Three Lords, Aldgate, EC3

I popped into the Three Lords early on a recent Wednesday afternoon when the staircase to the right of the entrance down to the dining area was roped off. Straight ahead is a very basic bare boarded bar with a serving counter on the right-hand wall and high tables around the free walls. There were only four or five other customers, which isn’t surprising when they’re charging £4.50 for half a 4% Cruzcampo. More premium keg options were available alongside Neck Oil and two of the five hand pumps were in operation drawing Harvey’s Best and Sharp’s Atlantic Pale. There was some background music playing and the television was playing an aerial video of London for some unknown reason. The service was polite, but that was the only redeeming feature of this basic and extremely expensive pub that I’ll not be revisiting.

No longer a Ram pub, this place dates from the late 18th century, rebuilt in 1890, the date and name ‘Ye Three Lords’ visible to the corner splay, the lords in question being the three Jacobite lords, executed after the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. Inside and it’s a very plain room. The floor’s modern pale bare boarded. There’s pale green wainscoting to the dado then white walls and ceiling, a rear wall painted in shades of claret, with hipster lighting. The bar back is either planks or shiny white tiles, the bar front being of similar wainscoting to the walls. Furniture is fairly modern and tall, with extra seating downstairs and all to an Indie soundtrack, played at a reasonable level. A pub for City types this is not, with the crowd being rather studenty, creating a cacophony of deafening chatter; the place is close to London Met and the Guildhall. The ale front delivered up two unused pumps, then three clipped for Sussex Best, a half costing £2.50 and good. Certainly no destination, this place is ok for a quick drink, but it’s hellishly noisy; I couldn’t have lasted in here for a whole pint.

Official site of Three Lords - www.threelordsec3.co.uk

Official site of Three Lords - www.threelordsec3.co.uk

Unbranded Ram (Youngs) pub with modernised furniture and decor but otherwise the rectangular bar is quite traditional for a City pub in terms of layout with more space for 'vertical drinking' than for seating. More facilities downstairs (not visited). Four of five handpumps in use, with Young's Ordinary (£4.05) and Special, Doom Bar and Tribute available.