Albion in Goldsmiths Row E2

London’s Best Beer, Pubs and Bars updates
East London: Bethnal Green and Mile End

Albion in Goldsmiths Row, London E2

Traditional pub (Independent)
94 Goldsmiths Row, London E2 8QY
T (020) 7739 0185
Open 1200-2300 (0100 Fri-Sat). Children welcome daytimes
Cask beers 4 (Sharp’s, Timothy Taylor, 2 often local guests), Other beers 4 keg, 8 bottles, Also 12 wines
Food Lunchtime cold plates, weekend barbecues, Outdoors Front terrace, Wifi.
Fri live blues night, big screen football, darts, shove ha’penny.

The idea of a football (soccer) theme pub might suggest rowdy lads tanked up on industrial lager, but the Albion turns out to be a relatively sedate environment where supporters of two opposing sides might comfortably watch the same match, and with good beer to boot. The obsession with the beautiful game is obvious: the walls are crammed with football posters, photos, pennants, scarves, badges, press cuttings, rosettes and other memorabilia, ecumenically representing a huge variety of teams from both Britain and abroad. There’s a subtle emphasis, however, on West Bromwich Albion, whose badge is on the pub sign — landlord David Chapman is a Baggies fan, and renamed the pub, originally the Duke of Sussex, when he took it over 14 years ago after retiring from a career in the music industry. Look hard amongst the footie junk and you’ll find his collection of backstage passes on display; regular live music and interesting radio channels streamed over the speakers reflect his interest.

David also likes his beer, and so do his customers. Demand has spiralled over recent years and there are now four handpumps, dispensing Doom Bar, Landlord, a local guest often from Brodies, and quite likely one of the new breed of cut price reduced duty 2.8% “people’s beers” — Greene King Tolly English Ale when I called in. US craft beers also feature: Blue Moon and Sierra Nevada pale on keg, Anchor, Brooklyn and Goose Island in bottle, plus some British choices including Worthington White Shield. Football fever aside, this is an unpretentious and friendly East End local on the old drove route from Hackney to the City, adjacent to the historic alms houses built by the Goldsmiths’ company in 1703, and close to Haggerston Park and Hackney City Farm. It’s also a straight, short walk across the Regents Canal to the Dove (p126) and Off Broadway, both listed under Hackney.

National Rail Cambridge Heath, London Fields Overground Shoreditch High Street Underground Bethnal Green Bus Pritchards Road (394 Hackney, Hoxton), Warner Place (numerous Cambridge Heath, Hackney, Shoreditch) Cycling LCN+ 9 16, Regents Canal towpath Walking Jubilee Greenway, link to London Fields paths