London Pub Explorer

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London Pub Explorer

Urban explorer, author, tour guide and social commentator roaming back streets hunting for boozers.

07/04/2026

Booking at www.londonpubexplorer.com/tour-booking

04/04/2026

The Widow’s Son, Bow.

Another fantastic Bun Day down the East End hosted by the most congenial Landlords Silem and Cilem.

It was a pleasure to be present for the annual Good Friday tradition and see the pub so busy. Great work as always from the HMS President crew for turning up in such large numbers.

A Good Friday isn’t a Good Friday for me unless I’m at the Bun House and it was a pleasure to spend it with new friends I’ve made from doing LPE over the years - once again reaffirming the positive power of the pub and the cherished unity of its community.

30/03/2026

A great weekend on tour duty hosting two brilliant groups on the sold out Little Venice and Bethnal Green LPE walking tours.

Due to the LPE Routemaster bus tours and the World Cup getting in the way there are only 3 more walking tours between now and late August that have tickets left:

- Bloomsbury, Friday 10 April @ 13:30 - 6 TICKETS LEFT

- Bethnal Green, Saturday 11 April @ 13:30 - 5 TICKETS LEFT

- Southwark, Saturday 9 May @ 13:30 - 2 TICKETS LEFT

Booking @ www.londonpubexplorer.com

Cheers

25/03/2026

A throwback to last years LPE Routemaster bus tours.

Tickets are on sale for the second one in 2026.

The first date has sold out. The second one on Saturday 25 July has already seen 50% of tickets snapped up. Get in quick.

Booking at www.londonpubexplorer.com

23/03/2026

The Kenton, Hackney

A NEW NO CHILDREN POLICY.

has decided to change to a no Under 18s policy.

This is on account of unsupervised children running amok and disturbing other drinkers (many have left early when been impacted or lobbied long serving Landlord Egil for a full ban).

This is not about having a problem with children. The issue is when they are not supervised properly, disturb others and have a HSE impact on customers and staff.

There is a pub near me colloquially called ‘The Alco-crèche’ due to lit parents letting their children run around. If that was a group of 10 adults they would be asked to leave. The Kenton required equal accountability of patrons behaviours, no matter their age. When that could not be achieved they made a change.

I’m not pro or anti this.
But, as a parent of a young child himself, Egil (and any indie licensee) can decide exactly who they wish to have in their pub.

However, I can see both sides of the argument if you are a parent that does engage with their well behaved children you’re restricted from visiting an establishment.

I’ve also listened to scores of stories of apoplectic parents whose once weekly escape from their own offspring is to a pub, only to have other peoples brood disturb their sacred pubtopia.

As a wet led pub (no food) this shouldn’t have too hard an impact on the bottom line. In one of Hackney’s gastropubs it would be financial su***de.

Egil has stuck to his guns and did warn patrons this might be coming. It is also noteworthy they have had a lot of praise from locals about the change. Many regulars have started to arrive earlier in the day, as before there was a 17:00 child curfew, and many gave it a swerve.

Children in pubs can be divisive. Opinion is often shaped on your age (and if you were in pubs yourself as a kid or outside with a bottle of pop and an arrowroot as the law only changed in 1995 permitting under 14s inside), where you live and the pubs you frequent and perhaps if you have children yourself.

After 15 years as Guv, Egil knows what works at the Kenton, listening to staff and customer feedback. Will other wet pubs go this way.

What is key is that Hackney has many fine pubs so those with children are not being excluded en mass.

It wil be interesting to hear what people think of this policy.

11/03/2026

The second London Pub Explorer Routemaster bus tour of 2026 on Saturday 25 July is now on sale.

This is a new north London to east London route.

Full details in the link below:

https://www.londonpubexplorer.com/tour-booking/p/london-pub-explorer-routemaster-bus-tour-saturday-25-july-2026-1300

Starting in north London at one of the capital’s premier independent pubs we’ll stop at quality backstreet wet-led proper boozers en route to the East End.

First rate hospitality will greet us in cherished local north and east London houses where a spread will be laid on to fortify our intrepid group during a day exploring in style.

A fantastic day on the buses awaits.

04/03/2026

Just 4 tickets are left for this Friday’s London Pub Explorer walking tour of Wapping at 18:00.

Booking in the link below:

https://www.londonpubexplorer.com/tour-booking/p/wapping-pub-walking-tour-friday-6-march-2026-1800

03/03/2026

The Britannia, Shadwell

The East End in 1996 when the Britannia closed is unrecognisable when compared to today.

Located on historical Cable Street, its seen huge changes in the last 30 years, most notably in demographics as indigenous Cockneys moved away from the capital or died out with one community and culture being replaced with another.

As non-drinkers moved to the area this had an impact on the volume of pubs that were sustainable as Cockney drinkers left in droves. In the E1 postcode this was the catalyst for pubs to be redundant community assets. The other huge difference between over a quarter of a century ago and today are the seismic increases in property value.

Originally built in 1780/90 it’s a belligerent mainstay in an East End that has witnessed austerity, the sky falling in, disease, disaster after disaster and all manner of hardships.

For a long time in the 70s & 80s the pub had an Irish flavour and was run by Guv Mick Sullivan. Sadly no longer with us - his son occasionally drinks - he ran a helluva pub by all accounts. It was known for live music, darts and had a long association with the Bigland Street Festival nearby.

Unfortunately, when Mick left it did the magical merry-go-round of pub mergers and buy outs and had a succession of managers who were merely stewards with no incentive to make a go of it. It closed without a whimper at a time when pubcos asset stripped a lot of their estates.

Since 1997 it’s been owned by artist Julian, who operates it as the 3 room boutique . He kindly permitted me access to the pub and, quite the raconteur, I enjoyed 2 hours hearing how he has lovingly restored the pub and retained its history.

You can visit too by staying the night and enjoy a drink on the roof terrace looking down into the old music hall or drinking in the marvellous mural depicting when the East End, once again, stood up to tyranny in 1936.

You know what to do…

01/03/2026

A pleasure to host such a fantastic group on the debut LPE Deptford tour.

26/02/2026

The Northumberland, Kings Cross

A handsome Victorian hostelry with a new chapter looming

There has been a hostelry on the site since 1827 and this sharp corner boozer on Kings Cross Road was a pub I always considered to be something of a utility pub. It served a purpose while en route to or from somewhere else.

In the early 2000s I was a hospital radio DJ at two UCLH sites and would often stop off here on my walk home to sooth my larynx after rabbiting during a 3 hour show. Or we’d have a livener here on our way to see mates play gigs at the nearby Water Rats.

The pub always felt functional and perhaps not somewhere you’d linger longer other than for a quick pit stop. I visited for the first time in early January in probably 20 years and very much enjoyed the sturdy looking pub for what it was: a functioning proper community boozer.

As a brutal winter wind tossed me about on the exposed corner upon approach, what immediately struck upon entry was how warm the big space was. Some pubs with cavernous high ceilings unwelcomingly possess almost glacial interiors. The cold gets into your bones. Not so here and the smiley welcome from the lady behind the jump also thawed me out.

It was refreshing to see what I’d imagine is a well used pool table still in situ, fruities and a grand jukebox. All the core elements of a proper boozer where you head for a soak after work to let the drink work its magic dulling the senses and washing away the pains of a long day.

The grey interior was the only element that shaved off a pure experience but I don’t suppose the old faces supping and watching the nags when I was in mind it. I’m sure they are just grateful that they still have this home away from home in a rapidly changing part of London.

Speaking of change: I’ve heard on the vine that the long standing Landlady has just retired since my visit. As a Stonegate house, my money would be on a switch to a Craft Union pub but who knows if a new leasehold operator might wish to take a chance on this friendly mammoth old boozer. Stay tuned.

You know what to do...

04/02/2026

The Florist, Bethnal Green

A few pictures from the refurb down on Globe Road which reopened earlier in the month.

The bar is to see more restoration work in the future but a fresher and brighter Florist - with a new spirit level friendly floor - greets those popping in for a pint.

GM Emma looks forward to welcoming visitors.

You know what to do…

16/01/2026

The Florist, Bethnal Green

WORK IS IN FULL SWING TO BRING THIS CHEERY COCKNEY BOOZER BACK FROM THE DEAD

A few pictures from my visit to the Florist on Monday where I was given a tour of the refurb by new operator Barley Pop’s main man Nigel Owen and long-standing Cockney GM - now in her eighth year at the pub - Emma Tarbard.

The pub closed in August last year, but Nigel and the team were keen to get the pub back open as soon as possible ahead of a minimal period of downtown to give the pub a sympathetic sparkle. It traded from September until New Year’s Eve and is now getting that much needed TLC it has deserved for so long.

Little investment has been put into the handsome corner pub in the last two decades, but saws were buzzing and paint brushes swooshing as I arrived.

The most telling immediate change is the restoration of the floor which was offensive to the word wonky, such was its multiple severe lumps and bumps. The team have done a great job bringing it back to its former glory with a brighter and lighter feel. This grandeur is more punchy and befitting or an elegant Victorian corner pub.

Otherwise the pub will see no more drastic changes than a subtle freshen up but in the future the bar will see much needed restoration and, as is only right of a pub bearing its moniker, the exterior will be festooned with eye catching foliage and flowers.

Despite the naysayers and some comedy rumours about the pub’s future on local Facebook groups, the Florist was always going to reopen. It is returning with a triumphant swagger and will continue watering the community in perpetuity.

The post refurb reopening is planned for next weekend. See you at the bar!

You know what to do…

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