The Milk Float, Hackney Wick, E9

This unusual bar is located inside a moored barge on the Lea Navigation, on the fringes of the Olympic Park and close to the microbreweries of Hackney Wick’s craft beer scene. A hatch along the towpath is open for customers wanting take-away sales, but if you want to drink on-site, you need to board the barge using the gang-plank towards the rear, and then descend a few steps into the bar area. It’s a fairly compact space, as you might expect, with a few booths near the entrance and high tables and stools closer to the bar, which is in the far corner and has a basic counter. Decor is a little disappointingly simplistic - I was expecting a load of nautical stuff to be on display, but there’s not much to look at, so I ended up taking my pint back upstairs, where you can sit on the rooftop ‘garden’ area. This space has been covered in astroturf and furnished with hard benches and low stools made from old Five Points Brewery kegs, all serving boxy crate-like tables. A few large umbrellas offer shelter of a kind and there was a chilled hip-hop soundtrack playing in the background. Unfortunately, drinks can only be consumed on board and not taken into the adjacent garden, which is for the use of Barge East customers only. There were two keg beers on draught, both from the local Five Points Brewery, with their XPA clocking in at a heft £6.75 a pint, which includes a 75p supplement for drinking on the boat. From where I sat on the roof, I could look down into a tiny kitchen space where burgers and hot dogs were being prepared, and the place also offers a selection of coffees and cocktails in a bid to diversify their customer base. This is a quirky place with a great location and I enjoyed sitting on the top deck, looking out at all the old warehouses across the canal. However, the beer is ridiculously expensive and you can enjoy plenty of the same in the various brewery bars just a short walk away on the other side of the water. A nice summer stop-off point perhaps, but I can’t see me making too many repeat visits to this one.

Another floater, moored up next to Barge East, the theme is similar although less of a serious restaraunt It has an attached Burger Bar and although I didn't partake the quality and price looked reasonable, I'm not sure if they have joint use of the adjacent gardens though. Beers were from Five Points on keg, with a choice of just XPA or Lager, there was also a Cider available whose name now escapes me.It was OK and there is a novelty factor but I'm unlikely to make a return visit.

Official site of The Milk Float - www.themilkfloat.com

Official site of The Milk Float - www.themilkfloat.com

Another bar aboard a barge,moored next to Barge East.The external signage talks about "cold beer" and there are a lot of Five Points kegs hanging about ,some used as stools on the external upper deck. There is a large urban garden opposite with benches which can be used by customers.Very important to check opening times,it was closed on my Wednesday lunchtime trip but I will visit again.Will be very poular when The Hammers are playing at home.