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Image posted by Just a quick pint, then I'm off
Submitted on Sunday, 8th December 2024
With picture contributions to 10605 other pubs
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Detail Pages
East India Arms, Fenchurch Street, EC3
EC3
EC3M 4BR
Served areas
Reviews of East India Arms (Average Rating: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about East India Arms
A proper little boozer located just around the corner from Fenchurch Street station, with its name prominently written between first and second floor level on both facades. The tiny wood-panelled bar has very limited seating, but if you avoid lunchtime or early evening you might find a bar stool to sit on. As a busy Shepherd Neame house, I was surprised to find just Whitstable Bay Pale and Spitfire (£6.30) being served from the two banks of three handpumps on this visit, but the beer quality was as good as always. Overall, worth seeking out (but not at the weekend when it is closed).
On 30th November 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8508 recommendations about 8508 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about East India Arms
Dating from at least 1645 and built on the site of the Magpie Ale House, the East India Arms is named after the British East India Company and dates from 1829, but I doubt that the current building dates back that far; it looks a bit 1930s’ to me, but them I’m no expert. I’m also surprised that the name has survived in the current climate, given the British East India Company’s involvement with the slave trade.
The interior is a sort of manifestation of Victorian/Edwardian, with much dark wood panelling, similar to many other Neame pubs, this possibly being a modern yet sympathetic restoration in part, if not in whole. The coloured mirrors to the top of the pot shelf advertising the brewer and its wares looks Ye Olde enough, but then you notice the pub’s postcode included: EC3M 4BR. EC3 didn’t arrive until 1917 and the rest…1980s? Otherwise, there’s off-white paint, a boarded floor and some etched glass, which looks a bit self-adhesive; since when did etching peel off? Décor amounts to a few framed prints, brewers’ mirrors and ceramic jugs. Furniture is conventional, with just tall stools to the bar and peripheral drinking ledge, whilst entertainment came in the form of a TV showing the news with subtitles, then barely audible music. Customers amounted to some very annoying mouthy City types – a couple reminding me of Del Boy – though, most were outside.
Ales offered were just Whitstable Bay and Spitfire at £2.75 a half and fine.
This place is ok, but would I really want to visit a pub for a session in the knowledge that I’m going to have to up sticks and look for somewhere else come 8.00pm? There are better pubs and better beer in EC3…
On 7th May 2022
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2159 recommendations about 2121 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about East India Arms
A smallish, single room pub in the shadow of The Gherkin, a sign outside proudly proclaims that this is run by Britain’s oldest brewery, which is apparently Shepherd Neame. It was surprisingly quiet on a recent mid-week lunchtime visit, with only a couple of other punters stood outside.
Inside it’s quite traditional with much dark wood panelling on the walls, etched glass windows and a few gilded mirrors branded with brewery names which included Bass as well as the owners. Flooring was black wood and there were a few strings of hops hung up above the bar. Seating was quite limited, with the majority of the space being given over to vertical drinking, and consisted of a few bar stools around the perimeter and fitted bench in one corner. A TV was showing a news channel, but the volume was off so this was not too intrusive. A few old pictures of the locale were hung on the walls.
Beers on tap were Spitfire, Spitfire Gold and Whitstable Bay, whilst a fourth pump appeared unused. The solitary cider was Symonds Founders Reserve.
On 3rd April 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2033 recommendations about 1939 pubs]
View more reviews of East India Arms (11)
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- Official site of the East India Amrs - www.eastindiaarms.co.uk
- Randomness Guide to London - East India Arms entry
- Facebook - East India Arms
- CAMRA WhatPub :: East India Arms - whatpub.com
London Liverpool Street, 0.57 miles, 10 min walk (show)
London Cannon Street, 0.63 miles, 12 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Beer Garden : No - Pavement seating - last updated 07 May 2022 by Tris C
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Car Park : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Child Friendly : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Darts : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Dog Friendly : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Function Room : No last updated 06 May 2022 by Tris C
- Hot Food : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Jukebox : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Karaoke : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Live Music : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Micropub : No last updated 21 December 2015 by Pub SignMan
- Pinball : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Pool Table : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Quiz Night : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Real Ale : Yes - Shepherd Neame - last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Real Cider : No last updated 18 November 2013 by john mcgraw
- Wheelchair Access : No - WCs downstairs. - last updated 07 May 2022 by Tris C
- WiFi : No last updated 07 May 2022 by Tris C
