The Clapton Hart, Clapton, E5

I missed this pub on our March 2017 crawl as I arrived late, so on sauntering up Murder Mile (Upper/Lower Clapton Road), I decided to give it a go on the spur of the moment and, as I was soon to find out, there were only two other customers in this stately pile. The former White Hart dates from the early 18th century but was rebuilt in 1891, a Charrington’s pub as evinced by some vestigial traces of the brewer’s trademark leaded glass. Well-described by others, it’s an absolutely enormous multi-roomed place and I wouldn’t be surprised if it had once doubled as a music hall in its time. It’s also the most Antic of Antic pubs I’ve visited, with an interior which is less distressed, more traumatised. There’s a hotchpotch of knickknackery, including a stuffed deer’s head mounted to a wall and an upright Joanna. Euro 2020 was being shown on a projector screen, sound off, so as not to interfere with the dance anthems wafting out of the stereo at an agreeable level; if but I’d brought my glowsticks and whistle. As mentioned, the pub was empty apart from us three drinkers watching the footie. The front patio and especially the rear garden were packed with young incomers. The lavs were distressed, but not deliberately so. Ales: Five Points Pale at the ‘new normal’ price of £4.80 and excellent it was too, Volden’s Session IPA and Pale, Rosie Pig cider, four unused pumps, thereafter Orbit’s Nico, Staropramen, Pravha, Signature’s Roadie Session IPA, Beavertown’s Gamma Ray and Neck Oil, Five Points Jupa, Blue Moon White Beer, Guinness and Aspall’s. Despite the tattiness of the place, it’s really quite good, especially as it managed to serve three real ales when some specialist Hackney ale emporia can only be bothered to stock one; the price was vaguely agreeable considering the current circumstances. In all, this makes for a good stop if in this rather remote location.

The former White Hart is in a bit of a state, with some genuine decrepitude topped-off by some deliberate 'distressing' by Antic... Anyway, it is still a fine old building, and has an impressive interior with various rooms arranged around the central bar counter (all with the expected eclectic decor). Also benefits from a large patio beer garden. Seven of eight handpumps in operation when we visited, with real ales including Session (£3.30) and Pale from Volden plus Turner's Elderflower cider from Kent.