The Festival Inn, E14

There's still no real ale here - just John Smith's and the keg version of Courage Best (£1.50 a half). Also no sign of food on Wedenesday lunchtime. This is a traditional two bar boozer, right at one end of Chrisp Street market. It was built in 1951 to replace a pub on the site called The Enterprise, which had recently been demolished. It was no doubt named The Festival Inn after the 1951 Festival of Britain. I sat in the left hand room, and although I didn't explore the other room I could see into it across the servery, and saw that it contained a pool table. The room I was in was bare-boarded, was furnished with indigo coloured plastic covered banquettes and sofas, some settles and normal tables and chairs - but no tall tables/tall stools. There were plenty of old black and white photographs on the walls, notably of Marilyn Monroe, Gregory Peck, and others I didn't get close enough to recognise. There was a pair of large speakers in one corner suggesting live entertainment of some type, and Heart Radio was playing. I particularly liked the inlaid wood panelling of the bar counter front, and what is almost certainly the original wood panelling on the walls. I rather liked this pub. I was given a cheery greeting by one of the regulars at the bar, which is always nice. A decent real ale would be a massive plus though.