Well & Bucket, Shoreditch, E2

This is another pub brought back from the grave, having re-opened fairly recently following a sort of half-life having spent some time as a shop. It must have had a spectacular interior in days gone by, if the remnants of the Victorian tiling on the left hand wall are anything to go by. Unfortunately the tiling has been horribly vandalised at some stage. What a crying shame. This wall once featured as a centrepiece a tiled panel by W B Simpson depicting “Club Row in ye Olden Times” (Club Row is just along Bethnal Green Road from this pub). Where much of the tiling was they now have an “oyster house” mirror and some enormous, and ghastly, prints of cadaverous looking people. But they did have four ales on – Dark Star Hophead, Hop Studio Gold, Kent Brewery Pale, and ELB Orchid. I had the latter, which was in fine nick, and at a quite reasonable £1.80 a half. The place has a definite US slant to it, with lager fonts surmounted by numerous long taps, and although the main feature of the menu was oysters (mainly £14 a portion) it also had several “sliders” options. Apart from the bits of the superb tiling that remain, I found the room quite boring. Furnishings were a handful of long wooden tables, with some black plastic covered banquette seating, hard wooden benches and small kindergarten style uncomfortable chairs. I probably won’t make a return visit – but you never know, after all, the Orchid was a well kept ale.

This pub has recently re-opened serving Craft beer.4 handpumps for cask but only 2 beers on from Truefitt and Siren breweries the sunday night i visited.About 12 keg fonts with some rare but expensive beers.Very busy with loud music.Origonally a tiled interior they have left the tiles and where they have came off its bare brick and makes a great contrast.Stylish interior and is a must visit if you are in the area.