Andrew Saunders has written many books on a number of topics and these include a series of pub crawls along London Underground lines that may be of interest to those London drinkers who measure a tube journey not in minutes but in pints. I chose to review the edition that covers the District Line, published in January, because this line comes close to where I live.
These books have a simple but effective concept: a station-by-station pub crawl. Each station along the line becomes a tactical decision point: linger, skip, or combine stops, depending on pub density, atmosphere and the practical realities of navigating London’s drinking geography. Each chapter explains the character of the area and recommends pubs that still reflect their surroundings. Mr Saunders describes in detail why the District Line feels ‘uniquely balanced’ for a ‘proper crawl’ compared to every other line on the Tube.
Mr Saunders, it seems, is less concerned with cataloguing every pump clip than with the analytical rhythm of achieving a ‘walking flow’ and how or where the end of the tube line might produce an unexpected watering hole. Indeed, the book reads rather like a well-planned pub itinerary; a field manual for urban drinking exploration that may well inspire a Saturday expedition that ends several stations further out than originally intended.
Delightful chapter headings include ‘How to drink Putney Bridge’ or, something the author continually struggles with, ‘When to pause or stop for the day’. Seasoned ale hunters may occasionally wish for a touch more detail about the beer itself but, quibbles aside, you can’t deny that this is a fun guide. Other editions so far cover the Central, Circle, Northern and Victoria Lines.
The book is a paperback with 200 pages and the ISBN number is ISBN-13: 979-8242349940. It is available on-line from both Amazon and Waterstones and from some bookshops.
Graeme Boyd