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Detail Pages
The Wenlock Arms, Hoxton, N1
N1
N1 7TA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Wenlock Arms
The brief note from my last visit in April 2008 read: "I wish that this pub was my local - decent beer, friendly atmosphere, no London gastropub bulls**t or hideous pubco makeover..." Thankfully, the place survived its near demise; and, apart from being tidied up somewhat, I don't think I have any cause to change my previous view. Excellent selection from the 10 handpumps, opting for a splendid pint of Abbeydale Black Knight porter (£3.40, less a 10% Camra discount). Also had six real ciders / perries available, plus a rather discreet array of 10 keg taps on each side of the bar-back behind the compact 'U'-shaped counter. Long may it thrive!
On 5th March 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Wenlock Arms
I had a swift pint in here yesterday, paying my first visit since the recent refurbishment. All ten handpumps were in use, with a range of different styles of ale on offer (porter, mild, bitter, very hoppy). This pub is still very much work in progress, with more to be done on the infrastructure. However the business end of the pub – i.e. the bar – retains its intrinsic pub character. The original bar back and bar counter seem unchanged, and the old and somewhat tatty furnishings have been replaced with new but cheap-looking furnishings. These are plastic upholstered banquettes, small round wooden tables and small stools. A discount of 10% is given to card carrying CAMRA members. It still ticks most of my boxes, and I’m bound to pay a return visit.
On 22nd June 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Wenlock Arms
The building was covered in scaffolding at the time of my visit, but the good news is that the pub is still operating after a hiatus that was necessitated by works that the local council insisted upon, including new toilets and floor. Even this had its up side, with the discovery of an original mosaic name plate in the corner entrance that was reopened during the works. The original bar is still in place, and you can see where the partitions that made it a three room pub once abutted the bar counter.
More importantly, perhaps, there are 10 hand pumps arrayed on the bar, plus a small cider barrel, and, for those who like a bit more carbon dioxide in their drinks, a row of 10 keg spouts on the bar back, serving lagers, ciders and (sarcasm alert) expensively crafted ales. I won't list all the beers available, mainly because I didn't write them down, but also because most of them will have changed by the time anyone reads this review. Suffice to say that I had Crouch Vale Blackwater Mild and Long Man Best Bitter, both of which were in excellent condition and very enjoyable. Definitely worth a visit if you're within a reasonable distance, or perhaps even if not.
On 13th June 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3746 recommendations about 3483 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alesonly . left this review about Wenlock Arms
The Planing Permission put in on this Pub too Knock it down and redevelop it as flats has been Refused.
Which is good because its a nice Old style boozer lets hope its never changed.
Its on the council web site as its been refused so thats good news.
NOT SO GOOD NEWS 21 Days Notice of demolition Issued. sse link. http://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2011/12/local-pub-issued-with-notice-for-demolition/
On 10th December 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 132 recommendations about 105 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about Wenlock Arms
This was a busy friendly pub with a good selection of ales. Had the doorstep sandwiches and they were brilliant. 4 beers we hadn’t had before among the selection on offer, so had to chose, and enjoyed 2 well kept beers, Oxfordshire Neck & Neck and Weltons Voters Revenge. Many people spoke to us there and it was a pub I could feel really at home in.
The above was my March 2010 visit.
Called in on Friday and pleasantly suprised to find it was still going strong as I had heard about imminent closure when I was last in the area. Very little change inside, and beer choice good. We selected St Peters IPA and Smarts Best Bitter. I was advised that the Smarts was coming to an end and given a taste so chose to have it, but found so far down that the sediment was swirling around in the glass, so had Rother Valley Smild which was fine. Other beers available were from Weltons, Saxon City, Otley and Dark Star.
On 4th September 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Wenlock Arms
At the time of writing the Wenlock is on the seriously endangered species list and may be extinct within weeks. The potential closure of what has become one of London’s landmark Real Ale pibs is subject to much debate elsewhere suffice to say its loss, if it happens, would be a major dent to the London pub scene.
Tucked away down side streets midway between Angel and Old Street tube stations, it isn’t the most accessible pub that you would want to find. The interior is a quite smallish u-shape with some built in seating around the front with wooden divides. The traditional interior was recently hijacked for a week by some extremely inappropriate plastic furnishings to celebrate National Design week but fortunately things are now back to normal, or as normal as the Wenlock gets. The pub does have a distinctly unkempt approach with assorted junk, dust encrusted bottles on shelves, random assorted posters and photos of locals in various states of partying. There are plenty of CAMRA and London Drinkers magazines as reading material and a basic TV in one corner. Occasionally there will be live informal music (no mics or speakers, just a selection of musicians having a bit of fun in the corner). It must be said that whilst the place does ooze with character, it probably won’t be popular with everyone, especially if they are not interested in ales. It does also get uncomfortably overcrowded.
The 10 hand pumps are usually fully stocked with a wonderful range of rotating ales from micro breweries across the country. A list can be found on a regularly updated blackboard in the corner and prices range between £2.90 and £3.10 which is pretty reasonable for the area. I have yet to have anything approaching a dodgy paint on my admittedly sporadic visits.
It remains, for the time being, a must visit pub for discerning ale drinkers albeit you need to make a bit of an effort to get there. The relatively near Old Fountain makes for a good double header if you need a bigger excuse. I have rather neglected the Wenlock over the years and given its current precarious postion it is best to get there while you still can because if it goes, it will be gone for good.
On 26th November 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Wenlock Arms
Like previous posters before me, I too felt a revisit was called for. It’s not changed in any real sense since my first visit several years ago. It remains the same shabby treasure it’s always been, wearing its tattiness like a badge of honour. The pub sign looks a bit more faded now, and I hope that’s not some sort symbolic precursor to its demise. They had the usual array of ales on. I saw something from Allgate Brewery called Shimla IPA, commemorating the Kalka to Shimla Railway, presumably in Northern India. Feeling unable to pass up on such an unusually described ale I went for a pint of it and found it a tasty and robust 5.5% nicely hopped IPA. I hope that I can visit again before too long.
On 16th November 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Wenlock Arms
As others have stated below, the future of this real ale mecca is currently uncertain. With this in mind I made a point of making a long overdue revisit yesterday and found the pub as good as ever. Yes it is a bit shabby, tired and basic, it reminds me in fact of many old street corner pubs from several years ago, but the beer range and quality remain first rate, nine handpumps in front of you on entering, virtually all from smaller breweries. There is a plastic barrel of cider behind the bar too. Pints of Oxfordshire Ales Back in Time and Pendle Witches Brew went down well. Unlike some other places it is nice to see a beer replaced immediately on one running out and pulled through properly too.
The pub is much described on here, so I'll not repeat too much, just to say there is an island bar, decor consisting of brewery mirrors, what I took to be a collage of photos of customers, and a nice reproduction of an old 1851 map of London. A number of posters advertise various beer festivals. Beer bottles lined up on a high shelf plus over the bar gantry, a few pewter tankards and the usual array of pump clips give the overall impression.
I hope reports of its forthcoming demise become unfounded, as a pub of this type and character is probably irreplaceable.
On 7th November 2010
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about Wenlock Arms
Thought we better make a visit with all the rumours of demise. This Victorian pub is as good as ever with Nethergate Priory Mild and Dark Star Porter amounts others. Good range of clientele swell.
On 6th October 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thomas Sturgess left this review about Wenlock Arms
In my opinion the best pub I've been in in London. Great beer (where's always been at least one stonkingly good beer on whenever I've been in). I can usually wind up talking to people from far and wide in here and the prices are very reasonable too (which is a major plus for London).
On 24th August 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 11 recommendations about 11 pubs]