Rotherhithe Pubs: The Mayflower, The Angel + a more historic riverside pubs of London's docklands 

I come from Ireland, lived in England, Wales, Isle of Man and now lived in Canada. Miss the pubs from those places but if you ever get to Vancouver Island, check out The Crow and Gate near Cedar. Built in the 1970s it could easily fool any Englishman into believing that it is an English pub. It is as close as you could get.

Thanks Alex - really fascinating to hear - I tend to assume the videos would only be of interest to seasoned pub goers in England but it's great to hear they have broader appeal!

@@TweedyPubs Also of interest to us in Australia🦘. Full of history, well researched and coupled with an engaging presentation style - please keep them coming. I will certainly pay some of them a visit when next visiting the Old Dart. Cheers.

I agree Matt, there is something really special about this part of London.

Thank you! Most of my friends and family aren't interested in my videos so it is definitely a bit of a niche thing! Or maybe an acquired taste? Thanks for sticking with the channel, I am hopefully getting a bit better at this as I go, but still plenty of room for improvement!

@@TweedyPubs Don`t put yourself down Sir Tweedy,your delivery style and production improve with every video....keep up the good work 👍

Another great video always interesting keep up the good work

Thanks Ed! As shown in the video I ate there and I thought the food was really good. It's obviously on the tourist trail but still a great pub in my opinion.

Thanks Michael. It's a really fascinating part of London, although it has of course seen a lot of change. Always sad to hear of closed pubs.

Thanks John! Yes it's a very scenic part of London. I used to think pubs like the Angel were hidden gems, particularly for those views, that not many other people (even Londoners) knew about.... but having spoken to the landlord about the massive queue at the weekend before it seems that's no longer the case!

Thank you - still plenty of room for improvement! ...but I do try and take a bit more time and care over these compared to when I first started the channel last summer.

Thanks Kevin!

I'm in danger of being upstaged!

Thank you! I think the two most famous pubs here - the Angel and the Mayflower - are still the highlights of this area for me, and of course you could combine those with some of the pubs across the river in Wapping. The Overground line from Rotherhithe to Wapping is very handy for crossing the river here, as there aren't any footbridges along this stretch.

I watched that film the other week. I didnt notice. Cheers.

Thanks L&J! Yes I find old photos fascinating too, especially when you can line them up with something which still exists today.

Thank you! Sussex Best seems to be enjoying a moment - a few years ago it was a rare find in London pubs, but in the last few months I've started to see it all over the place.

Thanks Liam - yes I love those dimpled handle glasses too. They are dotted around in a few pubs in London but in some places you have to ask specially for them.

@@TweedyPubs Strangely several local pubs here in Vancouver Island have them but they call them 'jugs'.........you are greeted with 'Would you like your beer in a glass or a jug?"

Thank you! I think I forgot to include the prices in the other three pubs, which were a bit closer to what you might expect in central London, but it was good to know there are still at least two pubs in this area where a pint still costs £5 or less.

It's a great spot. A friend of mine was considering moving abroad and after an evening at the Angel was convinced to stay put!

I’m a fan of Sam Smith’s stouts as well.

Thanks Dave! Yes I was really happy to see the Old Justice having been brought back to life. Maybe not a big "destination pub" like the Mayflower or the Angel, but I got the sense it's a great pub for the local community.

Thanks Eduardo! I was just taking a break over Easter - one week doing more outdoorsy stuff (although the weather wasn't very conducive) and the other week spending time with family. Should be back to weekly videos from now on!

no pressure, tweedy. having said that, you are my only source of infotainment.

I do seem to get a lot of that don't I? The bulk of these videos are from the last 6 months which just happens to coincide with a period of pretty wet weather - even by English standards. Hopefully with the summer approaching there'll be some blue sky ahead!

Thanks Anil! Most of my tweed suits are from Walker Slater, they have shops in London and Edinburgh, plus also online at walkerslater.com - I think they may ship internationally although obviously it's a bit harder getting the sizing right that way!

Thanks John! No, my interest in architecture is purely amateur, and I'm learning as I go.

Hahaha thanks Clark! I think a big part of the reason I included that fifth pub was just to give me an excuse to get on that very short ferry crossing afterwards.

Thanks Lee! In the past I would usually combine Wapping and Rotherhithe for a day / evening out and pick the best-of-the-best from each side of the river, but it was nice on this trip to just stick to Rotherhithe and include some of the lesser known pubs. Glad you're in agreement about citrusy beers! I too think each to their own, and I'm glad there are a variety of beer styles which suit different tastes - but I've been in some pubs where they have four hand pumps and every single one of them is something or other grapefruity. I'm not asking for all four to be traditional bitters but surely there's still enough demand for at least one...?

​@@TweedyPubsI have also found this in some pubs now concerning the lack of a good "traditional" ale. In the last year or so I have been in several pubs and asked what ales they have on handpump only to find that they are all some citrusy IPA types and have then been told that there is no call for traditional ales or dark beers. I think "well I have just called for it, so that at least makes one person !" 🤔 This often means it's then a Guinness or nothing. I have several friends also telling me similar stories from other pubs too. It would be nice to even have just one handpump that wasn't "citrusy" with just a good traditional type ale. Also, another turn off in a pub is loud background music. Again it is my personal preference and I accept everyone is different. It spoils a visit, especially when out with friends when you just want to chat and catch up. On many occasions, we have had to leave and search for another quieter pub. You can't beat a simple, quiet, no thrills pub, with a selection of good ales, good basic pub food (not "fancy gastro") and friendly staff 😃

Thanks Lawrence. Sadly WhatPub reports that the Ship York has been demolished. I never went there, but reading about it just now it sounds like it was a great boozer. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news! The Blacksmith's Arms is really out on a limb, and not near any tube stations etc, although it is on a bus route, plus of course there's the ferry! The opening hours are also a bit challenging, doesn't open until 4pm on weekdays. It was a surprise though - quite a smart interior actually, and I liked finding all those quirky details like the "penny drop".

@@TweedyPubs Thanks for getting back- my Fancy a Pint guidebook gave it a high rating. 4 out of 5 pints.

Interesting! It's one of those words I've only ever seen written down so I just went for the most obvious pronunciation - but yes given the age of the brewery I could well imagine it is pronounced differently!

The views from the Angel in particular can be incredible, and when I first went there about 15 years ago it seemed to me to be very much a locals pub - I felt I had discovered a hidden gem! I think in hindsight I was just fortunate with the timing, and reading about that 1977 Evening Standard award the pub won, it seemed even then a couple of the judges had their misgivings as they considered it to be a bit of a tourist pub! Perhaps there has been a certain amount of ebb and flow between then and now. As I think I mentioned in the video, the landlord told me that last weekend - which felt like the first sunny weekend of the year - there had been queues out the door, and half way along the terrace, to get to the bar. It was hard to imagine on my visit, but it was of course a weekday lunchtime. He elaborated that trade is apparently very brisk indeed there, which I was happy to hear - there's no danger of the pub failing to make ends meet - but yes I do worry a bit that some unscrupulous developer might eye the site with an avaricious gaze and ponder how they might squeeze more money out of it! Glad you spotted the umbrella again! It was a bit frustrating to have to lug it round all day today as in the end it only rained for a few minutes, and it was barely drizzle.