I often wish I owned a pub. One that looks like the Prince Arthur, preferably. The building is a striking three storeys, with grand Victorian signage. The top two thirds of the exterior are brick, with off-white paint and dark edging below. Seven lamps provide fuzzy light come evening. They bring an orange glow which pools over stooped drinkers and their shaggy dogs.
Inside and the bar is immediate, one of wood, curved beer pumps and spirits behind. There are dainty motifs: a scarf, a nondescript trophy (darts?), old booze adverts and a vintage bottle of Jameson. It’s always noisy thanks to the open plan space. Clearly this was once a proper East End boozer with a sawdust floor, creaking mismatched tables and hot pies on the counter that later became ham and cheese rolls. It isn’t difficult to imagine it 100 years ago, which is telling: a pub must always whisper about its former years; echoing from the paintings on walls hanging crooked, chatter bouncing off old brass and broken tiles.
It’s posher these days. Grand green curtains, cocktails and a bourgeois Hackney clientele. These people need fine food and here they get it in varying forms. The latest chef is Will Samuel, who focuses on meat and delivers it with righteous aplomb: scallop and bacon sausages, crab and lobster caramelles, big saltimboccas and pork chops with sherry Grenobloise. Mother may I.
My favourite memories of the Prince Arthur came during the last Euros, when TV screens sprang up and the crowd became merry. It was the pub at its best, keenest and most convivial. It is a community venture still, well-run and kindly managed. Cocktails are strong and little over a tenner. Wines are white, red and rosé but loudest when orange. The Guinness is excellent. This is a truly wonderful pub.
One club row
Justin DeSouza
East London darling One Club Row has opened a private dining room on the top floor called The Apartment. The space was once occupied by the hedonistic owners of Les Trois Garçons, a buzzing French restaurant that existed in the building years ago. The walk-in wardrobe is now a bar and the rest of the room is open-plan and pretty in dark wood and white linen. This would suit any boozy birthday. I might have mine there next year. You’re not invited.
Guinness Open Gate Brewery
I’m not sure how much longer Guinness is going to drag out its new attraction in Covent Garden. Just open it, guys — £73 million and counting. Still, apparently it’s not far off now — soon there’ll be a microbrewery (this wasn’t in the original plans, but given the stout’s ridiculous rise in popularity, they added one), a taproom and a shop to enjoy. Restaurants too: word is they’ll be run by Company of Cooks, the team in charge of running the likes of José Pizarro at the RA. So it should be all right.