BITE user comments - krylon76
Comments by krylon76
One winters night - heavily incapacitated by the merciless Madmoiselle Artois and wearing a brand new pair of shoes with smooth leather soles that rendered the pavement like an ice rink - I literally slipped and slid through the doors of this pub, supported by a few of my bosom coves.
I remember it as being very dark, slightly fuggy and sticky underfoot, which was a bonus as it allowed me to stay upright long enough to clap eyes on the delightful young Finnish lady who was to become the apple of my eye, the object of my affections, the Mr Kipling cake of my confectionary dreams.
Here it was that I fell in love with this delightful lady, serenaded by a soundtrack of Madness, The Jam the Stone roses etc, emitting from the quite magnificently appointed jukebox.
Alas, now she is but a figment of past times, lost like overspill in the drip tray of love, consumed like ash on the pub carpet of life.
The Golden Lion is still there though, and worth a look for the menagerie of foreign totty, and the life affirming jukebox.
22 Jan 2005 15:59
Re. the surely scandalous comments of 'Muffindamule' -
Well la - di - da and 'ark at her
Muffin - you muggy snob and downright poltroon, apart from that you liked it then?
Next time you pop by for a Pimms, be sure and let the chaps know you are in town, one of the oiks will see if he can't arrange a nice 'Criminal Injury' for you to take home as a souvenir of your stay on what we like to think is the Jewel of the 'Essex Riviera'.
Oh and please bring any spare shekels and alms for the poor with you mister, for we be do as you likey good for nothing types without two ha'pennies to rub between our dirty 'ands nor the sense with what to spend 'em with down here.
Ta very much cocker.
A market Trader, Basildon, Essex Riviera
13 Jan 2005 22:45
If you want to experience the real 'Light Bar' at it's best, don't wear a suit, and try to blag your way into the smaller upstairs bar. This is where the best amosphere is, roof terrace for summer nights, nice tunes, good mixed crowd, nice leather sofas to mooch about on and watch people try to dance.
Still very very popular so can get busy downstairs, but in my opinion popular for a reason - because it's good. Not cheap, but you dont expect that in a bar like this. I think this won one of the Evening Standard awards once, for those wanting a very one -off and unusual interior / decor its worth a look. Used to house an electricity generator or some such, hence the 'Light'.
You do get a bit of an eclectic mix of people in here some nights due to its location right on the edge of the city / border of Shoreditch and all that scene, which can make it a laugh.
You get the usual well turned out city lot, some of the Hoxton / Shoreditch crowd, and on one memorable night there was some bizarre and very drunk semi - famous European photographer bird in there, accompanied by a transvestite, a dwarf, and some other weird Andy Warhol types hanging round her which provided much hilarity.
Not for the traditional city boozer crowd, i confidently predict that unless they are after the ladies they will hate it.
If you want a less 'city' crowd, go on a Saturday night, simple!
8 Jan 2005 19:52
Don't turn up as part of a pub crawl at about 9:00pm on a saturday. You'll find it closed.
Heard it's good though
8 Jan 2005 19:30
Owners - why did you renovate this place a year or so back? One of the greatest crimes against the Public House fabric of London ever committed.
Why? You made it look like a pub trying to be a bar with an ancient shell outside, and all bleached wood lacquer and steel pumps inside. What was wrong with it in the first place, it's called history and character, that great crime in the eyes of the modern pub chain I suppose?
Mosied down here one night expecting the old familiar dingy interior, and found it looking like a graduate of the school of 'How Not To Modernise A Pub' had gone mental with his crayons and tape measure inside.
F**cking shocking.
Used to be one of my old favourites on a city oub crawl or quick jar just for the Dickensian atmosphere. I now only occasionally walk past it, gaze through the window and shake my head solemnly at what once was. No doubt the owners couldn't give a flying one because it always still seems busy, but the fact remains, you never should have f**cked about with it in the first place.
2/10, and the two is only for what it once was.
8 Jan 2005 19:13
The Hung, Drawn and Quartered, Tower Hill
No great shakes, but also nothing too offensive.
Decent enough drinker. Worth a look - in if doing a little tour of city Boozers.
Drinkies outside in summer which is always nice.
8 Jan 2005 19:05
The Hamilton Hall, Liverpool Street
Interesting interior, and ok for a bit of a feed I suppose.
Other than that, much like any other railway station boozer, a bit lacking on atmos / character.
Seen a couple of good tear - up's in here over the years for those that way inclined. Can get lively on match days!
Don't go here if you want sharpish service, not the barstaffs fault, it's just always busy.
8 Jan 2005 19:02
Oh and Brian and Matt (see earlier comments) - when is the wedding girls, i want to wear my new hat?
;o)
8 Jan 2005 18:57
I can't quite put my finger on why I like this place, but I do.
Its sort of like a strange synthesis between old fashioned boozer and modern bar. Lots of wood. Plus I like the name.
Not overly banged out with people when lots of other places in this neck of the woods might be, you can hear yourself talk in here.
Not the sort of place you would go to get majorly on it, more of a pleasant stop off whie getting sharpened up for later on.
8 Jan 2005 18:55
Lol at Spel's comment re. the barmaid. She is a good lass that one, if a bit excitable! The professionaly bored looking Nordic barmaid is my favourite, I tried to put a move on her one night but got warned off by the barmaid Spel mentions. Don't try don't get!
Nice friendly staff, bit of atmosphere if you want a traditional city pub with a bit of character. Lots of history to this pub, look it up!
Ideal for a few sherbets before moving up to the bars of Shoreditch or the West End Etc. We use it as a meeting point for eveyone coming in from various parts of the capital / Essex etc before we head out later, very nicely situated for that outside as its right outside Liv st Station. on Bishopsgate, just past the Old Bill station and the All Bar One meat market ;o)
Best place is upstairs, less busy, somewhere to sit.
Someone said it's a blokes pub, although whenever i've been its been just slightly less than half and half blokes and ladies I reckon so don't be put off by that. Seen some very nice young ladies in here actually, including the Nordic barmaid (think she is Swedish?).
Give it a whirl.
8 Jan 2005 18:44
Good for a lash up with the lads / colleagues.
Good for watching sport at.
Not too pricey.
Pool tables downstairs, and that golf game with the ball thing that gets more fun the more pints of Stella you have had.
Much preferable in my opinion to the overpriced and over - poncy Slug and Lettuce or whatever it is a few doors away. Avoid that like the plague is my advice, poxy hole.
8 Jan 2005 18:35
Superb pub, one of the most interesting interiors of any of the central city pubs.
What I love about it is that it has a zone for whatever drinking head you have on. You've got your propping up the very attrative bar option, having a chinwag with the lads /colleagues. You've got your very posh and cosy looking chairs round the edges of the main ground floor level, ideal for watching the punters come and go and looking business like if that's what you like.
You've got your rooms out the back, which have the vibe of an old drawing room / drinking club, very atmospheric and a good place to sit and have a smoke and a chinwag. Then of course you have the upstairs, which is a superb to take a little group of drinkers to and plot up in, or perhaps a lady for that intimate cosy chat. The best of it up there is that you can look down on the punters below and just people watch, and there are lots of little nooks to merrily consume your drink of choice in.
Love it, and a fairly mixed crowd.
8 Jan 2005 18:30
Nice building / location, with so much potential, shame about what they have put inside!
The size of a small aircract hanger inside, and sadly with the same character. Absolutely zero atomoshere. Continuing the aeronautical theme, drinking in here reminded me of having a pint in an airport, only I had less fun.
About the only thing this boozer is suitable for is if there is a big group of office types having a leaving do or whatever, or if you absoutely must have a cheap pint, otherwise I would give it a very big swerve.
Try one of the pubs across the road in Leadenhall Market, much bundles more character and atmosphere. Or if you want a big old pub in a traditional buiding, try the Counting House round the corner on Cornhill, which is a 1000 times better.
Wetherspoons - you coud have done so much with this space, please think again!!!
8 Jan 2005 18:13
Dark and dingy?
It's called atmosphere mate, not all of us want neon strip lights and wall to wall mirrors to admire ourselves in!
There aren't enough boozers like this left in the City, keep the old school pubs going!
8 Jan 2005 18:05
The Salisbury, Leicester Square
Gets rammed in here Friday / Saturday night, but still definitely worth a look, a proper London pub.
Of all the central West End pubs this is one of the most atmospheric. Yes it is a bit touristy, but this is the West End, what do you expect?! Worth checking out just for the decor, there are not many pubs left this well preserved from the Victorian period (first converted to a pub 1898).
A favourite with the theatre crowd, you might spot the odd famous face having a pre / after show beverage in here.
Best position in the pub is the front nook with the tiny bar, ideal for a litte crowd of say 10 odd to plot up in, but be advised, to get seats in there you will have to turn up early doors!
8 Jan 2005 18:00
Cannot agree with Mr Lash, great little boozer with very friendly staff.
A welcome relief from busy city life, great for an after work sherbet.
Non smoking bar upstairs, tv's and fruit machines etc downstairs. Cosy downstairs bar for the more serious drinkers / 'oiks' as the snobby Mr Lash calls them!
Does a decent bit of grub lunchtimes also, not the sort of place to go and be seen, just a decent city drinker, of which we seem to be fast running out!
Viva la Oiks!
8 Jan 2005 17:45
The Railway, Pitsea
Old (flaccid) member - you surely have been watching too many tv programmes mate, sounds like a script from Eastenders!
Quite on the contrary dear boy, the railway Pitsea is a highly civilised drinker, full of articulate and erudite clientele. Once I even saw a regular lay down his coat for a lady to walk through a (piss) puddle in the centre of the bar.
See you's all down there for sherbet soon, gertcha!!
7 Oct 2005 19:45