Dove Free House, E8

Tris C left this review about Dove Free House

This was until around 1990 the Goring Arms and a first for us a few nights ago.
This former Taylor Walker house is situated along Broadway Market, which is to hipsters what the Vatican is to Catholics, so it’s no surprise that a facsimile of Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam adorns the ceiling, with both God and Adam holding glasses of Leffe, presumably influenced by a similar fresco painted to the ceiling of Oxford's Victoria. Presumably then, this pub is to hipsters what the Sistine Chapel is to the Vatican.
The interior is a hotchpotch of styles and periods: the floor is modern bare boarded with slanted t ‘n’ g panelling to dado height. The walls are a mungy nicotine colour – unpainted since the smoking ban? – with some seemingly Art Deco panelling to the front with complementary sconce lights. There’s Anaglypta to selective areas of the ceiling in a similar colour, with parts of the paper peeling off the walls; there are also some rather ugly exposed metal structural members along with what looks like some exposed concrete. Also on view is a lot of saggy electrical wiring. The impression here is that when any electrical work is done, the existing wiring is left in place; it’s not attractive; furniture is mismatched and eclectic. Décor comprises much Belgian brewery regalia. To the rear right is initially what appears to be a balustered gallery but is in fact the rear of the pub which is accessed down a couple of half stair flights. Here, there’s a very attractive dark wood panelled room with separate areas, a little like booths; it’s quite at variance with the front room. At the bottom is the entrance to the lavs which comprise seven unisex cubicles, open to the rear room; I hope there’s adequate air extraction. Customers were understandably young, certainly younger than us, though this is hardly surprising, given that the area and its amenities are generally geared towards a younger crowd.
There is of course a wide choice of Belgian beers on tap and in bottle with three real ales, a selection unchanged for a good nine years: Crouch Vale’s Brewers Gold, TT Landlord and ELB’s Pale Ale, in great shape and – for London – a very agreeable £4.50 the pint, served up by friendly and efficient staff.
Taken at face value this pub is initially a bit of a disappointment, but the beer is good, very competitively priced and can be enjoyed in a very attractive pub, if consumed to the side or rear.
I would return on passing and would especially include this place on a crawl of the area.

On 19^th May 2022 - rating: 7
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