The Black Lion may be 600 years old, but Phil Mellows has his own past history with the place

Pubs are important. Not just for drinks and eating in, and not just for being a place where people make those social connections vital to our well-being. They are a part of our history, reminding us that human beings have gathered over an ale, like we do today, for centuries.

Such a pub is the Black Lion in Plaistow. It’s been there, on the high street, for more than 600 years, including a rebuild in 1742. And while nearly everything around it has been changing fast, walking through its doors still feels like stepping back into the past.

It’s a comforting feeling, knowing that it’s survived so long, despite the challenges pubs have faced in recent years. As landlord Tom Friels cheerfully says: “we’re not going anywhere yet!” Tom himself can claim to be a big part of the Black Lion’s history having been its custodian – no one really owns an institution like this – for 37 years. That’s a rare longevity in the pub trade these days, and probably a record for Newham.

My own connections go back even further. When I worked as a reporter on the Stratford Express in the 1970s the pub was a favourite with West Ham United’s star players. If you were looking for the young Harry Redknapp, there was a good chance you’d find him in here.

It was a great pub, especially if you liked cask beer, and at weekends I remember dragging my mates down there on the bus from Leyton for the kind of experience we couldn’t find closer to home.

Today, business is “pretty good,” says Tom. “It’s been a long road back after Covid, but now we’re getting back to where we were. The whole area is picking up for pubs with the Abbey Arms and the Boleyn going well, too.”

He’s determined not to mess with a winning formula, and cask beer remains at the heart of the Black Lion. The house ale, Captain Bob, brewed at Mighty Oak in Maldon, Essex, is a traditional bitter with a dash of New Zealand hops to give it a modern twist, and there’s an ever-changing choice on the other pumps.

West Ham fans – if not the players – still call in when the Hammers are at home, even though the ground is a bit further away these days. It’s another sign that you can’t keep a great pub down.

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