We are out tonight for a few (lots) of beers in The Hungerford Arms to warm up for the Lahore Kebab house in Commercial Road (East London).
Here’s an online review of the pub:
After passing this place many times over the last ten years I’ve always declined to go inside. A couple of times I even looked in the window, then decided against it. It is one of the last remaining dodgy pubs left in the area. In other words you may have to deal with something or someone by stepping in.
Last Saturday, after spending four hours at the Rumfest event at the Excel Centre, where we tasted many different types of rum, and even sat in on a tasting master class, we were feeling very tipsy, a lot like pirates, and in need of something other than rum. Getting off the DLR at Shadwell, I suddenly remembered the Hungerford Arms. Since it was only about 6 p.m. I thought it won’t hurt to go in and have a quick lager. We walked through Watney Market, past the scene of many pitched battles between the Kray Twins’ gang and the Watney “massive.”
When we stepped in, it was like one of those moments in a Western movie, where everyone in the saloon stops talking and looks to see what the wind blew in. We strode purposefully and confidently to the bar, ordered our drinks, and planted ourselves firmly on the spot.
That’s all it took. We were more or less ignored from then on, which is what we wanted, and we proceeded to have a few pints and enjoy the atmosphere. The atmosphere consisted of pretty loud music, some young drunk lads playing snooker and banging on the wooden floor with their pool cues, some older men threatening amongst themselves to go and quiet them down (but never doing so, and I don’t blame them, given the fact that all three were holding wooden sticks almost as weapons.)
Basically, you bring attitude into a place like this at your own risk. All the same, you have to defend your ground
Hmmm…