The Fountain, Bethnal Green, E2

Now this is a real time warp of a pub. As I walked up to it, and before I spotted the Watney, Combe, Reid signage still in place, I thought that I recognised the script of the pub’s name. I swear that is the original Watney’s white lettering, although now the red background has been painted green. Seeing that lettering again after so many years gives one a shudder down the spine. I’m not sure that much has changed inside either. I suspect that it’s been opened up a bit – there’s a central island bar with three interconnected rooms wrapped round it (public, saloon and lounge?). There’s a dartboard in the room on the left that would surely have been the public bar. However the overlying impression for me was the greenness – light green and cream walls, green ceilings, green on the front of the bar counter. I suppose the landlady must be a verdaphile! Other notable features are the parrot in a cage at the back in front of the back door, and the Union Flags and St George’s Flag bunting all over the place. The furnishings are also unashamedly 70s – banquettes, small upholstered stools, normal tables and round metal framed tables. Unfortunately the drinks haven’t improved much from the 70s either, with no real ale of course, but on the plus side no Watney’s Red Barrell or Special. It’s interesting to visit a backstreet local, but I doubt whether I’ll be visiting again.