The Pubs of the Edgware Road (Marble Arch to Edgware)

In his 1968 documentary ‘Marble Arch to Edgware’ poet John Betjeman travelled along the entire length of Edgware Road, whilst railing against the clean lines of postwar modernity and mournfully reminiscing about the loss of its once bucolic and charming landscape. The Edgware Road follows the course of Watling Street, a Roman road that stretched from Dover to Wroexter. The modern Edgware Road dates from 1811, when Thomas Telford modernised the route from London – Holyhead, forming the basis of the current A5 trunk road. Along the route from Marble Arch to Edgware there were a sizeable number of pubs along the way, a good amount were originally coaching inns dating back to the 15^th century. During filming in late 1967 there was still a hefty cluster of pubs that lined the entire route of the Edgware Road, but since then a vast number of the establishments have since closed or been demolished all in the name of Progress and Destruction. As Betjeman noted “Come on lets make a dash and meet it where we enter, the road that no one looks upon except as birds of passage. Oh Edgware Road, be our abode, and let us hear your message.”

 

The then newly built Odeon, Marble Arch features prominently in the documentary, replacing the former Regal Cinema which was built near the site of the former New Inn which was demolished to make way for the new cinema. In 2000, JD Wetherspoons opened The Tyburn, named in reference to the Tyburn Tree where mass executions took place (on the site where Marble Arch now resides) from the 12^th century until 1783. Unfortunately this pub was also sent to the gallows in 2016, when the entire complex fell victim to The Bryanston project and was later demolished. The southern part of the road between Paddington and Maida Vale is affectionately known as Little Cairo due to its sheer number of Middle-Eastern restaurants and shisha bars. One such establishment, a Lebanese restaurant called Al Arez has a faded pub sign, where once The Old English Gentleman resided. Formerly known as the Kings Head, it was first licenced in 1817, it was rebuilt in 1935 as part of an office and retail development. Despite a name change in 1987, its latter-day owners Enterprise Inns sold and closed the pub in 2009. Further up the road, an unassuming branch of Coffee Island with its impressive Georgian façade once housed The King’s Arms, dating back to 1805, this former Watney’s pub was gradually cutback over the years after it was sold to hotel developers, spending its final years as a basement bar. It’s poignant to think that none of the seven pubs on this southernly stretch of the route now exist south of the Marylebone Flyover, yet incredibly The Green Man just a stone’s throw away from Edgware Road Station has survived, this site dates back to 1720, although the current building was constructed in 1867. This marble fronted corner-pub is now part of Pubs Love chain, which runs seven combined pubs/ hostels across London. Soon we find ourselves in the affluent neighbourhood of Maida Vale, named after the battle of Maida in 1806 between the British and French forces, outside the town of Maida (in Calabria, Italy). As we go northwards pass the West End gate development where Clutterbucks (The Wheatsheaf) once resided on the site until 1992 when it closed and was subsequently demolished. A few yards on the right at the corner of Boscobel Street, a bright crimson façade once housed The Portman Arms. Built in 1873, it was initially a Coombe & Co house, until it later merged into Watney, Coombe & Reid. By the 1980’s it had been taken on by the Kissane Taverns group, established by Christy Kissane who ran several Irish themed pubs around London. He eventually sold it to the Chef & Brewer chain where it was eventually turned into Dar Marakesh, a restaurant/ shisha bar before closing in 2023. Despite passing through many hands, echoes of its past remain, from its elegant mid-Victorian frontage with Corinthian style pilasters while at roof level there are two extant gables that bear the text of its original namesake. Just before the Regents Canal, an unassuming pair of shops adorns the frontage of the former Hero of Maida pub. Built in 1809, it was named after General Sir John Stuart, who was a lieutenant-general in the Napoleonic Wars and helped the British forces defeat the French at the Battle of Maida. This pub was instrumental in giving the name to Maida Hill (where it stood) and the area beyond. From it’s opening, it was exclusively run by the Goode family, until its closure in 1992 where it was converted into retail units. Today, the original building still exists largely in-tact, including the entrance to the former coach yard and the free-standing pub sign.

As we head up northwards towards Kilburn, Betjeman notes “Ho for Kilburn High Road, Ho for a sumptuous feast, it’s your road and my road, and Ireland meets the East.” This area is noted for the highest population of Irish born and second-generation descent anywhere in London, and for having the greatest concentration of pubs anywhere in the Edgware Road. The most southernly public house on this thoroughfare is The Queen’s Arms, a large corner pub that was rebuilt in 1958 after the original building was destroyed in the blitz on 26th September 1940. The origins of the area date to the 11^th century when a priory was constructed, subsequently by 1444 a guesthouse was built on the site. This hostel later became The Red Lion, as early as 1721 it was recorded as a licenced house; rebuilt several times, in 1890 it was renovated into its present three-storey structure. Owned by Charrington’s at the time, then landlord C.E Jenkins (between 1905-14) who was a former hypnotist under the name of Professor Morris used to organise annual concerts where he would show off his skills to the punters. It was renamed The Westbury in 2007, and ultimately Soul Store West before closing in 2017. A few years ago, Wetherspoons tried to reopen the pub, but these plans stalled due to local planning issues and the building remains vacant. Immediately opposite lies The Old Bell, dating from c.1600, it was originally a coaching inn built on the site of a former mansion, and by the 18^th century it became popular with tourists as it was located near the site of Kilburn Wells. In 1863 it was rebuilt, one of its notable architectural features are the twin turrets that extend from the frontage, formerly run by Taylor Walker and currently Stonegate, it was renovated several years ago, some the original Victorian fixtures still remain. Passing the newly reopened Kilburn Bridge pub, originally opened as the Volunteer Hotel in the mid-19^th century, it was one of three pubs on the high street once owned by Charrington’s. Another family connection is The Juniper, formerly known as The Cock Tavern, allegedly dating from 1486, during the early 19^th century it was run by Hugh McDermot, who son-in-law ran The Hero of Maida a few miles down the road. In 1900, it’s then owners Truman’s rebuilt the pub into a impressive three-storey structure, where a number of the ornate original features are still extant. The pub is notable for once housing the Cock Tavern Theatre in its first-floor function room between 2009-11, where they staged a number of intimate shows to an audience of 40. In 2016, Greene King sold and closed the pub, three years later it was reopened under its current guise as a bar and brasserie. Heading towards the centre of town, The Cooper’s Arms is shining example of architecture. Rebuilt by owners Charrington’s in 1926 under the auspices of architect Sidney Clark, it was designed in the mock-tudor style that was popular at the time, with stucco frontage and exposed timber framing. It was blended with more contemporary flourishes with art-deco stained-glass windows displaying Charrington’s signage, wood panelled walls and a bar counter replete with pilasters and fielded panelling. Over time this pub has become a pillar in the local Irish community, in 2000 it was immortalized in the film ‘County Kilburn’ set exclusively in this very pub, providing an invaluable insight into the pub’s communal appeal. Immediately opposite is The Earl of Derby, a locally listed former Worthington’s pub dating from 1869, it was a striking three-storey structure built in yellow brick with neo-classical flourishes adorned with arched windows and decorative mouldings throughout; another popular Irish boozer, sadly this local bit the dust last December. Another local institution is The Fiddler, now a live music venue, it was once the flagship of the Kissane Taverns franchise, owner Christy Kisane was a fervent Kerry fan who decorated the walls in the team colours (green and gold), showed all the Kerry Gales GAA games and hosted the players whenever they visited. When he died in October 2015, hundreds of mourners attended his funeral procession on Kilburn High Road as it passed by the pub.

 

Soon the cluster of pubs around Kilburn becomes highly concentrated, many of the former establishments still exist at least in structural form such as The Victoria Tavern, a corner facing 1860’s pub that now houses a betting shop, or The Lord Palmerston, a listed 19^th century three storey building with rendered elevations, rounded arched windows, topped off with a steeply pitched roof with dormers and curved gables; closed since 1998 it is currently a branch of Nandos. Thankfully many of the historic public house still exist in this area, The Sir Colin Campbell is another boozer on this long stretch between Marble Arch-Edgware with historical connections. It was named after Sir Colin Campbell who commanded the Highland Brigade during the Crimean War and later became Commander-in-Chief of India during the uprising of 1857, his likeliness bears proudly over the hanging sign. It was constructed in 1898 by Watney, Coombe and Reid during the boom period of pub building the area. A small two room local, historical features can still be seen around the vicinity, such as the distinct Watney’s roundel above the hanging sign, glazed brown tiling on the ground floor, dimpled leaded windows and the island bar which is still divided into two areas. Currently managed by the decedents of Irish emigres, it has become popular with the local community, holding regular gigs every weekend playing traditional Irish music. It is one of a trio of pubs in the area listed on CAMRA’s inventory of pubs with historic interiors, the same goes for The Black Lion which has the prestigious three-star rating. A grade II listed building constructed in the same year as its neighbour, it was designed by architect R.A. Lewcock on commission by then owners Michell and Aldous who ran a nearby brewery. A veritable drinking palace, the interior is sumptuously decorated with an ornate ceiling, a series of copper relief panels that line the upper walls (designed by F.A. Callcott) depicting 18^th century folk at leisure, partitions with etched glass windows and a long bar-counter with fielded panelling and pilasters which is backed off with a grandiose bar-back with decorative cornices and plasterwork friezes. Despite a major refurbishment in 2003, much of the original interior has been preserved and three years ago cask facilities returned after many years absence when it was sold to London Village Inns, who run several bustling pubs around London. Passing beneath Brondesbury Station towards the end of Kilburn High Road is The North London Tavern. A product of its time, it was built in 1894 by Wenlock Brewery, chiefly catering for the local railway workers. Subsequently run by Charringtons, this pub currently has a one-star rating on CAMRA’s inventory of pubs with interiors of historical interest, incidentally there are some original design features still extant, such as the terrazzo spittoon that surrounds the rear part of the counter, gilt and cut class mirrors on the walls to the glazed partition that once separated the public bar from the billiards room, now used for dining. This emphasis on dining is more greatly amplified today under its current owners Greene King who cater towards a family/ dog friendly atmosphere, organising regular quiz nights and open mic events which have become inherently popular.

 

Leaving Kilburn behind, the road goes up in an upwards elevation, Betjeman notes “With Shoot-Up-Hill before us, we leave the hemmed in town and raise a country chorus to Cricklewood and the Crown.” Before the 1920’s, much of the area northwards was predominantly rural and undeveloped, which is hard to picture from a modern viewpoint with the endless parade of buildings that straddle the course of the Edgware Road. Heading into the High Street, two pubs straddle its southern edge, The Beaten Docket is relatively new addition to the area, having opened in 1991 by JD Wetherspoons on the site of a former shop, incidentally it is named after a losing betting ticket and there are many framed prints around the pub reflecting the racing link. Immediately opposite lies The Windmill, constructed by Thomas Clutterbuck & Co. in 1900, it was envisaged as a hotel offering facilities to passing travellers, to this day it still operates as a hotel in addition to its accompanying bar. By 1923, Clutterbucks has ceased as a company, having ceased their brewing operations seven years earlier, by this time the pub had been sold onto Taylor Walker, who were now running three pubs in the high street by this time that also included The Crown and The Cricklewood Hotel. This place has had a chequered history going through successive owners, frequently closing down and reopening, its existence as a hotel hangs in the balance as Brent Council mulls over the possibility of converting the hotel rooms into flats. Betjeman paints a vivid view of the area and of The Crown that proudly resides in its epicentre, “there stood a village market place where now you buy your yams, and I like a memory to trace the red electric trams. However far their journeys made, they always waited here and in this terracotta shade their passengers drank beer.” Like its rival establishment down the road, this pub was constructed a hotel. Originally a coaching inn dating back to 1750, in 1889 its then owners Cannon Brewery took the bold decision to rebuild it. Constructed by architects Shoebridge and Rising, the fixtures were overseen by Henry Whiteman Rising whose pub designs were known for their intricate woodwork and complex bar fittings. Designed in the Jacobean revival style, Historic England describe it as a grand public house faced in sandstone with rusticated arched columns above the entrance flanked with pilasters, while the first-floor projection boasts an impressive 16-light bay window, while the upper two dormer storeys above are recessed into its elaborate Masnard roof structure, standing four storeys high it was an imposing structure, it quickly became a local landmark in the area. The bar interior is equally impressive, a parquet floor surrounds the original bar counter with fielded panelling, backed up by a high bar-back with a row of etched mirrors featuring birds and flowers on the upper shelves, while the ornate ceiling is complimented by the spandrels that frame the outer windows. The pub was originally divided into three areas, namely Buffet, Dining Room and Billiards, and these signs can still be seen on the doors. Unfortunately, the dividing area has since been removed, though the three carved fireplaces are echoes to its former glory. A grade II listed building, despite renovations over the years much of the original bar and external fittings have been maintained, currently owned by the AG Hotels Group, the site reopened for business in April 2023. Heading northwards, we pass Barretts Free House, one of a number of one-bar Irish pubs that straddle the course of the road between Cricklewood – Burnt Oak. Many of these pubs were built on the site of former shops and have only opened within the last 40 years. On the junction with Mora Road, we pass the impressive structure of The Cricklewood Hotel, built in 1890, it was initially a Cannon Brewery house, and some of their original decorations are still visible from the frontage, such as the signage reading 'Fine ales and stouts' that displays proudly over the ground floor structure fronted in Portland Stone. The building has two turret structures facing the Edgware Road side, these are rounded off at the upper reaches with the brewery’s trademark cannon signage, carved into the stone. The pub was later taken over by Taylor Walker in 1930, over the years it has operated as a heritage inn and Jamaican rum bar respectively, before closing in 2017, it currently operates as a Shisha bar.

Passing through Staples Corner with its mass of ring roads and large retail units, it’s hard to picture this area as a rural idyll that once greeted travellers during the Victorian age. Beyond the spaghetti junction lies the site of the Welsh Harp reservoir which Betjeman describes in reminiscent tones “see the Welsh Harp with undulating shore and hear beyond the road’s arterial roar. Your swinging signboards, barns with curly tails, your little lakes on which the Sunset smiles.” Just over the bridge that goes over the Brent River, resides the former site of The Old Welsh Harp which was still existence at the time of Betjeman’s documentary. Originally a coaching inn initially known as the Harp and Horn, its earliest records date back to 1751. From 1848 onwards it is listed as a public house and a few years later the nearby Welsh Harp reservoir and nature reserve were constructed, named after the pub that straddled its edge. In 1858, William Perkins Warner became the landlord, he leased the adjoining fields and held various events such as horse racing, swimming, greyhound races, ice skating, a menagerie and notably organised the first ever bike race held in England. Following his acquisition of the pub, he rebuilt the site to modern Victorian standards, in order to bring in more customers and introduce a large dining room that could also stage music hall entertainment, the pub was even featured in the popular song “The Jolliest Place That’s Out” which Warner personally helped to write. Such was his influence in the local area, in 1870 he persuaded the Midland Railway to build a railway station near his pub in order to increase footfall. Warner passed away in 1889 and it continued to be run by his widow and brother John for another decade before it was passed onto successive owners. By the 20^th century the pub’s popularity declined, despite it being a rebuilt a second time in 1937, its closure was inevitable when the southernly extension of the M1 was constructed which forced the demolition of the building in 1970. Meanwhile over on the northern banks of the reservoir once stood the former site of The Upper Welsh Harp. It was constructed in the 1850’s following the construction of the reservoir, though a building had existed on this site since 1826. It later was run by Taylor Walker, and became popular with anglers, ramblers and ornithologist using the nearby reserve, even Bill Oddie was alleged to have visited this place occasionally. In 2008 it became an Indian restaurant known as Raw Spice and it continued for another seven years when it closed in 2015. Despite attempts by local campaigners to grant this place listed status, this ultimately fell on deaf ears and the site was demolished in 2017, subsequently a development of apartment blocks was built in its place. A few yards away, an unassuming Supermarket complex once housed the site of The World’s End, an outpost of the JD Wetherspoon’s empire that opened in 1992, and once made its way to the CAMRA Beer Guide (in the same year), before being taken over by Ambishus six years later and closing a decade subsequently.  As we reach The Hyde on the fringes of West Hendon, The King’s Arms was another former pub that was repurposed in its final years. Built in 1878, it was originally a Clutterbucks house known as The Magpie and Stump. Trumans eventually took over the running of the building and their signage could be seen around the vicinity, including its distinctive gable that bared its trademark logo. Later on, it was taken over by Enterprise Inns, who repainted the frontage a ghastly black, and removed the handpumps, it was subsequently known as Kings and latterly the King’s Lounge by 2009 and five years later it became Black Leaf Lounge, a restaurant/ shisha bar. The site closed in 2020, and plans are currently in place to demolish the building and turn into a mixed apartment/ office space.

We soon find ourselves in the former county of Middlesex which had become part of the Greater London area only three years before Betjeman’s documentary was broadcast. Evidently, he openly laments about its tragic loss, a vanished county of weatherboarded farms, sudden hills, willowy brooks, winding lanes and rills, all destroyed in the name of progress. He sums it up by bluntly stating “dear Middlesex, dear vanished country friend, your neighbour London killed you in the end.” Like its neighbour The Upper Welsh Harp further down the road, there is absolutely no trace of The Surrey Arms. Constructed in c.1891, it was initially a Michell and Aldous house before it was taken on by Trumans. Much like the fate of other pubs in the area, in 2009 it became Funky Brownz, an Indian restaurant/ shisha bar, yet ultimately the site closed in 2019 and was demolished the following year, buried under yet another apartment complex. Going towards Colindale which was originally named after the Collin family whom lived there during the 16^th century, on the junction with Kingsbury Road once resided The Red Lion, built in 1878 by Clutterbucks, it was later taken over by Charrington’s who subsequently rebuilt the site in 1931. It was subsequently taken over by Taylor Walker. During the 1970’s, it became one of the beacons of cask ale in London when its very existence of cask was threatened by the scourge of keg beer in pubs at the time, and it even featured in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide for four consecutive years between 1979-83. In 2005, it was turned into Red Pepper, an Indian restaurant before it latterly closed in 2008. The site was demolished the following year and a care home now occupies its site. The Moon Under Water is one of the more fortunate pubs in the area to still be in business, currently the most northernly outpost of the JD Wetherspoon empire on the Edgware Road, it opened on 15^th November 1990 on the site of a former Woolworth’s store. A large pub catered primarily towards dining and live sports, living up it to its owner’s ethos it stocks a good number of real ales from various London breweries, this site often has featured on many a pub tour by the local Enfield & Barnet CAMRA branch. The town also boasts a few Irish pubs including Erin’s Hope located opposite the Wetherspoon’s branch, and The Shanakee near the junction with Wakeman’s Hill Avenue. It former neighbour Clery’s Clock was located on the corner, and it was notable for being one of the few larger Irish pubs in the area before it closed in December 2023. Moving forth towards Burnt Oak, which was once predominately farmland except for a few pubs and a handful of shops along the Edgware Road, this all changed with the construction of the Watling Estate and local underground station in 1924. Until a decade ago the area boasted a healthy number of pubs, near the site of the former branch of Tesco’s once resided The Bald Faced Stag, originally a hostelry, the earliest records date back to 1805 when the area was still known as Red Hill, initially it was made up of three different buildings. By 1861, it is recorded as a public house where in the census, landlord Richard Parker is listed as licenced victualler. In the early 20^th century, Charringtons took over the running of the pub and rebuilt it in 1928 to the cost of £13,300, adding a further extension in 1930 which cost £7,000. The pub had a reputation for rowdiness and unfriendly regulars, late night brawls were a frequent occurrence, and true to its reputation a sign outside the door read ‘Please Beware, This is the Bald Faced Stag’. Writer and broadcaster Robert Elms who grew up in the area, memorably mentions the pub in his book ‘London Made Us’ where he vividly describes the rowdy atmosphere as entertainment, it was not uncommon for regulars to lock the landlord in the cupboard and help themselves to drinks, as well drunken duels taking that took place in the carpark as punters battled each other with chair legs. Despite efforts to improve it, Punch Taverns sold and closed the site in 2012; six years later planning permission was approved to convert the building into a supermarket with apartments on the upper floors. Like its neighbour Colindale, this area has also has a number of Irish pubs including The New Inn and Blarneys, the latter is notable for its green and gold frontage. Soon we reach the site of Parkside Motors, a used car lot. Its sign curiously features on what was formerly a free-standing pub sign, the last remnant of its former occupant The Lansdowne. Constructed in the 1930’s by then owners Taylor Walker, it was noted for its district looking frontage, a two-storey structure constructed in redbrick, centred with a curved gable projecting from the slate roof with four dormer windows displaying asymetrically on either side. The ground floor continued with the asymmetrical theme with two sets of 3-bay windows flanking side doors on both sides of the building, whilst a pair of floor length windows flanked the entrance with its arched canopy. The building was one of the finest architectural designs in the area, yet its existence was untimely cut short in December 2014 when a fire devastated the roof and first floor, sadly the building was ultimately beyond repair and was later demolished. Its neighbour The Prince of Wales (now Atmosphere) has fared better, a beer house has existed here since 1867 when owners Michell and Aldous initially constructed it as a small two-storey redbrick structure. It was later take over by Truman’s, and in 1930 they rebuilt the site into its present form. An imposing three storey building, it was designed in the mock-tudor style that was becoming increasingly prevalent of the time, and was typical of the improved pubs scheme of the period where breweries rebuilt and enlarged existing sites, modernising facilities in the hope of attracting a higher class of customer. With its distinct timber framed frontage, asymmetrical window arrangement and trio of steeply pitched roofs with florid designs on the gables, there was a concerted efforted to make this pub look more attractive than its nearby competitors. Known locally as the Prince, it closed in 2008 and the upper floors were subsequently turned into apartments. In 2014 it was reopened as Atmosphere, a desi-pub and continues to operate as a restaurant to this day.   

 

The course of the Silk Stream (a tributary of the River Brent) runs through the area, Betjeman describes the stream as being like the Tiber of Middlesex. Towards the end of the documentary, he does a spot in Watling Park where he describes Middlesex with its cleaner air as like being in the countryside. Indeed, there is different feel as we reach the northern extremities of the Edgware Road as we reach Edgware, situtated on the borders of Greater London. Due to its convenient position during the late medieval period hostelries started to pop up, providing pilgrims with accommodation on their way to St Albans abbey. These evolved into coaching inns and by the 19^th century, many of these became licenced public houses. Although by 1968 the number of pubs in Edgware had slightly dwindled from its height earlier in the century there was still a healthy number, yet in the space of fifty years many of these establishments had closed down or been demolished. Underneath the Premier Inn lies the remnants of The White Lion, first licenced in 1751 it operated initially as a coaching inn. Later taken over by Trumans, the site was rebuilt and extended in the 19^th century, and was able to house larger gatherings of up to 300 people in their function rooms. In 1959, the Two R’s music club was established with performances every Friday evening; a number of bands performed here, including The Who. Later in October 1972, the pub introduced an over 18’s discotheque that took place on Sunday evenings. The pub was also popular with fans from the nearby Edgware Town FC, whose White Lion grounds were named after and constructed to the rear of the pub in 1939. In it later years the pub was taken over by Scottish & Newcastle, yet trade gradually ebbed away and in 1996, landlord Paul Thompson called it a day and closed the pub early the following year. Three years later it was demolished and a hotel was built on site. A few doors down is The Change of Hart, built in c. 1600 as a coaching inn called The White Hart, it is one of the oldest buildings in the area. It was constructed as a three-storey stuccoed structure, with a hipped tiled roof and wooden eaves cornices, later in the 19^th century most of the ground floor including the timbering around the access path to the horse stables was altered. Owners, Taylor Walker divided the ground floor, it featured a snug, a club room, public bar and saloon bar. Although in later years the dividing walls were taken town, the multi-sided bar counter, games room and snugs were maintained. In the 1973 it became grade II listed when well preserved timber beams dating from the 15^th century were discovered in the upper-stairs bedrooms. In 1992, the pub was renamed and it continued to operate until 2017 when owners Punch Taverns sold it to become a restaurant. Today the building remains vacant, yet the upper floors are in poor condition as in need of repair. On the corner with Whitchurch Lane is The Masons Arms, initially a Clutterbucks house, a pub has recorded on the site as early as 1803 yet by 1928 with road widening schemes taking place the original building was forcibly demolished. Its then owners Cannon Brewery (soon to be taken over by Taylor Walker) were offered by the council to rebuild the pub on the corner with High Street Edgware. Taking heed from the improved pub scheme, the new building was substantially larger in size, incorporated a curved shape with a wide and asymmetrical frontage. Two storeys high with a further dormer storey, sash windows compliment the look while tall chimneys spanned the steeply sloping roof giving off an Arts and Crafts character. The pub became a popular function for venues including live bands, Charlie Watts performed here even in 1959 with his first band the Jo Jones Seven. In later years, the pub acquired a reputation for being the roughest pub in town, brawls and various illegal activities were common here such as gold smuggling outfits, landlords illicitly filling barrels of beer with tap water and robberies, the site closed in 2012 and has since been converted into a shisha bar/ club lounge.

Towards the end of the High Street is The Beehive, originally known as the Barn and Hay Wain, it was one of two pubs in the area run by Bennetts Brewery. In 1930, the pub was rebuilt as an improved pub; built in red brick, its features were relatively plain and functional, which suggests it was built relatively quickly, in order to serve the expanding community at the time. Eight years later the brewery was acquired by Mann, Crossman & Paulin Ltd, which subsequently merged with Watney’s to become Watney Mann in 1958. In later years the pub became popular with bikers, au-pairs and Jewish youths, live music was a frequent fixture. It was also known for its rowdy behaviour, in 1993 forty people were involved in a mass brawl outside the pub, and two years later a local gang who were recently barred, raided the premises attacking both staff and customers. The site is currently called Zanzibar, an Indian restaurant/ bar; although the façade is largely unaltered, though much of the original interior fittings have been renovated and removed.  On the opposite side of the road, just before the turning with Grove Road is The Three Wishes, the newest pub to open in the area, it was established in 1993 as The Blacking Bottle when JD Wetherspoons converted the premises from a former freezer supply shop. In 2006 it was sold to Upper Deck who renamed the pub to its present name. Despite being a relatively modern pub, the original owners endeavoured to go for a traditional look with wood panelled walls, stained glass windows and bar area replete with fielded panelling and pilasters with a gantry featuring coloured-glass inserts. The pub hasn’t change much since Wetherspoons owned it, though the number of cask options have gradually dwindled since its height of six handpumps listed by London Drinker in 1998, and its popular weekly live music events often draw large crowds. It is generally perceived to be the only traditional pub left in the area. Going towards to Stonegrove, just beyond the junction with Park Road at No.76 was the site of a former pub called The Leather Bottle. Originally built in 1860, it was the second of two pubs to be run by Bennett’s (later Watney’s). During its existence, the pub had undergone a number of changes, in the early 1920’s it was rebuilt and enlarged into a two-store building. In 1965, the interior was renovated as part of Watney’s Schooner Inns projects that specialised in themed pubs. The interior was retrofitted as a Swiss chalet, replete with wood panelled walls and fittings. Many of the Schooner Inns were refits of older establishments, where the original architecture was stripped out and modern fixtures were installed whilst following a specific design theme, which varied widely from Vikings, Parisian, Hawaiian and even Pirates to name a few. During the 1970’s, the upstairs dining area was converted into a Berni Inn steakhouse, which subsequently turned into a Beefeater by the 1990’s. In 1991 a fire caused extensive damage to the interior which led to it being closed for several months. By the end of the decade, it was renamed The Bottle and Drago, yet with dwindling customers and failed attempt at selling Thai food, the owners called it a day in October 2002 and the pub was subsequently closed. At the time, residents were reportedly saddened to see the last pub in Stonegrove close, the building was subsequently sold to developers Pinecal and it was subsequently demolished and turned into flats. As the Edgware Road comes to end as we approach Brockley Hill, the A5 continues northwards towards Hertfordshire and beyond. Near the junction with Spur Road is a branch of McDonalds, where The Corner House formerly occupied. Constructed in 1937 by architects Hawe and Carter on commission by Taylor Walker, from the outset it was designed as a roadhouse pub in the mind, which had become prevalent in the expanding suburbs at the time. It had large curved windows, brown-red/ brown brick-work and Indian red/ brown tiles on the roof. The main entrance was surrounded by a stonework border.  The building was asymmetrical in appearance, with rounded edges on either side of the building, that harked back to the turrets of medieval architecture, which commonly featured in pubs earlier in the 19^th century.  Roadhouse pubs were designed for comfort, and this pub epitomised the roadhouse pub both in look and concept, with saloon and public bars, dining facilities, a large outdoor terrace and hotel rooms in the upper floors. Over the years, the pub became very popular with local community, it was also used as a reception venue for weddings, christenings and funerals. It also attracted match day crowds on their way to games at Wembley. In the 1980’s, the pub’s interior was extensively renovated and modernised, in 1994 the pub came under the ownership of Allied Domecq and two years later they announced they would be closing the pub and selling the site to McDonalds. Despite concerted efforts from locals to save the pub, the campaign failed and the pub was closed early in 1998. The loss of this pub was due to corporate restructuring rather than diminishing customer returns.

 

Through the course of the Edgware Road as it stretches nearly 9 miles between Marble Arch – Edgware, a vast number of pubs line the route; a whole manner of breweries/ companies have owned pubs along its stretch at one point in time, most notably Taylor Walker, Trumans, JD Wetherspoon, Kissane Taverns, Charrington, Cannon and Watney’s, along with local brewers like Bennett’s, Clutterbucks and Michell and Aldous. At the time when Betjeman’s documentary was filmed, most of the Edgware Road was well represented with pubs with around 35 still open at the time, yet subsequently many of these establishments have since closed, some have been converted to other uses like coffee shops, estate agents, shisha bars or restaurants, some properties remain vacant like The Red Lion, Kilburn or The Portman Arms, Maida Vale, indeed there are several extant buildings along the Edgware Road which were formerly pubs where much of the original façade has been maintained. Yet sadly a good number have been demolished for redevelopment schemes like The Upper Welsh Harp or The Surrey Arms, West Hendon which have been turned into residential apartment complexes, or in the case of The White Lion, Edgware it has become a Premier Inn. As of today, there are only 22 pubs along the Edgware Road (several of these have opened in the ensuing years) and some areas like Maida Vale are not represented at all while the likes of Burnt Oak and Edgware have seen their numbers drastically dwindle, moreover areas like Kilburn still enjoy a healthy number of pubs, and many of these were around in late 1967 when Betjeman filmed his documentary.

 

For the pubs that are still in business, they draw from a wide stretch of history, from Victorian drinking palaces to the improved roadhouse pubs of the interwar years and the modern bars that have opened in more recent decades. A good number of these establishments were originally coaching inns, which points to the former usage of the route in the days before the railways came. Notably, several of these extant pubs are grade II listed and have featured in CAMRA’s inventory of historic pubs interiors, although Betjeman barely mentions the pubs along the route, only The Crown, Cricklewood is seen and mentioned in the documentary, where he describes the pub in wistful reminiscent overtones. Although the pubs along the Edgware Road are largely in a depleted state compared to 1968, there are still a good number of establishments to visit along its entire length, from The Green Man in Paddington all the way up to The Three Wishes in Edgware. So, whenever you got time to spare, why not follow Betjeman’s example and take a tour of the Edgware Road from Marble Arch to Edgware, and visit some of the pubs along the way, perhaps you’ll be able to hear its message?

Sitcom Pubs

When it comes to notable pubs in sitcoms, we quickly think of well-known examples like The Nag’s Head in ‘Only Fool’s and Horses’, the favoured local for Del Boy, Rodney, Grandad (later Uncle Albert) and other regular characters, The Royal Oak in ‘Goodnight Sweetheart’ the staging post for many of Gary Sparrow’s time travelling exploits, Foley’s in ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’ which seems to be the only place the character meet on a night out, or The Archer Hotel in ‘Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps’ that provides the centre-point for the main characters social life. Since the 1950’s we have witnessed many a character visit a pub in a sitcom, sometimes these places weren’t even named like Lee and Tim’s local in ‘Not Going Out’ merely referenced as the pub, occasionally these places are only referenced but never seen like The Feathers in ‘The Royle Family’ and on the rare instance entire sitcoms have been set within a pub, like The Grapes in ‘Early Doors’. All these pubs share common links, they are regular focal points of activities for the main characters, yet in reality most of these pubs don’t exist. Most of the time, these interiors were mocked up in the studio, and when the exteriors of real pubs were seen (on the rare occasion), the interiors generally didn’t match what was seen in the sitcoms. Despite these setbacks, in recent decades as sitcoms have moved out of the confines of the studio and away from the studio audience, production teams have gradually favoured the practise at filming on location at real pubs, though sometimes the exteriors and interiors were filmed at different establishments, and the continued practise of fictional name calling still exists, this is a significant progression from its studio bound origins. There are number of real pubs out there that have featured in iconic sitcoms, although many are still open, some have sadly since closed, repurposed or even demolished. Here is a potted guide to the various public houses, forms of camera-trickery and the lengths production teams took to feature pubs within the UK’s most iconic sitcoms.

Back in the day, sitcoms used to be filmed before a live studio audience and location filming was often seldom featured, apart from a few notable exceptions. For sitcoms that heavily featured pubs as a principal setting, in order to give an air of authenticity, production teams would sometimes shoot exteriors outside real pubs, even-though on many an occasion the interiors would invariably hardly match their fake studio-bound counterparts. The earliest known example dates from the 'Steptoe and Son' episode 'Loathe Story' broadcast in 1972, where the exterior of the Latimer Arms, North Kensington appears in a flashback sequence, it stood for the fictional Skinner Arms where a young Harold is seen sitting in the rag and bone cart waiting for his father. Sometimes exterior shots were featured on a rare occasional basis, for instance The Greyhound which heavily as Alf Garnett’s local in ‘In Sickness and in Health’, the exterior is only seen twice, firstly in the fourth episode of series 1 when a drunken Alf wheels Else out of the pub, and again in the opening title sequence from Series 2 onwards. Despite it being set in West Ham, it was filmed at The Greyhound in Shepherd’s Bush, conveniently near the studios at Television Centre. The pub was built in 1892, initially run by Isleworth Brewery then taken over by Watney Combe Reid and latterly by Enterprise Inns, the pub closed in 2017. Another example of this practise is The Crown in 'Men Behaving Badly', which is the local pub for Gary and Tony (plus Dermot!) in the series. Although it features in most episodes, exterior shots are seldom seen; yet in the episode 'The Good Pub Guide' it begins with the duo walking up to the pub where they meet new landlord Ken, location footage was filmed at The Greyhound in Hammersmith, a large multi-level building, it barely matched up to the squalid dingy one-room pub depicted in the series. Interestingly The Greyhound, was at one time a popular music venue hosting the likes of Status Quo, Uriah Heep, Thin Lizzy, The Stranglers and The Jam, by the 1990’s it housed the Cosmic Comedy Club and in its latter years it became a restaurant called The Southern Belle before closing in 2017. Likewise in ‘Three Up, Two Down’ Sam Tyler (no relation) regularly visits his local pub often accompanied by his friend Wilf, the pub itself was a studio set and its exterior was rarely seen in the series, however it does feature briefly in the episode ‘ Love and Death’ when The Swan in Chiswick features as the exterior, which was owned by Charrington at the time of filming. Conversely, a number of pub exteriors feature in ‘Just Good Friends’, The Shepherd & Dog in Rochford appears twice in the episodes ‘Hello Again’ and ‘Guilt’ respectively, and other pubs make single appearances, including The Huntsman and Hounds, Chelmsford in the episode ‘Another Man’ when Vince and Pen have an late evening drink in the pub garden, and The Weir, seen in the opening scene of ‘The Evidence/ His Bottle Went’, it’s location is a mystery but the pair are later seen boating outside the pub so it could be Walton-on-Thames. In the 1984 Christmas Special, a Red Lion pub is also briefly seen, when Les pushes Lennie out the pub. Meanwhile in other sitcoms, pub exteriors can be seen on a frequent basis, such as The Horseshoe Inn in Ratlinghope, Shopshire which stood in for the village pub in The Green Green Grass, which is frequently seen in opening montages or the odd episode such as ‘Lust in Translation’, a Grade II listed building, it serves a good array of local beers including Three Tuns XXX (4.3%) and a simple menu that uses local produce, since filming it has changed ownership, and is now called The Bridges, which was originally the nickname given by locals; the continously rebuilt public house in 'World of Pub' which changes its theme in each episode only to end up getting destroyed, exterior shots used Turner’s Old Star, Wapping, a historic tavern purchased by artist Joseph Turner for his mistress Sophia Booth in 1829, intriguingly the studio-based interior was a faithful reconstruction of the real pub even-down to it's stained glass windows and distinctive oak-carved bar counter replete with pillars supporting a gantry; The Royal Oak, Bethnal Green which was used in most episodes of 'Goodnight Sweetheart' a Grade II listed Truman’s pub built in 1923, as the basis for Gary Sparrow’s time travelling endeavours, for the series it was redesigned in a wartime setting replete with taped windows and Truman’s brewery paraphernalia to suit the program’s period setting, the pub is also shown in the series to have seperate bars (although the public bar is usually only shown in the series) which is accurate to the location during the time period, which had partitions for public and private bars, with additional space for dining and off sales facillities; moreover, The Two Ways in Finnieston, Glasgow which was utilized as the exterior for the local pub The Giblet in ‘Rab C. Nesbitt’, it featured in nearly every episode up to Series 8, the pub (initially called the Finnieston Station Bar) was opened in 1880, by Buchanan, Scott & Company, a consortium that ran a number of pubs in the area. Subsequently in 1960, the company sold off the pub and it was renamed The Two Ways; over a decade after the original run of ‘Rab C. Nesbitt’ ended, in 2009 the pub was taken over by Trust Inns and thoroughly renovated into modern style bar, renamed this time as The Brass Monkey.[1] Perhaps the pub which has the most changes in its outward appearance is the Nag’s Head in ‘Only Fools and Horses’ which has changed its frontage more times than Trigger’s broom, and despite it being set in Peckham, it was never filmed there. The pub exterior is first seen in the closing shot of the Series 2 episode ‘It Never Rains’, when the Reliant Robin is seen parked outside the pub, in this instance The Three Johns, Angel was utilized, the same pub was used again two episodes later in the 1982 Christmas special ‘Diamonds Are For Heather’. The exterior of the Nag’s Head next appears just over two years later in the episode ‘Hole in One’ when the Prince Arthur in Ladbroke Grove was used for the scene when Uncle Albert throws himself down the pub’s cellar and manages to land on pub landlord Mike! Another three years passed before the exterior of the pub was seen again, when it featured in 1988 Christmas special, ‘Dates’, in this episode two pubs in the Bristol area were used as exteriors, The Waggon and Horses in Easton during the scene when Del is dragged out by the police and The Bristol Flyer in Bishopton, which was used for night shots, Another Bristol based pub was used as the exterior in the Series 7 episode ‘Chance of a Lunchtime’ when The White Horse in Bedminster was used for the scene when Cassandra sees Rodney seeming ‘struggling’ with Del’s old flame Trudy outside the pub, then in 1991 Christmas special ‘Miami Twice - The Amrican Dream’ when The Middlesex Arms in South Ruislip was used the exterior. The final exterior used for The Nag's Head in the series was The Granary, Bristol; for the 1993 Christmas special 'Fatal Extraction', it was also used for the cocktail bar in the episode 'Yuppy Love'. Out of the various pub used in the series only The Three Johns, The Middlesex Arms, The Granary and The Bristol Flyer are  still in business. In the space of over a decade the frontage of the Nag’s Head changed seven times, at one point twice in one episode, this surely deserves an award from the local councillor for most transformed pub.[2]

 

There has been the odd occasion where pubs appearing in sitcoms are not what they seem to be, although in recent decades location filming inside pubs (as opposed to just exteriors) has become more prevalent in sitcoms generally, due to production issues or directorial judgement, sometimes the interior of a pub is shot at a different location to the one used for the exteriors. For example in ‘Detectorists’, Andy and Lance’s favourite local is The Two Brewers, a country pub located on the outskirts of the fictional village of Danebury. Many episodes feature the pub, Andy and Lance are often seen have a pint of the fictional Magpie and Treasure Trove beers following a busy day metal detecting, and sometimes they are accompanied by the other members of the Danebury Metal Detecting Club. In reality the pub doesn’t exist as such, the exteriors for the pub were filmed at the Castle Inn in Framlingham, whilst the interiors were shot at the Crown located in nearby Great Glenham. Both pubs are steeped in history, The Castle Inn, a cottage style pub built in the 19^th century, it once housed a brewery under the name of Castle Brewery; originally a beer house, it was granted full public house status in 1957, and recently it received a Cask Marque award for serving good quality real ale, whilst the Crown is a multi-room pub, it has stood in the area since the 18^th century, although it was later rebuilt, subsequently in 2011 it was threatened with re-development however  two years later this was rescinded when villages found a new buyer, the pub closed again the following year, yet in 2015, Richard and Cheryl Andrews took over the tenancy of the pub, and it continues to run as a free house.[3] Another example of this practise is ‘Scarborough’, most of the episodes are set round the fictionally named pub The Good Ship, where the group of friends meet on a Friday night. The exteriors for the pub were shot at The Newcastle Packet, a Grade II listed building and one of the area’s oldest pubs dating back to the 16^th century (although it was later rebuilt in the 19^th), its name was derived from the once-lucrative coal shipping traffic stemming  from Newcastle. Meanwhile, the interior scenes for the pub were shot at The Northgate in Sholver Green, Oldham, formerly a Boddingtons pub until 1992, nowadays it is run by Joseph Holt, a major local brewer whom own a number of pubs in the North-West. In some of these instances, the director chose to use different locations due to traffic issues with shooting outdoor scenes outside pubs located on busy high-streets. Alan J.W. Bell was a prolific practitioner in this craft when working on ‘Last of the Summer Wine’, over the years a number of residential buildings were redesigned as pub exteriors in a number of episodes. Occasionally real pub interiors were mixed with fake exteriors such as the episode ‘Howard Throws a Wobbler’, the interior of the real Huntsman Inn, Holmfirth was used for indoor scenes, whilst a fake exterior of a cottage located in a cul-de-sac was utilized as the frontage, since the real pub is located by a busy thoroughfare. In another episode, ‘Happy Anniversary Gough and Jessie’, The Shakespeare, Marsden featured as the exterior of two pubs (with production alterations), one of the ‘pubs’ featured interior location filming at the real pub, and the other a studio mockup. In the 1995 Christmas special ‘A Leg Up For Christmas’, Bell used two pubs to represent a single pub, The Swan was used for interior scenes, whilst the Pennine Inn appears in a brief exterior shot, an unusual practise for the series given the spate of fake pub exteriors utilized in a number of episodes.

Although the majority of pubs that featured in sitcoms up to the late Nineties were studio based mockups. Occasionally production teams would film interior scenes at real pubs on location along with exterior shots, as far back as 1976 interior location filming took place at the Rising Sun in Sharrow, Sheffield where it briefly featured in 'I Didn't Know You Cared?' episode 'A Signal Disaster' which provides a convenient stop-off point for a improtu pub crawl during a works outing. A few years later, in the first episode of ‘The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’ broadcast in 1981, Arthur Dent is taken by his friend Ford Prefect to his local pub The Red Lion where he informs of his true identity and the Vogon’s imminent plans to blow up the Earth to make way for a hyperspace bypass. The scenes at the pub were filmed entirely on location at the pub of the same name in Hayward’s Heath, which was built in 1874. The pub was once notably visited by PM Harold Macmillan and President Kennedy on the latter’s visit to the country in 1963. Since it featured in Hitchhikers, the pub has been extensively remodelled into an open plan building with an extensive restaurant menu, it is currently run by Shepherd Neame. Other early examples include the 'Watching' episode 'Twitching' first shown in 1988, which was extensively filmed at the canalside pub The Slipway, Burscough where Brenda and Malcolm are on the trail of a contingent of unscrupolus twitchers; the following year in 1989 in the 'Only Fools and Horses' episode 'The Jolly Boys Outing', it features scenes shot at The Roman Galley, Margate which stood in for The Halfway House,  prior to the scene where the coach memorably blows up in the car-park; in the climatic scenes of the ‘Birds of a Feather’ episode ‘Sisters are Doing It’ broadcast in 1992, when Tracy’s philandering boss Bill takes her out to a pub lunch, the scenes were filmed entirely on location at The Three Hammers, Mill Hill, including exterior shots on the nearby Ridgeway when Sharon and Dorien deposit a cart-load of manure on Bill’s car; and in the 'Outside Edge' episode 'Sex ' first shown in 1994, the County Tavern, Nottingham is seen in the opening scenes of the episode when Roger tries to hide from a Bowler whom he recently dropped from his cricket team. Latterly, the likes of ‘Father Ted’ featured location filming at two pubs during its final series in 1998, Vaughan’s in Kelfenoa, County Clare appears in two episodes, it first appeared in the episode ‘Are You Alright There Ted?’ when Ted runs from an angry mob when he’s accused of racist comments about the local Chinese community, he runs into the pub for refuge when he finds a group of Chinese and one Moari having drinks by the bar. The pub appears in the next episode ‘Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep’ when Ted is having a chat with an increasingly drunken Fargo Boyle, the pub’s adjacent barn was also used to house the King of Sheep competition that concludes the episode. Later on in the series, in the episode ‘The Mainland’, Ted, Dougal, Jack and Mrs Doyle visit the town of Ennistymon for the day. Jack is briefly seen drinking at Nagel’s Bar following an accidental trip to an AA meeting, a very small one room bar, before he can down his whisky, he is accosted by the AA Chairman, with unfortunate consequences for the latter. It is generally considered that ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ has the most prolific number of pubs featured in any sitcom in history, over 40 different pubs were featured during the show’s 37 year history. Although pub exteriors featured as far back as the series one episode ‘Pate & Chips’ when The Woodman, Huddersfield was featured. For the first decade of the program, real pub exteriors were mixed with fake studio interiors, and it wasn’t until the 1983 Christmas special ‘Getting Sam Home’ when The Shoulder of Mutton, Huddersfield became the first pub in the series to feature both exterior and interior filming. By the start of Series 14 in 1992, production of the series moved to Pinewood Studios, and was shot completely on film which allowed for even more filming on location. From this point onwards location filming at pubs became increasingly the norm, and some pubs became regular filming locations, The Butchers Arms in Hepworth appeared in 31 episodes, first used for night-time interiors in 1981 Christmas special ‘Whoops’ and interiors in the Series 12 opener ‘Return of the Warrior’, although the pub was mainly used for exteriors, it frequently stood in as the interiors for other pubs due to its good number of drinking eras that could resemble a different establishment. The common most pub to appear in the series was The White Horse in Jackson Bridge, which featured in 61 episodes.[4]  It first appeared in night-time exteriors in the Series 8 episode ‘The Woolen Mills of Your Mind’ and interiors in the Series 9 episode ‘Jaws’ which features the first appearance of the near-sighted character Eli, as he attempts to play a game of darts with disastrous consequences for the other customers. The pub was heavily featured during the show’s 1990’s episodes and at one point then real-life pub landlord of The White Horse, Ron Backhouse appeared in 10 episodes broadcast between 1995-2001, the pub last appeared in the Series 26 episode ‘Watching the Clock’, yet it’s link to the series is integral to the show’s lasting appeal, it has even featured in a number of merchandises, including a die-cast model made by Danbury Mint.[5]

With the likes of ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ leading the charge, by the early 2000’s an increasing number of sitcoms moved away from the confines of the studio and live studio audiences. Production teams have gradually preferred shooting on location using single camera setups, this includes pubs of course, and nowadays it is highly likely whenever a pub appears in a sitcom, the interiors and exteriors were likely shot in a real pub on location. For instance two west London pubs feature in 'The Inbetweeners' episode 'First Day', namely The Black Bull, Ruislip, where Will, Simon, Jay and Neil arrive at the pub for a student gathering, where they soon find out that they are at the wrong pub, and subsequently The Black Horse, Eastcote, which features later in the same episode. When pubs appear in TV programs, they are generally renamed by the production team, for reasons generally unexplained. For instance in the 2^nd episode of Gavin & Stacey, The Coach & Horses which is Gavin and Smiffy’s local boozer wasn’t filmed in Billericay at all, it was filmed entirely on location at the Colcot Arms in Barry. In later episodes other pubs feature (although in these instances the real pub names was used), in the 5^th episode Gavin and his mates are seen drinking at The Ship, Barry at the climax of his stag night, a Greene King pub, it is located towards the mainland end of the causeway to Barry Island; and in the 2019 Christmas special, Bassett Bar was utilized at the location for the main cast’s Christmas Eve revelry. Meanwhile, overseas in Alicante; the scenes filmed at Neptune’s Bar in the long running sitcom ‘Benidorm’ were shot entirely on location at Morgan’s Tavern. Featuring in nearly every episode of the series, unlike it’s fictional counterpart it is a pirate themed bar that hosts cabaret and tribute acts throughout the year, hosting up to 7 shows per night, and although families are seen eating there in the series, in reality it has a strict over 16’s policy. Closer to home, a number of London pubs have also frequently appeared in sitcoms in recent decades, the bar that is popular with the hospital co-workers in the 2^nd series of ‘Green Wing’ was filmed at the Fountain Beefeater in Fullwell. In the ‘Only Fools & Horses’ prequel series ‘Rock & Chips’, the Nag’s Head again changed its appearance, when the Pelton Arms in Greenwich was utilized. Not only was it redressed to resemble a pub at c.1960, and unlike the pubs that represented the Nag’s Head in the parent series it was exclusively shot on location (both interiors and exteriors). A classic back-street establishment, it was built in 1844, and the pub maintains many of its historical features including its distinctive l-shaped bar, fireplaces, ornate glass dividers, bar billiards, darts and slew of advertising signs, it is easy to see why the pub was ideally suited for the series. Another London based pub that was extensively used, was The Chandos Arms in Colindale, which doubled up as The Black Boy in Friday Night Dinner. An unfriendly place festooned with a large number of St George’s Flags, it is run by its equally morose landlord Lawrence, whom Jim often calls Mike, and prices are rather disproportionate, serving lager at £3.03 per pint, and £2 for a half. The pub appears in three episodes, it makes its first appearance in the series 1 episode ‘The Curtains' when the siblings Adam and Jonny Goodman forget their wallets and end up sharing half a lager, then in the Series 2 episode ‘The Loft’ when the barman throws out their parents Jackie and Martin out after having an argument, and by the time of its final appearance, in the series 5 episode ‘The Surprise’ it has been spruced up with uniformed staff, and a friendlier table service, when Adam and Jonny try to stall their mother with a unexpected trip to the pub after their father bungles up her birthday plans. Although in the series, its described as being round the corner from their parent’s house, it is located 1.9 miles from the main filming location in Parkshide, Mill Hill; and in real life, the pub nothing like it’s depiction on the show, it is a charming early 20^th century building constructed in 1937 that has an extensive range of beers and holds regular live music events, it was even awarded Community Pub of the Year in 2017. The same pub was also featured in the Peep Show episode ‘Man Jam’ where Super Hans invites Jeremy to perform at a gig with his band Man Feelings, at the fictionally named Lord Carrington. ‘Peep Show’ is notable for featuring (after Last of the Summer Wine) the 2^nd highest number of pubs included in a sitcom, over the course of its 9 series run a total of ten pubs appeared in various episodes, where the exteriors and interiors were both filmed on location. Going against the usual practise, the pub names remained unaltered, the ones that feature the most is The Oval in Croydon which features in three episodes which served as Jeremy and Mark’s local, and The Adam and Eve in Mill Hill which was included in two. Although most of the pubs in the series were based within London, occasionally pubs outside the metropolis were used, in the Series 4 episode ‘Sophie’s Parents’, The Round Bush in Aldenham was used as the setting when Mark meets Sophie’s parents for the first time. Later in the Series 9 episode ‘Gregory’s Beard’, Super Hans meets up with Mark and Dobby to draft a best man’s speech for his upcoming nuptials. Despite it being billed as located in the middle of nowhere in the episode, it was filmed at The Black Horse in Chorleywood, which is only a short 10 minute walk from its respective tube station. In one notable episode, a pub provided the central premise for the plot, in the Series 3 episode ‘Sectioning’ when Jeremy and Mark’s mentally unhinged friend Merry tries to sells her pub to Jeremy and Super Hans. The latter have a long debate of what to name the pub and eventually come up with a compromise name The Swan & Peado. The filming for this episode was done on location at The Mitre in Hackney, the pub was already closed for 4 years at the time of filming and was sold off for residential housing in 2010.

 

Over the past 50 years, the inclusion of real pubs in sitcoms has gone from fleeting exterior shots to extensive location filming, using both interiors and exteriors. This progression somewhat reflects the changes in production standards when it comes to sitcoms. At one time, all pubs featured in sitcoms were unrealistic studio-based setups that never resembled any real-life pubs, even when exterior filming was introduced in the 1970’s, the studio based interiors failed to match the exteriors of the pubs featured in the outdoor film inserts. As production standards changed by the 1990’s, location filming became more prevalent and by the early 21^st century, the confines of the studio and live audiences were gradually eschewed all-together and in recent years, a greater number of pubs have appeared in sitcoms, that were filmed entirely on location. Some of these sitcom pubs still resort to the practise of renaming the pub signs for the purposes of the script although this is increasingly rare, whilst other use the ‘nefarious’ practise of using one pub for exteriors and another for interiors, vaguely reminiscent of the old practise of utilizing fake studio interiors with real exteriors. In this contemporary instance, although sometime used for artistic licence, it was down to location issues with the pub itself that leads production teams to go down this path, as witnessed in the many instances in ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ when director Alan J.W. had to use alternative pub exteriors when the real ones proved problematic, even-though on occasion this led to residential properties being redressed to resemble public houses. Although this can be confusing, fortunately their still a good number of pubs (filmed entirely on location) that are still in business, that have featured in ‘recent’ sitcoms like ‘Friday Night Dinner’, ‘Peep Show’, ‘Rock & Chips’, ‘Benidorm’, ‘The Detectorists’ and ‘Gavin & Stacey’ , so if you’re ever are inclined to do undertake a TV pub tour or visit the watering hole where your favourite sitcom was filmed, then here’s your chance.

Footnotes

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[1] In sitcoms that don’t heavily feature pubs, real exteriors can be seen, such as The Six Bells, Bury St Edmunds which featured in two episodes of ‘Dad’s Army’, namely ‘Ring Dem Bells’ and ‘Wake Up Walmington’ respectively; The Latimer Arms, Notting Hill which stood in for the location the Skinners Arms in a flashback sequence in the ‘Steptoe & Son’ episode ‘Loathe Story’, The Windsor Castle that appears in ‘The Upper Hand’ episode ‘Caroline’s First Flight’ despite the location being set in Balham, it was filmed at (the pub  of same name ) in The Meadows area of Nottingham, The Rugby Tavern in Cubbington, which appears in exteriors shots of the ‘Keeping Up Appearances’ episode ‘Driving Mrs Fortescue’ where Hyacinth tries to disguise herself as a window cleaner with disastrous consequences, or The Kebab and Calculator in ‘The Young Ones’ episode Boring, where the housemates meet Vyvyan’s mother who works as a barmaid and see Madness perform ‘House of Fun’. This was filmed at the Cock o’ North in Henleaze, Bristol, which has subsequently become The Westbury Park and Kitchen since being take on by Zazu’s Kitchen Grup in 2016.

 

[2] Other pubs featured in the series, include The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping which features briefly in the episode ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Uncle’, The New Market, Weston Super Mare in the 2001 Christmas special ‘If Only They Could See Us Now’ and The Roman Galley, Margate which features in the 1989 Christmas special ‘The Jolly Boys Outing’. Named the fictional ‘Halfway House’ in the episode, when the group make a pit-stop en-route to Margate; notably in this instance both the interiors and exteriors were filmed, a rather unusual practise for the show, the pub closed in 2004 and has since been converted into residential housing. 

 

[3] In addition to the main pub, other pubs have also featured in the series, in the episode where Andy and Lance perform at an Open Mic gig event and encounter their rivals the Antiquesearchers; it was filmed on location at The King’s Head in Orford.

[4] Although The White Horse appears in 61 episodes, only 52 of them featured location filming both interiors and exteriors. A further nine episodes featured a studio set, that was a faithful recreation of the pub’s interior, even down to using their real menus which can be glimpsed in some scenes.

 

[5] Other frequently used pubs in the series include the Railway, the Rose & Crown, The Shakespeare and the former pubs The Greyhound, The Railway, The Shoulder of Mutton, The Carriage Inn, The Huntsman and the Monkey.

Weird and Wonderful Pub Signs #1

Pubs signs are often thought of being flat rectangular shapes, often with a florid or minimalist design. That’s not strictly true, in some instances pub signs came come in all shapes and sizes; in this ongoing series we will take an insight into the weird and wonderful pub signs that deviate from the norm, and help single out the pub by its unique identity. Here are three examples of unusual looking pub signs:

 

The Flask, 77 Highgate West Hill, Highgate, London

A grade II listed public house situated near Hampstead Heath, this Highgate institution has been around since c.1663, although the present building was rebuilt by William Carpenter in 1767. The building is typical for the mid Georgian period and has largely remained unchanged since it was renovated in the mid-18^th century; it is currently listed on CAMRA’s regional inventory of historic pub interiors, and has boasted a number of notable customers including the satirical artist William Hogarth and the revolutionist thinker and philosopher Karl Marx, whom lived nearby. The pub was given its notable name, since it sold flasks of local mineral water during the boom period in the 18^th century when Hampstead mineral water was all the rage.  Formerly a Mitchell’s and Butler’s pub, it was acquired by Fullers in 2009 and at some point, a decade ago, the old rectangular sign was replaced with a model of an oversized flask in honour of its heritage. This simple yet effective 3D design, is rare among pub signs yet it helps mark the pub among its contemporaries in this area which is well known for its sizeable number of pubs. This unusual architectural feature is welcome addition to the pub’s Georgian era appearance.

King’s Head, 8 High Road, North Weald, Essex

Another grade II listed pub located in North Weald which was once a stop on the Central Line until 1994. A rustic looking country pub partly built from old ships’ timbers salvaged from Tilbury Docks, the building dates from the 17^th century and was extensively reconstructed in 1927. The pub’s name derives from the period following Henry VIII’s dissolution from the Catholic Church and the subsequent decades of anti-Catholic rhetoric that followed when pubs across the country changed their once religious names, some even went to the lengths of openly swearing allegiance to the King, with the King’s Head becoming a popular name. Since this pub was built c.1670, this pub was probably named in honour of Charles II who had restored the English monarchy a decade before. The current pub sign which was installed several years ago, features a cut-out figure of Stephen II, the last of the Norman monarchs who ruled between 1135-1154. Curiously the design is relatively more recent and is based on a cigarette card portrait produced by John Player & Sons in 1935, which itself was based on an earlier engraving by George Vertue in 1733. The cut-out design is two sided and easily identifiable, with the pub’s status as a free-house proudly mentioned beneath.

 

George & Dragon, High Street, West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Nestled on the old London – Oxford road near the Hellfire Caves, the building dates back to 1720 on the site of a 14^th century Coaching Inn, and to this day it still retains its heritage by operating as partly as a hotel with 10 bedrooms overlooking the former stables yard. The building has all the unique features of a 18^th century coaching inn including a network of wooden beams, along with wonky and crooked flooring. The pub’s name is a common one among pubs, and comes from the famous folk story when Saint George defeated a Dragon who had been terrorising and extorting a nearby village, at first it was offered livestock to prevent it from destroying the village, then gradually it was given human sacrifices when eventually it was offered a Princess. By pure chance Saint George arrived at this encounter and wounded the Dragon. He then took it back to the village and coerced the villagers to convert to Christianity, before beheading the dragon. At the time of writing there are around 127 pubs bearing that name currently operating the UK, and the signs usually feature a graphic painted portrait of Saint George wounding the Dragon. Although rather uniquely this sign is shaped in the form of a shield, reminiscent of the one used Saint George when he battled the Dragon. It gives the sign a rather distinctive touch that makes it stand out from over pub signs that bare this name.