With our local areas ever-more dominated by extortionate gastro-pubs and overwhelming late-night venues, a proper old-fashioned pub is becoming harder and harder to come by in London.
That’s why LondonWorld has put together five cosy establishments to help pass the winter months - with no seafood starters or cocktail menus shoved in your face.
1. Lamb & Flag
One of the strongest contenders for the difficult-to-confirm title of London’s oldest pub, the Lamb and Flag in Covent Garden was infamous in the 19th century for its bare-knuckle brawls - so much so that it was known to locals as the Bucket of Blood. John Dryden was attacked here in 1679. The Poet Laureate was pounced on by masked thugs suspected to have been hired by his rival John Wilmot, the second Earl of Rochester. Today, the Lamb and Flag, tucked away in Rose Street and Lazenby Court, is a warm and welcoming old-world establishment with a fantastic range of real ale and classic British pub grub - but do expect to pay Covent Garden prices for a pint. Photo: Google Maps
2. The Dove
The Dove ticks every box for an old-school pub atmosphere. Situated on the Upper Mall embankment west of Hammersmith Bridge, this riverside boozer boasts a brilliant range of beers and that classic cosy heritage interior. The beer garden out the back of the pub looks over the houseboats on the Thames, and serves as a great spot for watching the annual London Boat Race - though you can expect it to be busy when it’s on. Ernest Hemingway is rumoured to have frequented The Dove, with James Thompson said to have written the lyrics for Rule, Britannia! there. Photo: Google Maps
3. The Mayflower
Another riverside pub, The Mayflower in Rotherhithe claims to be the place from which the Mayflower first left for Southampton before sailing to America. Its unique history even gives it a licence to sell American and British stamps - the only pub of its kind in the country. Stories to one side, The Mayflower, in Rotherhithe Street, offers another quintessential British pub experience. Its beer garden backs onto a fantastic view of the river, and its dark and cosy interior is exactly what you’d hope for from such a historic establishment. Real ales are rotated every few days, and the prices are fairly cheap for London too. Pints start at £4.95, with no cask options costing more than £5.90. Photo: RDImages/Epics/Getty Images
4. The Palm Tree
The Palm Tree in Mile End offers an intense cockney experience, with live jazz and a properly old-fashioned atmosphere. Complete with wood panelling, thick curtains and garish gold wallpaper, this moody old boozer doesn’t even take card. All payments are instead cashed straight into a classic green register. The Palm Tree can be found in Grove Road. Photo: Neil Theasby/Wikicommons