Comments on: The Gentle Author’s Dead Pubs Crawl

By: Jude

Jude — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 10:31:16 +0000

Brilliant post! Sad, poignant but somehow pleasing to see remnants of times gone by. Incidentally, my ancestor lived on frying pan alley and would known quite a few of these pubs (though probably too poor to drink in them). Thank you!

By: Susan Goulden

Susan Goulden — Sun, 04 Nov 2018 17:53:03 +0000

Remembering The Grave Maurice, from my medical student days, in the late 70s/early 80s, at The London Hospital.

By: Chris Connor

Chris Connor — Sun, 04 Nov 2018 13:00:01 +0000

Also the Gun in Spitalfields itself. Now merely a memory buried under another incongruous piece of glass and metal.

By: Ian Silverton

Ian Silverton — Sun, 04 Nov 2018 11:11:40 +0000

Paul Lofton, remember that moment in time very well,THE Green Gate,with Peters and Lee singing,the Twins Brian and Kenny Bird,running the venue,along with there Familly, think Butch was the compare,at the time, the other Twins R&R used it as there office Monday or Tuesday nights,made the mistake of going in there one night, all very sinister,but they bought me and my friends a drink,and we had a chat with them,as they new us from living near them and using my Dads pub,we left in a orderly fashion.

By: Ian Silverton

Ian Silverton — Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:57:38 +0000

Gary Arber,that’s just what happened,all so true,we lost all the Monday Nights trade,as it was,and the big pay outs at Christmas, Publicans lost out BIG time back then,but some like my friends Pub the Prince of Wales in the Broadway Hackney, made a great successful Monday Nights,from the closure of other pubs in the area doing away with it, payout and the End of year stash,was usually Over seen by a Uniformed Police Officer,from the local nick,at Bethnal Green, that’s now a pub I think LOL

By: Marcia Howard

Marcia Howard — Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:58:57 +0000

Some wonderful names, although rather incongruous to see such establishments as lauderettes in place of the public bars

By: Gary Arber

Gary Arber — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 18:03:57 +0000

The demise of the East End pubs started in the 1950’s. All of the pubs ran a loan club, customers came in every week to pay their subs, they took out loans during the year, they paid interest on these and this built up throughout the year and at Christmas the clubs paid out and everyone had cash for their festivities. The club money use to be banked through the pubs account weekly. In the 1950’s the brewers stopped this happening and as the amount of money at paying out time was large the clubs had to hire security. These costs killed the clubs and they all packed up.
When the members came in each week came they all had a drink and as they were friends they spent time together. After the clubs closed people only came in for occasional drinks and the atmosphere faded, Club members also paid weekly bar money, this was paid out by the pubs at Christmas in beer, wine and spirits. After the clubs closed the takings of the pub dropped and they started to go under.
Gary

By: Paul Loften

Paul Loften — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 12:29:44 +0000

The pubs on Bethnal Green Road were a magnet for the local lads and lassies in the 60’s and 70’s . The Green Gate was always packed to the brim with a live band and it spilled out into the street. Bobby Moore owned the Salmon & Ball on the corner. After closing time Bethnal Green Road was alive with the young ladies in the mini skirts walking home and the road was full of cars slowly cruising with the boys wiuth their heads out ofthe windows , all ready withe their chat up lines. Its probably the exact spot where ” Ello John got a new motor? ” was born.
.it was place to rival the buzzing posh side of London, the Kings Road . I am sure that nobody said that there.

By: Jan Toms

Jan Toms — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 12:07:46 +0000

Such vicarious pleasure in seeing these. with a strong dose of regret at their passing. I was amazed by the long tenures of some of these old buildings.
Thank you.

By: J Parham

J Parham — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 11:00:34 +0000

And not forgetting The Queen’s Head, known locally for many years as George the Pole’s and now a part of Tayab’s on Fieldgate Street. The Britannia near by the Old Town Hall on Cable Street, and The Old Red Lion just a couple doors eastward from the former Black Bull on Whitechapel Road.