You need your wits about you when you’re walking past Liverpool Street Station at midday, or you’ll get bumped into by someone refreshing their blog stats or swiping right.
My obstacles are the approximately 137 pubs on the way to the Commercial Tavern,
and the frankly gorgeous views round every corner.
I stopped for some free food. Always take the free food.
Even if it’s not very good.
The Commercial is tucked between Spitalfields Market and Shoreditch High Street, an area best known amongst tickers for the terrifying Crown & Shuttle. And the timewarp that Is Dennis Sever’s House, which remains on my bucket list.
It looks a traditional slice of East London, where it sits in the Guide, but is it open ?
Yes, but I did wonder if I’d stumbled on it mid-demolition.
A gorgeous circular front bar with side room off to the right, and the most wilfully shabby furnishings I’ve seen since the Great Exhibition in Dulwich (the pub not the event). Mrs RM would have got her duster out.
Of course, I loved it.
Beers you’ve almost heard of ! Even the keg.
The barman was lonely (one other bloke round the corner) but immensely cheery and helpful, serving a very tasty half of Black Iris (NBSS 3.5).
With no conversations to overhear, I made do with admiring the wallpaper, which reminded me a bit of a nightmare I had in my own bedroom in 1975.
And I’m sure I had a lampshade just like this one.
Of course, midday in Shoreditch and 10pm are different worlds. Can’t wait for the BRAPA report.
Anyway, it worked for me. Handy for Beigel Bake, too.
NB If I’d known the Commercial was going to be in the Guide, I’d have popped in with Quinno two weeks ago. Of course, with a two week delay in getting the Guide I was denied that Fundamental Human Right.
If you want to know what CAMRA members consider more important than me, Duncan and Si getting our Guide early, look at Discourse. Undercooked broccoli and the proper word for a “festival goer”, that’s what.
retiredmartin 
I can’t quite put my finger on what made me think it – but I just knew you were a Magic Roundabout fan…
Sensory overload indeed – the kind of place where you need a few beers just to stop your head spinning…:)
Gorgeous views – except for those square and pointy glass things spoiling it….
That potentially new micro could be the start of a new trend for crafties…;)
Accepting free food in London – brave man – surely a high risk strategy? That ‘concealed’ best before date looks ominous….;)
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I liked Dylan before he went electric.
Didn’t notice the BBE date !
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Good pub, I found it a little quirky when last visited in 2015, with a quite bizarre barmaid.
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Not been in for a couple or three years, are the toilets still a veritable shit hole, like on a par with the scene at the start of slum dog millionaire? As my old man used to say, if the public toilets are like that what the hell is the cellar like?
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I always thought that a lavatory was meant to be a shit hole.
There are no worries as to “what the hell is the cellar like” in a proper pub like the Seven Stars at Falmouth with its casks of Draught Bass behind the bar in full view of all the customers, and then it doesn’t really matter how salubrious the seats are.
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Their toilets were absolutely stinkingly disgusting Paul.
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I don’t think there’s any excuse for that.
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“Underpubbed compared to 1888”
I blame PHE. 😉
“Future micro called “Bathe in BBB””
Obviously, as there appears to be no bloody way in!
“A bit overwhelming, really”
Nah. It *cough* doesn’t hold a ‘candle’ to some of your other photos. 🙂
“Kitsch”
If those shorts were black instead of white they would resemble part of Si’s new pub going attire.
“Rediscovered Victorian wallpaper”
I may have to go for a quick lie down.
Cheers
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Good spot the baths or whatever they were. I couldn’t see the entrance either !
Took those photos especially for you as I know you like, er, art.
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That’s got a very ‘distressed’ look like The Ruin in Digbeth….great pub, good too see something like this in GBG
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Ah yes, the Ruin. Yes, a similar feel, too.
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