The Palm Tree, Mile End

Glorious mid-20th Century timewarp of a pub with the dark, heavily patterned decor typical of the traditional London boozer. The exterior reveals it to have started life as a Truman's house of the type seen in many other Inner London streets; I don't know enough about architecture to be sure of it's age but I'd guess Inter-War years. With it's isolated position it looks like the lone survivor of Luftwaffe bombing raids on the neighbourhood, but the GBG suggests that the surrounding buildings were mainly demolished by the old Greater London Council, leaving the surrounding area as parkland.

One of the two bars appeared to be closed for a quiet Saturday afternoon session, but I immediately felt at home and marvelled at the unspoilt yet clean and tidy room which could have looked exactly the same thirty or forty or more years ago, except possibly for a modern cigarette machine in a corner and the decimal price showing on "Arkwright's" till on the back of the bar.

Autographed photographs of various minor celebrities adorned the wall above the bar, a drumkit lay dormant on a small stage in one corner and pleasant classic pop music played at a sensible volume in the backgound. Clientele was entirely student types on my visit - at 43 I reckon I was the oldest customer by 20 years - but frankly anyone who likes pubs ought to feel at home here unless they're a total philistine.

Two real ales were on offer: Deuchar's IPA and Hook Norton Old Hooky - I had a pint of the latter which was served in perfect condition by, presumably, the much mentioned landlord (average height & build, grey hair, in his sixties) who was perfectly friendly and hospitable, greeting me as I arrived and thanking me as I left despite me placing my overcoat on the adjacent stool and a small bag on the floor!

Ideally a choice of more than two ales would be nice, but other than that this place ticks all the boxes for me and is pretty much my perfect pub. I'll definitely be back and hopefully introduce some friends to it too. One word of warning, you can easily miss it if you walk up and down Grove Road as I did. The address is given as 127 Grove Road in the CAMRA Good Beer guide, but it's set well back on the far side of Mile End Park on the far bank of the Grand Union Canal and partially obscured by a raised area adjacent to the main road.

11 Jan 2009 13:35

The Camel, Bethnal Green

NIce little backstreet local with a pleasant laid-back atmosphere, although on a quiet Saturday afternoon the Indie music playing in the "background" was rather loud for anyone not enamoured of the genre.

Two ales on handpump; I had Crouch Vale Brewers gold which was well kept. (The other was Harvey's Sussex Best.)

Clientele mostly postgraduate types as opposed to the dyed in the wool cockneys one might expect to find in Bethnal Green/Bow. Decor slightly quirky yet still tasteful.

11 Jan 2009 12:50

The Live and Let Live, Cambridge

The last stop on my pub crawl around the Good Beer Guide pubs in the eastern part of the town centre. Another good one with wide range of well kept ales.

29 Dec 2008 12:30