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Beer of the Week (w/e 15th June 2025) with Tris39
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Detail Pages
The Hungerford Arms, Shadwell, E1
E1
E1 2NB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 3½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Hungerford Arms
Date of visit: 14th May 2022:
Dating from at least the mid-19th century, this was obviously once a Watney Combe Reid house, as there’s one of their trademark roundels with ‘stag’ motif projecting out from the north wall.
It’s as described by Rex, this is one of the last pubs in an area where at the start of the 20th century, there would have been absolutely hundreds. As mentioned, it’s very basic, with an older crowd in, seemingly oblivious to the Arsenal v. Spurs match playing on multiple TVs, with some rather less than ornamental younger drinkers all smoking outside to the left. As I didn’t feel entirely comfortable here, I left.
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Another visit a few days ago at an earlier time and aside from the absence of intimidating drinkers to the side, nothing seems to have changed.
The interior is so plain as to be bordering on scruffy: worn bare boards, titmouse blue wainscoting, pale grey walls and ceiling, no décor, fairy lights dangling from the ceiling, Cross of St. George flags and bunting, games machine, silent unwatched football, a soundtrack aimed at teenage girls, darts, pool and chairs which wouldn’t look out of place in a care home, lined up against the walls. Customers were resolutely local, a few a bit edgy and two confused-looking French tourists who had obviously taken the advice in their travel guide to ‘Visiter un pub Anglais traditionel’ too literally.
Unsurprisingly there’s no cask, so it was a half of K64, £2.40, served by a serviceable barmaid.
This is an unappealing pub; if you want a decent, no-nonsense traditional locals’ boozer, try the Crown half a mile to the east, or just hoof it over to the Grapes and CBC.
Rated 2.5.
On 16th May 2025
- rating: 3
[User has posted 2243 recommendations about 2200 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Hungerford Arms
There’s no real ale here, nor any sign of food when I dropped in on Wednesday afternoon. This just isn’t the sort of place that would do anything fancy. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see a bowl of clingfilm covered cheese rolls, but I just don’t suppose that there’s any market for anything more than a bag of crisps or pork scratchings.
This is another locals’ pub, with a dozen or so apparent regulars in, some using earthy language. There’s a pool table at the back, a few potted plants around the place, a piano near the door, and some very basic, but standard issue, normal tables and chairs. There’s a solitary picnic bench outside. And that’s just about it.
I’m glad this pub’s still here for those who appreciate these down to earth places and are happy to drink bogstandard lagers, but I’m unlikely to return.
On 18th July 2015
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]