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The Festival Inn, E14

71 Grundy Street
E14
E14 6AD
Phone: 02079871555

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Tris C left this review about The Festival Inn

This is an interesting pub in that it dates from 1951, three years before wartime rationing came to an end. The reason for this is that it was constructed to commemorate 1951’s Festival of Britain, a ‘tonic for the nation’, designed by the noted architect Sir Frederick Gibberd, responsible for Regent’s Park’s Central Mosque and Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, known to some as ‘Paddy’s Wigwam’; he was also responsible for Harlow New Town (sotto voce). It’s Grade II-listed, featuring on CAMRA’s list of pubs with noted interiors, this being of Exceptional National Historic Importance.
The pub is situated on the edge of Chrisp Street Market, the UK’s first purpose built, part of the Lansbury Estate, named after George, grandfather of Angela; there’s much Truman’s regalia still on display.
The interior is as described on CAMRA’s site, with at least one mirror displaying both the pub’s name alongside the Festival Star (see photo), designed by Abram Games; the games machine is quite incongruous. Older customers were few enough to render the pub deathly quiet, with the place about to shut at just after 9.00pm on my Friday visit.
There’s no cask here, just an unused pump, me opting for a half of Guinness (only £2.30), served by a very friendly old-school landlady.
There’s no real incentive to stay here and pickings in this once pub-saturated area are now painfully thin, but it’s a must-visit for the aficionado of historic pub interiors.

On 11th November 2023 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rex Rattus left this review about The Festival Inn

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.

On 5th September 2015 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]