the unprepared pub tourist.
The Edgar Wallace
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| Last attempt, a Saturday |
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| So much history |
A pub to feel instantly at home in but will leave you with a desire to take up smoking. I'be seen pub paraphernalia before. Usually drinks related but sometimes tobacco. Here, they have even nailed cigarette packets to the walls.
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| Wall, and ceiling, real estate in short supply |
Easily pub of the day - not least, as it has Harvey's Sussex Best on.
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