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Lore of the Land, Fitzrovia, W1
W1
W1T 6BB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Lore of the Land
Seemingly dating from 1792 and converted into a pub in the early 19th century, this was originally called the Adam’s Arms, the current name dating from 2019, when the pub was taken over by self-styled posh geezer Guy Ritchie.
I had expected something rather poncey or vulgar, but the interior isn’t one bit like that. The floor is natural boarded, the bar array traditional dark wood field panelled with zinc top, though the overhead copper pipework gantry does jar somewhat. There’s dark lacquered wainscoting to dado height, then bottle green rag washed walls, festooned with rather tasteful modern oil paintings, some with brass picture lights; on high, there’s a white matchboard ceiling. There’s conventional furniture to the rear, then tall semi-cantilevered tables to the front, with a deep drinking ledge to the window. Lighting comes from Victorian-style sconces and a few modest modern metal shades. There’s a very upmarket restaurant upstairs, though if you’re feeling peckish, bar snacks comprise scotch eggs (£8.00) or an oyster (£5.00). Surprisingly there’s no electronic entertainment here, though I don’t know if the pub likes ‘dagz’. Customers were mixed and seemingly local; the pub is off the tourist trail.
There were two ales on: Gritchie Moon Lore and English Lore (a reasonable £5.40 a pint), served by a friendly barman. The two beers are brewed at G. Ritchie’s bucolic rural retreat, with grains and water sourced from his demesne. It was rather nice too, a bit more kick and depth would have resulted in a very nice pint indeed.
I really rather liked this place, which is certainly one of the best in W1 and probably Fitzrovia. My one complaint is that the tall furniture to the front isn’t the most comfortable around, but otherwise there was a nice atmosphere in here, in aesthetically pleasing surroundings.
On 24th October 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Lore Of The Land
After selling the Punch Bowl in Mayfair back in 2013, director, screenwriter, celebrity divorcee and part-time publican Guy Ritchie returned to the pub trade with the opening of this pub, formerly known as The Lukin, in March 2019. As you’d expect, the pub is fairly upmarket in its presentation, although the pricing of the beer seemed very competitive for this part of the city. The pub has an opened out main bar area with exposed floorboards and the servery along the right-hand wall. Seating at the front of the room is restricted to a few high tables and stools, with a few more running along a sturdy looking drinking ledge. The bar has a simple counter with a huge pewter top and a rather bland tongue and groove panelled bar back dominated by a collection of wine bottles. A pillar opposite the bar hints at the presence of a former corridor, with a redundant door kept in situ at one end, opening only to the other side of the pillar. The rear of the room is a nice space with a mix of pew, chair and low stool seating under a nice skylight and walls decorated with lots of old paintings, plain mirrors and blackboards detailing the menu. A few boardgames were also available back here, but this didn’t feel like the sort of place where customers are going to embark on an evening of Scrabble. The first floor hosts the kitchen and dining room, whilst private dining facilities are available on the second floor and, as you might expect, the staff are all dressed very smartly, as if you’re in a high-end restaurant rather than a pub. The clientele seemed a little more mixed than I’d expected, perhaps with a few celebrity-spotters checking the place out (David Beckham pulled pints here one evening not long after opening).
The pub acts as an outlet for the creatively named Gritchie Brewery, based on Ritchie’s Wiltshire Farm. Two of their brews were available on cask – English Lore and Moon Lore – and both were priced very reasonably at £4.50 a pint, which is a good 50p cheaper than any of the other cask ales I tried around Fitzrovia on the same evening. Keg options come from the likes of Camden, Lost & Grounded, Big Smoke and at least one more Gritchie beer.
I found this place a bit of a confusing concept that straddles the vast chasm between fine dining pub (sample bar snack option: Jerusalem artichoke pate, with crispy chicken skin and a seed cracker) and down to earth boozer (the pub is dog friendly, for example). It was nice to try a new brewery and experience something a bit different to most pubs in the area, but it didn’t quite do it for me and I’ll probably leave the place to the celebrity set and attention seekers it seems to be attracting.
On 13th November 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Lore Of The Land
bought by film director Guy Ritchie
On 17th June 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Lukin
This is a nice pub with good beer.Very busy and noisy with conversation which is not a bad thing.Lots of dark panelling.Three cask beers Adnams -white lies,Purity -ubu and my Fyne -maverick which was good and one of the cheapest beer I had tonight.
On 13th April 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Lukin
Small rectangular bar, narrowing further to a seating area under a glazed roof at the back. Traditional furniture and decor. Table football. Smoking zone out front, with a side alleyway providing shelter if required. Quite quiet initially, but soon filled up as the local offices closed. Doom Bar, Pride and Sambrooks Junction (£3.70) offered by the three handpumps, with a few less common offerings such as Franziskaner Weissbier, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Brooklyn Lager available on tap.
On 16th February 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Lukin
I had a pint of Harveys Best in here recently and it wasn't in the best condition. If I ever return I think that I will pick from the selection of standard and premium lagers.
There is some seating crammed in at the rear of the pub under a glass ceiling, but I preferred to lean on the big window ledge at the front of the pub as it was a lot more comfortable. There is table football and I think that a league has started or is starting up. The plasma screen is a nice size and it is only used for sporting events, so no constant Sky Sports feed.
There are a few café type tables on the path at the front of the pub, but these seemed to be in high demand.
It's probably better now than its previous incarnation as an O'Neills, but only just.
On 18th June 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5247 recommendations about 5215 pubs]