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The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping, E1

57 Wapping Wall
E1
E1W 3SP
Phone: 02074811095

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Pub Type

Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)
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Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Delboy 20 left this review about The Prospect of Whitby

This is a must visit pub in my opinion. I can't add to the excellent descriptions below. I don't get to London that often and this has been high on my to do list for years. I expected a great pub and I wasn't disappointed.
6 beers on including Five Points XPA, Southwark Routemaster Red, BHB Pave the Way, New River Blind Poet and Prospect Of Whitby bitter. I went for the latter and it was fine. I sat outside on the upper beer garden overlooking the Thames.
Great pub, must come back!

On 18th June 2023 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 1651 recommendations about 1553 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about The Prospect of Whitby

The Prospect of Whitby is a much lauded pub steeped in history so should certainly be included in a crawl of the area. A Sign on the front of this characterful looking pub lays claim to it being London’s oldest riverside inn. Inside there are flagstones throughout the ground floor. A couple of high tables sit against the windows either side of the entrance and there is some seating on the right wall. A copper topped bar counter runs up the left towards the rear whilst facing some small tables and a flight of stairs up the right. At the rear is raised seating by windows that look out onto the Thames. All the fixtures and fittings are wooden and of some age. I got a bit of a ship vibe as I scaled the stairs up to the first floor where, at the front is the Smuggler’s Bar where there is a second serving counter. To the left of this bar is more seating in the Lookout, but this area was closed due to my visit being a midweek afternoon when things were very quiet. At the rear is Pepys’ Dining Room that is another seating area. The walls throughout the pub are covered in historical facts and hearsay, and I had to take a look at the much reported hangman’s noose out the back, which is now more of a big knot. It was raining during my visit so I didn’t utilise the terrace at the rear.
The service was polite, without actually being very friendly, much like most tourist pubs in London. Premium and craft keg was available and I counted six hand pumps that were drawing Greene King’s IPA and Abbot Ale alongside, Southwark Brewing’s Bermondsey Best, Twickenham Fine Ales Grandstand, St Austell’s Tribute and Nelson Brewery’s Friggin’ in the Riggin'. I had a pint of Tribute that went down well. Being a tourist pub food is obviously available, the burgers are priced at around £14. There were only a handful of customers so I got to have a good nose around without being bothered. I may have been less enamoured if it was heaving with tourists. My only real gripe was the pop music that was being piped out of the speakers, completely unnecessary.

On 17th March 2023 - rating: 8
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Blackthorn _ left this review about The Prospect of Whitby

A well known and highly regarded pub on the banks of The Thames, it looks quite traditional from the outside with a brick façade and black wood panelling with curved white windows facing on to the street. It’s worth taking a walk down the passageway at the side of the pub, where you cannot only see the rear elevation, but the banks of the river and a hangman’s noose as a reminder of the executions that used to be carried out nearby.

Internally the traditional look continues as well as something of a nautical feel perhaps, which seems appropriate given it’s location. The flooring is all old flagstones, with varnished old boards on the ceiling in the majority of the pub, although the rear section was more conventional painted plasterboard. The walls were predominantly painted render, although there was also some dark wood panelling in places, and a fine old staircase to the right. A number of beer kegs were scattered around in front of the bar counter, as well as a couple of larger wooden ones for vertical drinking. Nautical artefacts included a ship’s wheel, compass, model sailing boat, lengths of rope and a few pictures. Even one of the windows was reminiscent of a porthole. The rear room was up a couple of steps separated with wooden balustrade, and the large windows gave good views over the river. An old stone fireplace was off to one side, although these days all it contained was a wood burning stove.

The menu offered a selection of “pub grub” dishes such as Hunter’s Chicken, Sausage & Mash, Lasagne and so on, and these were mostly priced in the £10 - £15 range. Our Fish & Chips and Gammon, Egg & Chips were both decent enough and generous portions.

Beers on tap were Southwark’s Bermondsey Best and London Pale Ale, along with Greene King’s IPA, Abbot and Jubilee. Ciders meanwhile were Lilley’s Apples & Pears, Old Mout Cherries & Berries and Aspalls.

On 27th May 2022 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1937 recommendations about 1850 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Prospect of Whitby

I may have been to this pub in the dim and distant past, but I don't recall it. Wapping is a really atmospheric part of London, giving us a key glimpse of life in times gone by.

The Prospect of Whitby is one of those pubs that is very much part of that history and is therefore loved by both tourists and locals alike.

I arrived to find the main bar to the left-hand side, with a semi-orderly queue backing onto the stairs. Not wishing to jump the queue, I joined the back of it only for others to appear either side.

This is clearly a popular place. So getting served can be a lengthy process. However, I was eventually faced with a choice of regular beers Greene King IPA & Abbot, along with 3 guests - Black Sheep Best Bitter, Twickenham Grandstand & Truman's Firestarter. I tried the Firestarter and also received a CAMRA discount. There was no real cider that I could see.

Inside, there is a maze of rooms spread out over 2 floors. With the ground floor looking quite full, I headed upstairs to find a fairly open plan second bar at the front of the pub, along with 2 further rooms overlooking the river. Most tables were occupied with groups of people tucking into or waiting for food. But I did managed to find a small table in the middle of one of these rooms and was half expecting to be kicked off in favour of some diners. But my visit was fairly swift, as I found the place a bit too foodie and touristy for my liking. Things may be different at other times, but it doesn't feel like the kind of place you would want to settle down in the evening for a session.

I'm happy I've definitely now been. But I doubt I'll be back again, unless passing.

On 1st March 2022 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2442 recommendations about 2441 pubs]


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Ian Mapp left this review about The Prospect of Whitby

Another one of those must visit London Pubs - if you are in the area.

A board traces its history through the monarch's since Henry VIII. Frequented by Captain Kidd. Many stories to tell.

On this visit, it was a relatively quiet Saturday lunch which meant I could have a proper mooch - head to the back for the Thames Terrace or upstairs for the Smugglers Bar.

Seems churlish to talk about the beer in a living museum but my Isle of Rye from the New River brewery was in perfect condition.

Not bad for a Greene King.

On 2nd March 2020 - rating: 10
[User has posted 1329 recommendations about 1315 pubs]


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Danny O'Revey left this review about The Prospect of Whitby

Stunning old pub, beautifully old looking inside, with riverside terrace

On 1st July 2019 - rating: 9
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]


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Bucking Fastard left this review about The Prospect of Whitby

A classic riverside pub and very well worth exploring,despite it's ownership by Greene King with all that brings.You enter into a flagstoned interior with two bay windows and some high tables but also benches.The wooden beams give plenty of character,while beyond the bar there is a fine fireplace (unused) with some traditional furniture giving great river views.A little further on there is a raised section ,again with wonderful views and this would be my prefered vantage point,with a great set of windows.There is a courtyard with wooden benches for outside drinking described as the Garden.
However it is worth exploring the first floor with a calm Pepys Room to the front,and the Smugglers Bar to the rear ,both rooms with good wood panelling.Walk through the Smugglers (bar only occasionally used here and can be hired) to get to the Lookout with the best exterior river views and much quieter than the lower courtyard.
Sadly the food is from a corporate GK menu and when a waiting time of 45 mins was stated suddenly I lost my appetite.Mindless muzak was playing and the bar staff weren't serving in order of time spent waiting.
The bar offered GK IPA and Abbott but guests Twickenham Redhead,Truman Swift,ELB Pearly Queen London Porter and Black Sheep Bitter (decent) ,a better range than I was expecting and this would mean that this historic pub is most certainly worth a revisit.

On 25th March 2019 - rating: 8
[User has posted 2709 recommendations about 2709 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Real Ale Ray left this review about The Prospect of Whitby

It was good to visit this pub when it was quiet, so a good look around the upstairs rooms and all around the downstairs was interesting. Six pumps, all in action on our visit, We went for the Trumans Zephyr and Blindside, which were both a good choice. Lots of interesting features in this pub, so well worth a visit.

On 2nd April 2018 - rating: 8
[User has posted 3378 recommendations about 3378 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about The Prospect of Whitby

Perfectly described below, but the cynic in me says that perhaps some of the interior décor isn't as old as the pub would have us believe, but certainly some old British riverside pubs were made from recycled ships' timbers. Certainly the ugly sauce bottles that adorn each table don't date back the early 16th century.
Ales, six in total but four were resting: Purity's Mad Goose, Greene King IPA, (GK?) Prospect of Whitby Best, Hopstuff's Fusilier and Sambrook's Pump House at £4.00 a pint (cheap considering) and fine.
This is a fine end to a tour of Wapping and should, for whatever reason, be on anyone's list of London pubs to visit at some time.

On 1st September 2017 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Prospect of Whitby

Historic riverside pub, with fine views of the Thames if you manage to get a decent seat. 'L'-shaped bar with various seating areas and an open 'courtyard' to one side. Function rooms and terrace upstairs. Very traditional furniture and decor. Five of the eight handpumps were operational on this visit, with Truman's Rio Gold being the pick of the bunch.

On 10th September 2016 - rating: 7
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]

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