Phil Mellows invites you into your own special time capsule as he revisits one of Newham’s finest hostelries
With a bit of time to kill at the end of the London Craft Beer Festival trade session at Tobacco Dock, I thought it would be a good idea to revisit the Boleyn Tavern, so I hopped on the District Line to Upton Park.
I can hardly believe it’s been three years since this great landmark house was reopened by Remarkable Pubs. The company spent £1.5million on a fantastic restoration of the pub, recreating some sense of what it must have been like when it opened its doors at the turn of the 20th Century.
So I’m happy to report it’s still in fine shape, the specially-made screens of etched glass that divide the drinking areas were gleaming in the late afternoon sunshine, and of course the showpiece billiard room at the back with its splendid domed atrium remains breathtaking.
The beer’s good, too, a selection of cask ales and craft from local brewers and further afield. But the Boleyn’s chief attraction is the opportunity to just sit there and take it all in.
I’ve been to a lot of pubs around the country, including many architectural gems, and I can tell you that the Boleyn is right up there. It’s an illustration of the way pubs can capture the history of a place, otherwise lost. A living time capsule, if you like, and one that’s open to everyone to enjoy for the price of a pint. Or even a half.
Pubs like this were conceived as a space of luxury, of quality, for a working-class community to escape their often poorly heated uncomfortable homes. For an hour or two at least they could feel a bit special. Temperance campaigners of the day would complain that they spent too much money over the bar, but it was probably worth it.
And even now, with our central heating, comfy sofas and big televisions, a visit to the Boleyn can take you to a better place. Newham is lucky to have it.
No news is bad news
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
Enjoying Newham Voices? You can help support our not-for-profit newspaper and website from £5 per month.