Top 5

London pubs with great ambient lighting

Mike Pollitt | Thursday 18 November, 2010 11:06

“In the half light, we’re free”, as The Arcade Fire sang. And, presuming they were singing about the lighting levels of British pubs, they were absolutely right. Of all the qualities a great pub must have, the correct level of lighting is surely the most crucial. You can keep your speciality beers, your outdoor space, your well-chosen music – the light’s the thing. Here are five London hostelries which get it just right.

The Dove, Hackney
Candles, so many candles. Yes there are a disturbing number of check-shirted moustaches, yes it can be hard to get a seat, but the effect of the flames flickering against the dark wood interior, the shadows dancing across the golden pints of Juplier…lovely wintery stuff.

Tooting Tram and Social
This place is tucked away off a main road and easy to miss, but well worth seeking out. The entrance is beautifully adorned with floating lightbulbs and the super long bar is decorated with glassy lampshades. The space inside is massive, a great high ceiling, sofas and cosy tables. Really good venue, well worth checking out.

The Ten Bells, Spitalfields
This pub has already been featured in a grisly Top 5, but simply demands inclusion in this one – it’s deliberately kept dim in order to play on the historical resonances of the venue. Lookout lookout, there are murders about. Extra credit for the copious creative graffiti in the downstairs toilets (the men’s anyway), including random snatches of the Jabberwocky.

Royal Inn on the Park, Victoria Park
Great pub, with a fine old fireplace and a striking big mirror. Especially nice in the run up to Christmas when the white lights in the window shimmer prettily. Has a side room with a massive world map adorning an entire wall. This gives it lots of bonus marks for interesting decor, tempered only by the encouragement it offers boring people to witter on about their gap years.

North Star, Ealing
For any of you way out west, this is worth a visit. A pretty odd mock Tudor facade (which makes it the most interesting-looking building in Ealing by some distance) gives way to a well stocked alehouse with a pleasant, gloaming atmosphere. Not fancy, but all you need.

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