The Old George, Bethnal Green, E2

Tris C left this review about The Old George

Originally - and unsurprisingly - this pub was once called just the George in younger days, dating back in some form to at least the early 18th century. The pub's side sports an ugly advertisement hoarding with gantry. However, this has been offset by the uncovering of the old Truman's fascia, displaying the former brewer's name and eagle motifs - nice.
Inside, and you can tell it's an Antic pub as the interior renovations look like they have been overseen by the Albert Steptoe school of interior design, with knick-knacks galore and utterly mismatched furniture. Naturally, there's some distressed bare brick, a rough bare boarded floor down low and on high, a green Anaglypta ceiling, punctuated with some slender bare wooden beams and interesting columns, interesting in that they are clad in wood. Lighting is muted, coming in the main from a couple of crystal chandeliers and old fabric tasselled shaded lamps, probably donated by Mrs. Wilberforce. The scrolled bar front is elegant, being voluptuously bosomy, lit by some green glass shaded lamps attached to the pot shelf. It would seem that there's a smarter function room/restaurant upstairs and out back, there's an extensive garden/patio. Customers are relatively young and a good soundtrack played over the gramophone at an agreeable level.
Bar staff were a little sluggish, serving up Gloom, Ghost Ship, a reversed clip and Harvey's Sussex Best at a very pricey £4.70 a pint and in decent nick.
This pub was far better than expected and is easily the best hostelry along this somewhat benighted road, so I'd be happy to pop back in if passing.

On 16^th August 2019 - rating: 7
[User has posted 938 recommendations about 924 pubs]