The White Hart, E1

This is a narrow traditional pub on the busy Whitechapel High Street, close to Aldgate East tube station and handy for Brick Lane. The pub has what feels like a two bar layout, although it could equally be argued that there is just the one long, narrow room with an old doorway to pass through midway down. The front part of the pub is a dark wood overload, with floorboards, wall panels and servery combining to create a typical spit and sawdust, traditional boozer look. Seating is surprisingly plentiful in such a cramped space, which is squeezed even more at the point where the servery eventually appears down the left hand side. A ledge runs opposite the bar in the front part of the pub and further on there are a number of small tables and chairs opposite, which contribute to congestion along the bar during busier moments. The room opens out again to the rear where more standard and bench seating has been arranged around the perimeter. There is a nice fireplace on the rear wall with a mural above depicting a Jack the Ripper scene. The pub claims to be the last in which supposed Ripper victim Martha Tabram drank before she was last seen walking up the alleyway to the right of the pub (although other accounts list a pub called ‘The Angel and Crown’ as the site of Tabram’s last drink). A plaque in the alleyway also notes the pub’s connections with the murder and points out that possible Ripper suspect George Chapman had a barbers shop in the pub basement. We were sat enjoying the rugby being shown on the TV screens in both front and back bars, when a number of people appeared dressed in period costume – apparently popular Jack the Ripper tours commence from the pub. Five handpulls provided a choice from Shepherd Neame Spitfire, Sharps Doom Bar and Fullers London Pride. Greene King IPA had recently gone off and the remaining pump was left unclipped. I tried the Doom Bar which was in decent enough shape, whilst a companion ordered a glass of wine only to be told that they had run out of clean wine glasses. He ended up drinking from a Liefmans beer glass! This is a pretty decent traditional boozer that still retains a bit of character and seems to have an interesting, if somewhat disputable, history. We found the place quite lively, and despite the variable service and limited beer range, I wouldn’t mind calling in again if I was in the area.

Three banks of 5 pumps but only Spitfire on each section. So, 15 handpumps, 1 beer: to me, that just smacks of laziness probably born on the back of busy weekday lunchtimes. Real shame, as the old wood aesthetic and feel of the place appeals greatly on entry, and the long bar goes far back to the rear of the pub. I really don't know why they open at the weekend, maybe they get some Brick La trade but don't seem to be doing much to encourage it. Off list in future.

A proper traditional boozer, with a dark wood interior to the narrow two-part bar. Busy when I visited, with a mixed crowd in after work and efficient staff getting everybody served quickly. Background music and silent sports TVs. I counted nine handpumps on various parts of the counter, with Pride, Seafarers, Doom Bar, Hog's Back TEA and Spitfire (£3.80 available).

This is a narrow fronted pub that stretches back a fair way along the alleyway to the side that is Gunthorpe St. It was in a building behind here where the body of Martha Tabram was found, who some consider might have been Jack The Ripper’s first victim. The JTR connection is continued inside the pub, with a large board up on the bar gantry mentioning a couple of the suspects – George Chapman and HRH the Duke of Clarence – although neither are really credible candidates. Anyway, the pub doesn’t seem to have changed since Steve’s visit last year. There are still 15 handpumps on the bar, but on the occasion of my visit there were just the two ales on – London Pride and Spitfire – with a TEA clip reversed. They do Thai food (£5.50 - or £6.50), plus sandwiches and some other standard pub fare at reasonable prices. There are miscellaneous nick nacks on high shelves, and assorted prints and the like on the walls. Where I was sitting there was a manuscript detailing the events of the famous siege in nearby Sydney St. I believe that this is real pub that doesn’t seem to have any airs and graces, although I don’t find the trading on the very tenuous Jack The Ripper connection a plus point. I’ve been in here before and will probably visit again when I’m in the area.