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ONE PUB ONLY?
Birtkbeck Tavern
CRAWLING FROM RAILWAY STATION TO THE GROUND?
Not applicable here unless you have crawled in central London
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT?
Pembury Taven
|  |  Birkbeck Tavern
45 Langthorne Rd., Leytonstone, E11 4HL 020 8539 2584
G Kathy Wilson
F Various rolls
P TV JB P D
O 11 to 11 Mon - Thu, 11 to 12 Fri - Sat, 12 to 11 Sun
The Birkbeck Tavern is the grand daddy of London lower division pubs. Any supporters of larger teams on a weekend away should make a tour to find this pub Kathy, the new landlady, has been here for many years and will doubtless continue the tradition of welcoming away fans. The pub operates a genuine two day maximum to turn round to new ale. It is popular with the "Pigs Ear" real ale crew and away fans who often phone in advance to check out the brews on offer. They are often surprised but rarely disappointed; over 300 different beers a year have been on offer. As one of my favourite haunts before a game, it is something very special. The atmosphere on matchdays is just perfect, totally friendly, especially on balmy summer’s days when the garden comes into its own. In the middle of winter the genuine Leyton warmth comes to warm the cockles.
UPDATE: Roy has left for a well earned retirement and Kathy has taken up the reins. Live music on a Saturday is the only possible innovation to this great London local. The pub continues to shine.
BWV 25.1.05: Barnsley Oakwell Bitter, Rita's Special (House Brew), St. Austell Tinners, Skinner’s Betty Stogs
BWV 12.4.06: Archers Spring Blonde, Rita’s Special (House Brew), Welton’s Old Cocky, Randy Rabbit
BWV 16.01.10 Brentwood Best, Spooky Moon, Mighty Oak Simply the Best, Oxfordshire Ales Pride of Oxford, Rita's Special ( House brew) | |  King Edward VII
47 Broadway. Stratford, E15 4BQ Telephone 020 8534 2313 w. www.kingeddie.co.uk
G Kendall Cordes
F Freshly prepared, home - cooked British menu 12 to 2.30, 6.30 to 10 Mon - Fri, 6.30 to 10 Sat, 12 to 9 Sun. Bar food 12 to 10 every day
MP BM D
O 12 to 11 Mon - Wed, 12 to 12 Thu - Sat, 12 to 11.30 Sun
“King Eddies” has something of a legendary status in the East London real ale scene. It was great to visit it at last and find that all the rave reviews were indeed correct. It has historic value, great national ales, a policy that changes those beers regularly and good value and good quality food; all this and a great town centre location..
Kendall, the landlord, has an infectious enthusiasm for real ale and the potential of this pub. The historic value has to be mentioned. The best entrance is made via the tiled passageway into a fantastically traditional front bar. This room is the focal point for regular meetings of couples, business groups and shoppers from the mall opposite. The rear lounge has leather seats and is better suited for romantic liaisons. Then, at the back of the pub, is a raised area that has been extended to accommodate the restaurant. The locals are typical of the new Stratford, more affluent than in the past, definitely more likely to work in the city than in the docks. The clientele is as transient as the area that surrounds it. The pub is just as convenient for hammers fans but my choice would be to sit in the bar and watch London life walking past, safe in the knowledge that the train or bus will get you to Leyton a lot quicker than any car that crawls along the Broadway. This is a top pub and well worth the visit.
BWV 12.4.06: Adnams Broadside, Greene King Old Speckled Hen, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Wells Bombardier, | |  Pembury Tavern
90 Amhurst Rd, Hackney, E8 1JH Telephone020 8986 8597 www.individualpubs.co.uk
G Stephen Early
MP P D
O 12 to 11
The Pembury is the third of the “individual” pubs in the guides and its opening has been anticipated ever since it was announced that this renovation would open again and serve a range of Milton ales, supplemented by micro - brew guests. It certainly meets my idea of what to do with a building that was facing apartment oblivion. The new flats surround the pub but the ale still flows and for once the community now has an improved facility. The pub was opened in Jan 2006 as a non - smoking modern - style pub with all the features of a traditional street local. This includes a bar billiards table, space that can be converted for local groups to meet, comfortable seating and room for the larger groups to congregate around the bar. It is essentially a wooden – floored, open – plan bar with that attractive echo of constant chatter that increases to a rumble of conversation as the day moves on. There is no music to distract the drinker, no obvious reasons for the real ale fan to look elsewhere in a hurry. I liked the simplicity, the Milton ales and the fact that there are two mainline stations within easy walking distance.
Any new pub deserves you custom, especially when it is bucking the nitro keg trend. Having survived a fire, being a biker’s pub, trees growing through the roof and being a boxing venue, the building has lived a fantastically diverse life. It has now been given a great rebirth.
BWV 12.4.06: Butcombe Bitter, Milton Daedalus, Minotaur, Pegasus, Sparta, Uluru, Woodforde’s Great Eastern Ale, Ben Crosman’s Prime Farmhouse cider
Facebook | | | LOCAL CAMRA | |  | | WETHERSPOONS
The Walnut Tree 857-861 High Road Leytonstone E11 1HH Opening Times: Sun-Thu 9am-midnight; Fri/Sat 9am-1am
The Drum 557-559 Lea Bridge Road Leyton E10 7EQ Opening Times: Sun-Thu 9am-midnight; Fri/Sat 9am-1am
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