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Image posted by Rex Rattus
Submitted on Sunday, 27th December 2015
With picture contributions to 1103 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (11 more images)
Detail Pages
The Festival Inn, E14
E14
E14 6AD
Served areas
Reviews of The Festival Inn (Average Rating: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Festival Inn
This is an interesting pub in that it dates from 1951, three years before wartime rationing came to an end. The reason for this is that it was constructed to commemorate 1951’s Festival of Britain, a ‘tonic for the nation’, designed by the noted architect Sir Frederick Gibberd, responsible for Regent’s Park’s Central Mosque and Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, known to some as ‘Paddy’s Wigwam’; he was also responsible for Harlow New Town (sotto voce). It’s Grade II-listed, featuring on CAMRA’s list of pubs with noted interiors, this being of Exceptional National Historic Importance.
The pub is situated on the edge of Chrisp Street Market, the UK’s first purpose built, part of the Lansbury Estate, named after George, grandfather of Angela; there’s much Truman’s regalia still on display.
The interior is as described on CAMRA’s site, with at least one mirror displaying both the pub’s name alongside the Festival Star (see photo), designed by Abram Games; the games machine is quite incongruous. Older customers were few enough to render the pub deathly quiet, with the place about to shut at just after 9.00pm on my Friday visit.
There’s no cask here, just an unused pump, me opting for a half of Guinness (only £2.30), served by a very friendly old-school landlady.
There’s no real incentive to stay here and pickings in this once pub-saturated area are now painfully thin, but it’s a must-visit for the aficionado of historic pub interiors.
On 11th November 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Festival Inn
There's still no real ale here - just John Smith's and the keg version of Courage Best (£1.50 a half). Also no sign of food on Wedenesday lunchtime.
This is a traditional two bar boozer, right at one end of Chrisp Street market. It was built in 1951 to replace a pub on the site called The Enterprise, which had recently been demolished. It was no doubt named The Festival Inn after the 1951 Festival of Britain. I sat in the left hand room, and although I didn't explore the other room I could see into it across the servery, and saw that it contained a pool table.
The room I was in was bare-boarded, was furnished with indigo coloured plastic covered banquettes and sofas, some settles and normal tables and chairs - but no tall tables/tall stools. There were plenty of old black and white photographs on the walls, notably of Marilyn Monroe, Gregory Peck, and others I didn't get close enough to recognise. There was a pair of large speakers in one corner suggesting live entertainment of some type, and Heart Radio was playing. I particularly liked the inlaid wood panelling of the bar counter front, and what is almost certainly the original wood panelling on the walls.
I rather liked this pub. I was given a cheery greeting by one of the regulars at the bar, which is always nice. A decent real ale would be a massive plus though.
On 5th September 2015
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
No known official website for this pub.
- Facebook - The Festival Inn
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Festival Inn - whatpub.com
- Historic Pub Interiors - pubheritage.camra.org.uk
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
- Car Park : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
- Hot Food : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
- Jukebox : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
- Karaoke : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
- Micropub : No last updated 30 March 2020 by Tris C
- Pinball : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
- Pool Table : Yes last updated 05 September 2015 by Rex Rattus
- Quiz Night : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
- Real Ale : No last updated 05 September 2015 by Rex Rattus
- Real Cider : No last updated 23 November 2023 by Tris C
