The George Tavern, E1

This is essentially a music pub that relies heavily on its late licence, and thus opposes the planned building of multi-storey residential accommodation right behind the pub. The interior has that “shabby chic” we see a lot of these days, but it still has a sort of lived in feel. As a music pub, the stage at the back tends to dominate. There are some seats, including some around a massive solid wooden table on the left. There used to be a pub on this site called the Halfway House, a name that is still commemorated on the side of the current building. Perhaps more importantly, the previous name is still seen inside the pub. One wall at the back (unfortunately now obscured by the servery which must have been re-sited there at some point) has some superb original Victorian tiling. The centrepiece is a panel entitled “Ye George Tavern in Ye Olden Times 1654”, and is apparently based on a painting of the Halfway House. The tiling is by W B Simpson, which makes it some top of the range tiling, and is the only Simpson tiled panel I know where the subject is the pub in which the panel is sited. There was a Doom Bar clip on the handpump when I dropped in, but unfortunately it wasn’t on, so I had a pint of Czech Kozel Lager (£4.10 a pint) which is a decent drop for a lager. I reckon it’s definitely worth dropping in here (it doesn’t open until 4.00 PM) to have a look at the tiling, which is what I did. Or for the live music it that’s your bag.