The Victoria Tavern, Plaistow, E13

A rather unappealing pub outside and in, no real ale of course and only basic keg. It was cash only in here but I didn't linger long enough to spend any.

Currently missing any obvious external signage, it might have looked rather abandoned had it not been for the smokers in the semi-screened triangular front patio area. However, once inside, you find a traditional East End boozer with a 'l'-shaped bar (with a pool table) and a smaller side lounge; both parts simply furnished and decorated. No real ale of course, but even the John Smith's cost £3.70 which seemed a little high for the area.

There's no real ale here, nor any sign of food when I visited on Friday afternoon. You enter via the caged in seating area outside at the front of the pub, scraping the bolt at the bottom of the gate across the concrete, then into the building via the black painted reinforced steel doors that are still there. The first thing I noticed was the unseemly smell in the main room at the front, with at the same time having your auditory sense also assailed by the sound of Smooth Radio blaring out. There's what I guess must be a DJ booth on the right by the door, which seems to double up as some sort of shrine to The Who judging by the posters stuck on it. At the far end of the room are a couple of enormous speakers on either side of the pool table. There's a trio of marble (or marble effect) topped tables pushed up against the wall by the window (one of which I had to drag out to be able to sit down for my mercifully short stay) with some ordinary but armless chairs. I had a peek in the room on the left which is accessed via a couple of glazed doors. I spotted some crisp boxes, and the large pub dog savaging something (a bone/chew possibly/hopefully) in the middle of the room, before retreating to the other room. I can only guess what it must be like in the evenings, but I have no plans to find out for certain.

This over 30s pub looks far from inviting from the outside as the windows are covered in grills and there is a reinforced steel door for an entrance. Thankfully once inside the only giveaway that one is drinking in Fort Knox is the light straining to shine through the windows past all the metal. There is only a standard draught selection, but the Guinness was very good and the young woman behind the bar was very friendly. The pub is split into two bars that are separated by a glass door by the entrance. I only ventured into the right hand side where there is a pool table and DJ booth at the rear. The other bar seemed much the same with some sofas and I spotted a dartboard on the back wall. Both bars have TVs which were showing World Cup football on terrestrial television and although I didn’t notice any Sky Sports signs I would be surprised if this pub does not have it. This is a real local’s boozer with East End feel and I would have no problem returning.