| This tour was dedicated to the memory of Nigel Pitt, who regularly attended London Pubs Group tours before the pandemic. He died early this year after a long battle with cancer. Nigel lived in Wanstead, very near to some of the pubs we visited. |
On Saturday 17 June, CAMRA’s London Pubs Group visited some pubs in Leyton, Forest Gate and Manor Park. Activities commenced at noon in the Coach & Horses, Leyton. Although this ex-Bass Charrington pub is not a listed building, it was a good place to start because it is in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2023 and offers a 10% discount for CAMRA members on beer and food. Although opened out inside, it has a good red and maroon tiled exterior. A number of windows retain typical Charrington glasswork. The pub served as the official lunch stop and, during this, we were treated to the entire RAF fly-past passing overhead on its way to Buckingham Palace for the King’s Birthday Parade. Beers available were Mighty Oak Brewery Captain Bob and Titanic Plum Porter.
On leaving the pub, either a 69 or 97 bus from bus stop M (Buckingham Road) to stop ND (Lea Bridge Road/Bakers Arms) took the party to the William the Fourth, Leyton (E10 6AE). Like the Coach & Horses, the pub is not listed but is recognised by CAMRA’s London Region as having an historic interior of local importance. It is a prominent street corner pub designed in 1897 by the famous pub architects Shoebridge & Rising for the Cannon Brewery. Features to note include the decorative tile panel in the High Road entrance door lobby and the marble-effect cast iron pillars which, along with the remains of the glazed dividing screen, give an indication of the former layout of this otherwise thoroughly modernised pub. Several engraved mirrors carry the ‘William IV’ and ‘Ind Coope’ names, written in 1970s style and seemingly original. Home at one point to Brodie’s Brewery, the range of real ales has now been drastically reduced. Five Points Best is normally the only cask beer served, using just one of the ten or so surviving handpumps. The pub is named after William IV, the Sailor King, who reigned from 1830 to 1837.
The next venue, the Holly Tree in Forest Gate (E7 0DZ) was reached by a combination of three bus routes: the 69 or 97 from bus stop SL (Leyton Green) to bus stop A (Leyton Station) and then the 58 to stop Y (Sidney Road).
Inside the Holly Tree
The pub was included on the tour because it has been magnificently refurbished by the Remarkable Pubs chain and was shortlisted for the 2021 CAMRA Pub Design Awards (the same year that saw Remarkable Pubs win an award for their refurbishment of the Boleyn Tavern. The building’s origins as part of the Charrington estate are immediately recognisable by the tell-tale green and gold stained-glass windows. The décor is typical of Remarkable’s house style, with cream walls, varnished wood, taxidermy and a ‘red room’ snug, although the usual world wall map is missing. The novelty factor here is the miniature railway in the pub garden which usually runs from 1pm to 4pm on Saturdays.
The Holly Tree Express
Remarkable usually source their beers from Shepherd Neame and on the day they were: Crex Session IPA, Five Points Citrus Pale, Oliver’s Fine Cider, Shepherd Neame Master Brew and Whitstable Bay Pale Ale. By chance, our visit coincided with that of the company’s owner, Robert Thomas, who announced that he had just taken out a lease on the Leyton Technical (E10 5QN), formerly operated by Antic (and which would have been on the tour, had it been open).
Next, it was buses 58 or 308 to stop K (Wanstead Park Station) followed by a walk (via Woodgrange Road, Chestnut Avenue and Godwin Road) to the Forest Gate Hotel (E7 0LW). This is a former Allied house and was badged as Taylor Walker in their latter days. It is recognised by CAMRA’s London Region as having an historic interior of some regional importance and the description includes the following, ‘the first licensee is recorded in 1896 and presumably the building of the pub was immediately prior. Chi Chi
Three external doorways lead to what is now a single L-shaped bar although once there would have been wooden partitions creating subdivisions (not full-height since they have left no traces on the ceiling). The lower parts of the main bar back fitment are probably (like the counter) original but the upper mirrored panels are quite austere and their dating more problematical. The three cast-iron columns provide support for the upper parts of the building’. No real ale is served here but those who did visit were entertained by the appearance of Chi-Chi, the pub’s elderly and friendly tortoiseshell cat.
Turning right out of the pub into Tylney Road then right again at the junction with Capel Road brought us to the Golden Fleece, Manor Park (E12 5D). This former Watney pub features in the Good Beer Guide 2023 and also does a discount for CAMRA members. The interior has wood panelling and ceiling beams and is semi-divided into various areas.
There is also a large outside beer garden to the side and rear. Real ales available were: Greene King IPA,
Lacon’s Encore Amber Ale, Lacon’s Legacy Blonde Ale and Thornbridge Brother Rabbit Golden Ale. The pub stands opposite the large grassed open space called Wanstead Flats, which marks the southernmost end of Epping Forest. The Golden Fleece featured in Greek legend and is also a chivalric order founded by Philip the Good in 1430. It was appropriate that the tour ended here as it had been the venue for Nigel Pitt’s wake. RIP Nigel.
Jane Jephcote and Kim Rennie