Dockers Inn, Wapping, E1

The Dockers Inn is an L-shaped pub with seating down the left and a central bar counter that faces high tables, and also booth seating across the front windows. For some reason large televisions above the fireplaces on the left and right walls were playing roaring log fire loops. The actual fireplaces were full of logs. Out the back is a ‘secret garden’ that I didn’t visit due to the rain. Upstairs are rooms available for rent. There’s no real ale here, only premium and craft keg. Food is available, the bar menu was in operation during my visit, the cheesy chips were priced at £5.50. The service was friendly, but this pub is very forgettable and I’m not sure any self-respecting stevedore would be seen dead in here.

A refurbed and modernised corner pub, an L shaped room with mixed seating as described by Tris. Keg only with some normal stuff along with Beavertown and Camden beers, which I guess are pretty normal themselves nowadays. Despite the friendly service I can't forsee a return visit.

Originally an early Victorian pub called the White Swan, this was rebuilt in a slightly different location, probably in the 1930s, the recent former name of White Swan & Cuckoo dating from around 1990, the current name arriving at some point during Lockdown. This had been a rather basic locals’ pub, but with a change of name comes a hipsterfied partial grey exterior, then an interior with a modern partitioned bar back, modern boarded floor, wasabi paint scheme and ceiling, upholstered booth-style banquettes, some more conventional furniture and one or two barrel tables with tall chairs. There are two bare brick fireplaces painted grey, with log infill for decorative purposes, with further décor in the form of black and white prints of the area from yesteryear, two TVs with a rolling slideshow of planet Earth from space or an aerial view of Dubai and a few nautical references, given the new name and proximity to the former docks; bored games are available. Customers were just four including me, when every other pub in the area was at capacity. There’s no real ale here, with a Neck Oil coming in a £3.10 a half, served by a very friendly barmaid: ‘Cheers babes!”. This place seems to have gastro pretensions, but isn’t a gastropub, serving mainly burgers or ‘wings’. It’s ok for a drink if all you want is a Neck Oil at a rather reasonable price, but every other pub in the area offers a superior experience and real ale.

Friendly locals pub - that has a traditional exterior but modernised with American Booth style seating along the window. I didn't notice any (decent) cask, so went for a Camden Hells. A change from the more touristy places in the area.

Official site of The White Swan & Cuckoo - dockersinn.co.uk

Official site of The White Swan & Cuckoo - dockersinn.co.uk