In Favour of The Humble Pub
By Declan McGurk
Picture this... I am in Phoenix Arizona with Leeds Legend - The Prince of Portobello - Jake Burger - in a bar named Bikini Lounge. Believe it or not, it is in-fact a dive bar and not a strip club, as some of you may have thought.
Jake comes out of the toilets with a smile on his face. As far as he’s concerned, the bar lacked some of the facilities and functions needed to define it as a dive bar. As far as I’m concerned, the status of the bar was never in question; The moment Georgi Radev (then Mahiki, now Laki Kane) tried to order a cocktail and received ridicule and a Miller High Life, I knew I was happy to be diving down and dirty into Bikini Lounge. Quickly the conversation turned to questioning why there aren’t a plethora of dive bars in London. Crobar ticks many boxes, but according to the Jake Burger dive-bar-tick-box criteria it isn’t a true dive. So why does London struggle to celebrate the dressed down relaxed night time economy style of dive bars? The answer according to Jake is simple – “we have the pub.”
The pubs of both Britain and Ireland have a sense of identity that is unrivalled. The symbiotic relationship we have with beer is culturally something - dare I say it, that people are nurtured into. Drinking ale itself is a ritual dating back to the Bronze Age, and the evolved version of this drink is as critical to a pub’s history as the buildings themselves.
In 1393 legislation was introduced dictating that ale houses must display a sign to make them easily identifiable to those in need of refreshment. This was a defining moment in pub culture and a wonderful selection of names were used. Fast forward to today and there are roughly 4000 pubs currently in operation in London, including twenty Wetherspoons within the boundaries of Zone one alone.
There is a uniqueness to pubs that make them very hard to replicate. Wandering through London you will notice that most pubs are purpose built with design features to die for such as stained glass lead lined windows and master carpentry that is no longer practiced. Admittedly a visit to a pub can also be a sad affair, with poor service and lacklustre standards, but for every poorly run establishment there is a jewel waiting to be found.
In the UK the existence of pubs not only challenges the growth of dive bars - I would go as far to say they challenge the development of the cocktail bar scene too. Drinking cocktails is not something that the British public naturally do, and often they are intimidated by the thought of high-end bars with alien drinks. In the UK we go for a pint after work and across the Atlantic they grab a quick Whisky Sour prior to the journey home. With this in mind for new bar openings, my suggestion now is to embrace this part of culture, and install draught beer. Counter to the perception that this might attract the wrong crowd, I would argue that the right selection of beer is a way of comforting new guests and easing them into your bar concept rather than alienating them. Hotel bars have their own very independent identity, but for High Street bar operators, pub clientele may be the best pickings for future patrons.
As you might be able to tell, I have developed quite the passion for pubs and like to celebrate their existence. Whilst working at the Savoy an important skill to develop is the ability to suggest the right pub for a traveller to visit, as it is a frequent recommendation to have to make. Sometimes I proactively make pub suggestions, because for someone visiting from afar a trip to a public house is more important than getting a photo by a London Underground sign. Luckily, we have some examples of very fine pubs close to The Savoy:
Coach & Horses, 42 Wellington Street, WC2E 7BD.
This Victorian style pub has an Irish influence from its landlord giving it a noticeably warm service. The pint of Guinness is as good as you can find, and the décor is elegantly stripped back with no gimmicks. This place is simply as good as you can get.
The Nell Gwynne Tavern, 2 Bull Inn Ct, WC2R 0NP.
This hidden pub was actually introduced to me by Erik Lorincz, our former head bartender and now owner operator of Kwānt. He was thrilled to be teaching me something on the topic, and the setting alone warrants a visit.
The Harp, 47 Chandos place, WC2N 4HS.
An ale specialist where a fine selection of hand pulled specimens are on offer. Whilst this type of beer has been over shadowed by lager, it is an important part of the history of public houses, and it is wonderful to see a place do so well with it. This place is never quiet.
The Marquis, 51-52 Chandos Place, WC2N 4HS.
The music offering of this venue wins my admiration. There is a record player behind the bar and the team are frequently engaging guests over what to play next. I certainly don’t conform to the idea that pubs should be without music, and feel moves like this, whilst challenging bar culture, help keep a pub a modern attraction. I hope to see more pubs playing great tunes in the future.
The Toucan, 19 Carlisle Street, W1D 3BY.
Although not in the Covent Garden area, I can’t not talk about the Toucan when talking about pubs. Colin Taylor has been running this Soho institution for just under 30 years. Pop downstairs and see a heavily Irish influenced venue with stunning Whiskey’s and a fine pint of the black stuff. On a sunny day standing outside and watching the weird and wondrous world of Soho is spectacular. You are far more likely to find me here on a day off than in a rival hotel bar!
I look forward to bumping into you in a pub! Sláinte.