The Carlton, Stepney, E1

This place is no more.

Basic East End boozer with dark external paintwork with a simply decorated 'L'-shaped bar, with a limited amount of semi-modern furniture and a large fireplace. Also has a small patio beer garden under commando netting 'vegetation'. No real ale of course, but at least the keg Bombardier (£2.80) made a change from the expected John Smiths.

This is a gloomy pub tucked away down a Bethnal Green side street. There were just a handful of tables and chairs inside and some picnic tables in a small courtyard at the back. The only thing of note was a massive fireplace on the right, with beams and the like. Looks a bit inglenook, but I’m sure it can’t be. There’s no real ale, and I didn’t see any sign of food on Saturday afternoon. Some members of the clientele, one of them accompanied by a young child, spent their time being boorish and using bad language. But I suppose that a pub like this can’t afford to be too fussy about who they serve, and perhaps at another time it might be a nicer place. But I was grateful that I had only bought a half so that I could cut my visit as short as possible. I don’t anticipate a return visit.