Last Orders – London’s Old School Pubs

I used to drink at Ye Olde Swiss Cottage Pub. It was my regular for years — the kind of place where the staff know your order and nobody bats an eyelid if you turn up alone with a book.  It is a great timbered Alpine chalet seemingly plonked down at one of the city’s busiest road junctions, as if a Swiss village had been airdropped into London by mistake. It gave its name to the whole neighbourhood, and to the Tube station beneath it. It closed for good on the 1st of February 2025, after nearly two hundred years, and I still feel a small, pang of nostalgia every time I pass the empty pub.

One evening — a thousand years ago — I got chatting to a chap at the bar.  Nice looking, down to earth, with two very different coloured eyes. After chatting for a few minutes, it was obvious he travels with work a lot, so I asked if he worked in IT. He laughed and said no — he’d studied at the drama school just around the corner and had fancied a pint while he was in the neighbourhood.  We talked for a good while; he mentioned he’d just bought a flat in Kentish Town. It was only after he’d gone that the penny dropped: he’d just come out with a film — Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence, as it turned out — and I’d seen the poster outside the cinema without clocking it was him.  That was Rufus Sewell, and he was an absolute gent.

That’s the thing about a proper pub. Nobody cares who you are; pubs are part of the community- the fabric that binds the social and working lives of people, neighbours- where nobody is a stranger.  And one by one, they are vanishing.

As of early 2026, pubs across England and Wales are closing at a rate of almost two a day, according to the British Beer and Pub Association; an acceleration from the already grim figure of roughly one a day throughout 2025. Ye Olde Swiss Cottage Pub was given Asset of Community Value status in the wake of its closure, theoretically protecting the site for five years, but that protection is being contested and its future remains genuinely uncertain.

You can read the full story over at Time Out’s coverage of the closure, and if you’d like to add your voice, there’s a petition to save the pub here.

What follows is not a pub crawl, and it is not a eulogy.  It’s a guide to the old school pubs London still has to offer — the ones still pulling proper pints in proper glasses, still welcoming strangers and film stars and dockers and academics at the same bar without anybody minding. Grouped roughly by area, so you can actually go and find them.  Go now.  Some of them might not be here forever.

North London: Old School Pubs from Highbury to Crouch End

Gospel Oak, Holloway, Canonbury, Highbury, Crouch End — these are the kind of North London neighbourhoods that still feel like villages within the city. The pubs here are spread across a reasonable stretch of the map, but each one is worth the trip on its own terms.

Southampton Arms – 139 Highgate Road, NW5 1LE
Nearest Transport: Gospel Oak (2 min walk)
Web: thesouthamptonarms.co.uk

A cult favourite dedicated entirely to independent UK breweries and ciders. Until late 2025 it was strictly cash-only; it now reluctantly accepts cards, but otherwise hasn’t budged an inch. The food menu is gloriously simple — roast pork baps with crackling, pork pies, scotch eggs, and nothing else.
>Hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–23:00, Sun 12:00–22:30
Food: Strictly roast pork baps with crackling, pork pies, and scotch eggs
Welcome: Raucously democratic; everyone’s equal at the bar
The Detail: The honky-tonk piano sessions (Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday nights) are legendary. No bookings, no pretence, just music and merriment.

The Pocket – 25 Canonbury Lane, N1 2AS
Nearest Transport: Highbury & Islington (5 min walk)

The Pocket is all about atmosphere. Warm, dim lighting, vintage décor and a compact bar create a cosy hideaway perfect for quiet pints, whispered conversations and unhurried evenings. Run by the Southampton Arms team, this minimalist wood-focused pub champions independent UK breweries. High-end bar snacks (pork baps with crackling, artisan scotch eggs) complement the carefully curated beer selection.
>Hours: Mon–Thu 16:00–23:00, Fri–Sun 12:00–23:00
Food: Pork baps with crackling, artisan scotch eggs, pork pies
Welcome: Inclusive neighbourhood local
The Detail: It feels like a secret pub you stumble upon and immediately want to keep to yourself.

The Lamb — 54 Holloway Road, N7 8LT
Nearest Transport: Holloway Road (Tube) – or an easy 15-20 minute walk
Web: thelamblondon.com

A music-loving local known for Americana, bluegrass, and folk sessions. A real wood fire warms the room in winter, and despite sitting on a busy main road, The Lamb keeps a village-pub atmosphere intact, helped along by a rotating craft beer list that keeps ale enthusiasts happy.
>Hours: Mon–Thu 16:00–23:00, Fri–Sun 12:00–23:00
Food: Wet-led; focused on craft beer
Welcome: Music-loving community hub
The Detail: The live music sessions attract a loyal following. Check their schedule—you might stumble onto something special.

Prince Edward — 38 Parkhurst Road, N7 8EE
Nearest Transport: Holloway Road [10 min walk from the station or yu can take the 19 Bus]
Web: facebook.com/theprinceedwardpub/

A proper “time-capsule” local that has ignored every trend for decades. Carpeted floors, original wood partitions, and a loyal crowd of Irish-London regulars who treat horse racing with the seriousness it deserves. The surprise? A secret Thai Kitchen in the back, serving authentic, high-heat curries from a small hatch.
>Hours: Daily 12:00–23:00 (Fri/Sat until 00:00)
Food: Authentic Thai Kitchen serving high-heat curries and stir-fries
Welcome: Welcoming neighbourhood local
The Detail: The juxtaposition of old-man’s-pub atmosphere and seriously good Thai food is wonderfully incongruous.

Kings Head – 4 Crouch End Hill, N8 8AA
Nearest Transport: Finsbury Park (10 min walk)
Web: kingsheadcrouchend.co.uk

Features a hidden heated garden and a back room dedicated to “Disco Weekends” and live comedy. High-quality burgers and gastropub plates keep the food serious while the atmosphere stays fun.
>Hours: Daily 12:00–23:00 (Fri/Sat until 01:00)
Food: High-quality burgers and seasonal plates
Welcome: Fun, community-focused local
The Detail: The heated garden is a year-round asset, and the weekend entertainment draws crowds from across North London.

Bank of Friendship – 226 Blackstock Road, N5 1AD
Nearest Transport: Finsbury Park [5 -7 min walk from the station, however you will have to change trains from Stop 1 to this pub, and it may be easier to just jump the 43 Bus from Stop 1]
Web: bankoffriendship.co.uk

The name isn’t ironic—it’s aspirational, and it delivers. This pub genuinely fosters friendships through its communal beer garden (one of North London’s finest) and its sociable atmosphere. The strict Over-21 policy keeps things grown-up, and the “Bring Your Own” food policy means you’ll see locals arriving with takeaway from nearby favourites.
>Hours: Mon–Thu 15:00–00:00, Fri 15:00–01:00, Sat 12:00–01:00, Sun 12:00–00:00
Food: No kitchen; “Bring Your Own” encouraged
Welcome: Friendly neighbourhood gathering spot
The Detail: The beer garden is strung with lights and filled with greenery. On warm evenings, it’s magical.

Soho & Central London: Old School Pubs Holding the Line

Soho has always reinvented itself — that’s the nature of the place. But a handful of its pubs have watched every wave of change wash past and simply refused to be moved.

 

French House – 49 Dean Street, W1D 5BG
Nearest Transport: Leicester Square (6 min walk)
Web: frenchhousesoho.com

Start where the Free French Forces plotted during World War II. The French House serves only half-pints—a strict policy broken just once a year on April Fool’s Day when they’ll grudgingly pour you a full one. There’s no music, no television, and absolutely no phone calls allowed. The atmosphere is all conversation, clinking glasses, and the ghosts of Dylan Thomas, Francis Bacon, and General de Gaulle.

Hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–23:00, Sun 12:00–22:30
Food: High-end French bistro upstairs (bookings essential)
Welcome: Historic Soho sanctuary; inclusive and LGBT+ friendly
The Detail: This is drinking as a considered act. Half-pints force you to slow down, to actually taste what you’re drinking, and—heaven forbid—to talk to the person next to you.

Coach & Horses – 29 Greek Street, W1D 5DH
Nearest Transport: Leicester Square (4 min walk)
Web: coachandhorsessoho.pub

Once presided over by Norman Balon, famously “London’s Rudest Land-lord,” the Coach & Horses remains gloriously unchanged. It’s now London’s first vegetarian pub, which would probably have horrified Norman, but the spirit of the place—where Private Eye writers still gather and Jeffrey Bernard’s ghost lingers—remains defiantly intact.
>Hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–23:00, Sun 12:00–22:30
Food: “Tofush & Chips” and proper vegetarian pies
Welcome: Highly inclusive and LGBT+ friendly; a historic Soho haven
The Detail: Wednesday and Saturday nights bring Cockney piano sing-alongs where the entire pub joins in on old music hall standards. It’s joyously chaotic and utterly Soho.

Bradley’s Spanish Bar – 42-44 Hanway Street, W1D 7AS
Nearest Transport: Tottenham Court Road (2 min walk)
Web: bradleysspanishbar.com

Tucked down a backstreet, Bradley’s feels like a Spanish bodega dropped into a Soho alley. Red lighting, Spanish vermouth on tap, and one of London’s last vinyl-only jukeboxes playing strictly 45s. Don’t come here for food—they serve crisps and nuts, nothing more. Come for the atmosphere, the Estrella, and the kind of late-night conversations that feel important at the time.
>Hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–23:30, Sun 15:00–22:30
Food: Crisps and nuts only
Welcome: Inclusive Soho gem
The Detail: The jukebox is a work of art. Strangers bond over shared musical taste, and the tiny space creates an instant intimacy.

Old Coffee House – 49 Beak Street, W1F 9SF
Nearest Transport: Oxford Circus (7 min walk)
Web: soho-london.co.uk/listing/old-coffee-house/

Despite its name, this isn’t a coffee house—it never was. It’s a wood-panelled museum of taxidermy, vintage brassware, and theatre playbills, serving as the Soho taproom for Brodie’s Brewery. The atmosphere is eccentric and cosy, with hearty pies and ploughman’s lunches for those who’ve worked up an appetite.
>Hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–23:00, Sun 12:00–22:30
Food: Traditional meat pies and ploughman’s
Welcome: Inclusive Soho staple
The Detail: This is where Soho’s eccentricity meets East London brewing. The ales here are unique—you won’t find them anywhere else in W1.

The Blue Posts – 28 Rupert Street, W1D 6JN
Nearest Transport: Piccadilly Circus (3 min walk)
Web: theblueposts.net/

This is a remarkable “triple-layer” pub. The ground floor is a traditional standing boozer; upstairs is The Mulwray, a chic wine bar; and hidden in the basement is Evelyn’s Table, a Michelin-starred chef’s counter. You can stay casual with a pint and a scotch egg downstairs, or book ahead and descend into one of London’s most intimate dining experiences.
>Hours: Daily 11:00–23:30
Food: Michelin-starred dining below; excellent bar snacks above
Welcome: Welcoming to all
The Detail: Few pubs manage to be both utterly traditional and cutting-edge sophisticated. The Blue Posts pulls it off beautifully.

Nags Head – 53 Kinnerton Street, SW1X 8ED
Nearest Transport: Knightsbridge (5 min walk)

Hidden down a Knightsbridge mews, this eccentric gem enforces a strict “No Mobile Phones” rule—landlord Kevin Moran will bar anyone whose phone rings. The ceiling is covered in hundreds of vintage copper pots, and there’s no music or TV, just proper British home-cooking and serious ale.
>Hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–23:00, Sun 11:00–22:30
Food: Shepherd’s pie, steak pudding, traditional fare
Welcome: Quirky independent local
The Detail: A Knightsbridge oddity that feels worlds away from the luxury boutiques nearby.

The Duke – 7 Roger Street, WC1N 2AJ
Nearest Transport: Russell Square (7 min walk)
Web: thedukebloomsbury.co.uk

A beautifully preserved 1930s Art Deco pub. A “quiet pub” favoured by academics and readers, with strictly no music or televisions. The seasonal British menu and Sunday roasts are excellent, but the real draw is the contemplative atmosphere.
>Hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–23:00, Sun 12:00–22:30
Food: Seasonal British plates and Sunday roasts
Welcome: Scholarly, inclusive atmosphere
The Detail: The Art Deco interior is remarkably intact. This is a pub for thinking, reading, and quiet conversation.

East London: Old School Pubs from Spitalfields to Stepney

This stretch of London has changed more than almost anywhere else in the city — which makes the handful of old boozers still standing here feel even more remarkable. Worth combining with a wander down Brick Lane or a browse through the Truman Brewery markets.

Shakespeare’s Head – 1 Arlington Way, EC1R 1XA
Nearest Transport: Angel (5 min walk)

Tucked behind Sadler’s Wells Theatre, this wood-panelled museum of theatre history has walls covered in signed posters and memorabilia from 50 years of productions. Traditional sandwiches and meat pies fuel the theatre community.
>Hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–23:00, Sun 12:00–22:30
Food: Traditional sandwiches and meat pies (until 19:30 Mon-Sat)
Welcome: Highly inclusive; central hub for theatre community
The Detail: Known for its theatre crowd and unchanged, local feel.

The Britannia – 94 Ironmonger Row, EC1V 3QR
Nearest Transport: Hoxton Overground / Old Street
Web: britanniatavern.com/

While Shoreditch polished itself into something unrecognisable, The Britannia kept its carpet, its pool table, and its soul. This is “the pub Shoreditch forgot,” and thank goodness for that. The rare late-night Thursday license (until 03:00) makes it a sanctuary for hospitality workers finishing their shifts.
>Hours: Mon–Wed 11:00–23:00, Thu 11:00–03:00, Fri–Sat 11:00–00:00
Food: Wet-led, but partners with pop-ups like Papi’s Munchies during peak hours
Welcome: No-nonsense neighbourhood local
The Detail: The 1939 building features original wood partitions and an island bar that has seen generations of East Enders come and go.

Pride of Spitalfields – 3 Heneage Street, E1 5LJ
Nearest Transport: Aldgate East (5 min walk)

A rare “living room” style pub complete with lace curtains, mismatched furniture, and Lenny the Pub Cat. This tiny free house has stubbornly refused to gentrify despite Spitalfields’ transformation around it. On Sundays, the land-lady often puts out free roast potatoes on the bar for regulars—a gesture that says everything about the pub’s spirit.Hours: Mon–Wed 10:00–01:00, Thu–Fri 10:00–02:00
Food: Basic bar snacks; free roast potatoes on Sundays for regulars
Welcome: Welcoming East End local
The Detail: The working piano gets occasional use, and the “properly priced” pints make this one of Spitalfields’ last affordable refuges.

George Tavern – 373 Commercial Road, E1 0LA
Nearest Transport: Shadwell [4 min walk]
Web: thegeorgetavern.london

A 700-year-old Grade II listed building, mentioned in the writings of Chaucer, Samuel Pepys, and Dickens. By day, it’s a handsome historic pub; by night, it transforms into one of London’s most respected music and arts venues, having hosted everyone from Amy Winehouse to Nick Cave. The George has had to fight, more than once, simply to still be here — seeing off a housing developer’s plan to build flats on the site of the neighbouring nightclub, and more recently navigating a separate proposal for flats next door, backed throughout by supporters including Kate Moss, the Rolling Stones, and Ian McKellen.
>Hours: Sun–Wed 16:00–00:00, Thu until 02:30, Fri–Sat until 03:00
Food: Limited kitchen residency, often Wed-Sun from 6pm
Welcome: Highly LGBT+ friendly; legendary arts and fashion hub
The Detail: The George Tavern has fought off developers multiple times. Its survival is a victory for London’s creative community.

The City & South London: Old School Pubs Worth Seeking Out

From a pub that takes its name from the blood sport once played on its site, to Brixton’s last great jazz corner, this section covers the southern and central pockets where some of London’s most characterful old boozers are still going strong.

The Old Nun’s Head – 15 Nunhead Green, SE15 3QQ
Nearest Transport: Nunhead Rail (4 min walk)
Web: theoldnunshead.co.uk

A joyfully eccentric mock-Tudor gem: mismatched velvet furniture, fairy lights strung everywhere, and—yes—a permanent shrine to Britney Spears. The heated and covered beer garden is one of South London’s largest, and the pub’s monthly “Gay-Abbey” queer cabaret and “Britney Bingo” nights have become legendary.
>Hours: Mon–Wed 12:00–23:00, Thu 12:00–00:00, Fri–Sat 12:00–01:00, Sun 12:00–23:00
Food: Rotating kitchen residencies (currently Dough Hands Pizza); “well-fit” Sunday roasts with excessive gravy
Welcome: Fiercely LGBT+ friendly; a home for drag performers, dog-walkers, and everyone in between
The Detail: A 1930s rebuild of a 17th-century inn that has embraced its eccentric identity completely. This is South London at its most gloriously itself.

The Cockpit – 7 St. Andrew’s Hill, EC4V 5BY
Nearest Transport: Blackfriars (3 min walk)

There has been a pub on this site since at least the 16th century, with the current building dating to around 1860. Its name is no metaphor — The Cockpit was once a major venue for cockfighting in London, a blood sport banned in 1849, and the pub’s interior still pays homage to that history with 19th-century prints of fighting cocks and a stuffed rooster by the door.
>Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–23:00 (Closed weekends)
Food: Simple sandwiches and toasties for lunch
Welcome: Friendly City refuge
The Detail: Look up at the eighteen-foot ceilings and you’ll see a gallery above — whether spectators once watched from up there or not, it makes for a properly atmospheric pint.

Lord Clyde – 35 Ayres Street, SE1 1ES
Nearest Transport: Borough (5 min)
Web: pubsmiths.co.uk
A family-run gem for over 60 years, the Lord Clyde maintains original etched glass and enforces a strict “no music/no TV” policy. This is a pub for conversation and proper real ale, where the focus is entirely on the quality of the beer and the company.
>Hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–23:00, Sun 12:00–20:00
Food: Hearty British classics; kitchen serves 12-3pm and 6-9pm
Welcome: Traditional real ale house
The Detail: In an area dominated by trendy craft beer bars, this traditional ale house is a refreshing constant.

The Victoria – 177-179 Bermondsey Street, SE1 4NS
Nearest Transport: London Bridge (10 min walk)

A Victorian “jewel box” with its original etched glass and horseshoe bar. A quiet sanctuary away from the busy Bermondsey Beer Mile, The Victoria specializes in exceptional Sunday roasts that sell out by 3pm. Book ahead or arrive early.
>Hours: Daily 12:00–23:00
Food: Exceptional Sunday roasts (booking essential)
Welcome: Refined neighborhood local
The Detail: The etched glass and Victorian fittings are museum-quality. This is drinking in beautiful surroundings.

Marquis of Lorne – 49 Dalyell Road, SW9 9JH
Nearest Transport: Brixton [10 min walk from the station, and about a 12 minute walk from Stop 1]
A sun-drenched corner boozer that defines “old Brixton.” Famous for Sunday Jazz & Blues sessions and simple bar snacks like salt beef bagels, this is one of the few remaining places where “old” and “new” Brixton drink together comfortably.
>Hours: Mon–Wed 16:00–23:00, Thu–Sun 12:00–23:00
Food: Simple snacks: salt beef bagels, pies
Welcome: Diverse, multi-generational local
The Detail: The music sessions are the heart of this place. Sunday afternoons here feel timeless.

West London: Old School Pubs from Maida Vale to Shepherd’s Bush

This corner of London holds some genuinely beautiful Victorian pub interiors. The area has plenty going for it beyond the pubs too — a morning at Portobello Road Market or a walk along the Regent’s Canal through Little Venice sit within easy reach of several of these.

Warrington Hotel – 93 Warrington Crescent, W9 1EH
Nearest Transport: Maida Vale [3 min walk]
Web: thewarringtonhotel.co.uk

Prepare for visual overload at this stunning Grade II listed Victorian gin palace from 1857. Tiled columns, mosaic floors, and Art Nouveau paintings (including tasteful nudes above the bar) create an opulent atmosphere. The billiard room now serves as private dining, and the whole place featured in classic British TV shows like The Sweeney and Minder.
>Hours: Daily 12:00–23:00 (Fri/Sat until 00:00)
Food: High-end gastro menu; slow-cooked roasts and British seafood
Welcome: Inclusive upscale local
The Detail: Drinking here feels like stepping into a gilded past. The five boutique hotel rooms upstairs allow you to extend the experience.

STOP 3: Angie’s Freehouse – 3 Woodfield Road, W9 2BJ
Nearest Transport: Maida Vale [8 min walk]

From Victorian grandeur to fiercely independent Irish charm. Angie’s is a proper local with mismatched furniture, serious dominoes games, and high-energy live music sessions featuring fiddles and banjos. Strictly wet-led (though you’ll find Irish snacks like Tayto crisps), and locals often bring in food from nearby takeaways.
>Hours: Daily 12:00–23:00
Food: Wet-led; Irish snacks available
Welcome: Inclusive Irish local with strong community spirit
The Detail: The weekend music sessions are legendary. Arrive early if you want a seat.

The Heron – 1 Norfolk Crescent, W2 2DN
Nearest Transport: Edgware Road [5 min walk]
Web: theheronpaddington.com

A Jekyll-and-Hyde pub: upstairs is a standard corner boozer with sport on the TV and unpretentious décor, while downstairs hides one of London’s best Thai kitchens, specialising in spicy North-Eastern Isaan cuisine. Bookings are often needed weeks in advance for the basement.
>Hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–23:00, Sun 13:00–22:30
Food: Legendary basement Thai Kitchen; seriously spicy Isaan specialties
Welcome: Welcoming and inclusive
The Detail: The contrast between upstairs and downstairs is jarring in the best way. Two completely different experiences under one roof.

Shepherd & Flock – 84 Goldhawk Road, W12 8HA
Nearest Transport: Goldhawk Road (1 min walk)

The quintessential QPR home pub. Fully carpeted with heavy wood furniture, it transforms into a sea of blue-and-white on match days. Traditional pub roasts served daily until 9pm (7pm Sundays).
>Hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–23:00, Sun 12:00–22:30
Food: Traditional pub roasts
Welcome: Football-focused community local
The Detail:  If you’re not a QPR fan, avoid match days. If you are, this is heaven.

Last Orders

London’s old school pubs are more than places to drink — they are the city’s living memory, stitched together one creaking floorboard and hand-pulled pint at a time.  Whether you’re nursing a half-pint in the same Soho pub where de Gaulle was a wartime regular, raising a glass in a building that has stood since the 16th century, or sitting at the same bar where a film star once had a quiet pint and nobody noticed, you are drinking in something irreplaceable.

Almost two pubs are closing every day in England and Wales right now. The old school pubs London has left are not relics. They are stubbornly, defiantly alive. But that won’t last forever, and it certainly won’t last by accident.

So go now. Order a pint in a proper glass. Talk to a stranger at the bar. And if you’re building a full day out of it, our guide to 32 free things to do in London pairs naturally with an afternoon spent working your way around any one of these corners of the city.