Search

Wenlock Arms

26 Wenlock Road, N1 7TA Full details & map

Pub

Time Out says 2 Users say 3/5 Rate it

By Time Out Editors Posted: Sep 20 2010

Peek through the door of this single-room boozer and you'll immediately see its raison d'être: a line of handpumps along the cramped central bar counter, with a mild always among the enticing options. First opened as a pub in 1836, it survived the Blitz and was reopened in 1994, although the shabby decor makes it look and feel more like a '70s-vintage taproom.

The interior is as down-at-heel as the location, but there's a real community feel to the place: how many Islington pubs have cricket and football teams? The clientele is a lovely mix of garrulous locals, ale hunters and slumming-it art students, and everyone talks to everyone else. On Friday nights, a cluster of old timers rattles through Pennies from Heaven-vintage tunes around the piano; there's more jazz on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons, but the regulars are on hand to provide slice-of-life entertainment all week.

Tags: Historic, Local flavour, Speciality beers, East, Shoreditch, Pub

Comment 2 Tweet

Wenlock Arms details

Address

Wenlock Arms

26 Wenlock Road N1 7TA

Transport Old Street tube/rail

Telephone

020 7608 3406

Wenlock Arms website

Open noon-midnight Mon-Thur, Sun; noon-1am Fri, Sat.

Facilities

Babies and children admitted ( until 9pm ), Function room ( 25 capacity ), Entertainment ( quiz 9pm Thur; blues/jazz 9pm Fri, Sat )

Wenlock Arms map

Expand the map

Restaurants & cafés near Wenlock Arms

See all restaurants near Wenlock Arms

Bars & pubs near Wenlock Arms

See all bars & pubs near Wenlock Arms

Want to eat? See Restaurants & Cafés

Share your thoughts

Name (will appear on the site) *
Email (will not appear on the site) *
Add a star rating Min 1 star. Zero stars will be treated as unrated.
Enter text...
Tick to receive relevant updates from Time Out including news, events, offers and competitions.

* Mandatory fields for leaving a comment

Comments & ratings 3/5 (Average of 2 ratings)

By Ollie - Apr 16 2012

3/5

An odd place set off the beaten track. I'll admit I haven't been there for a few years but I'm not sure it deserves it's repeat performance on "best ale pubs". Yes the selection is fantastic but the atmosphere not so much. One man's "garrulous locals" is another man's "annoying drunks", so I guess it's a matter of taste, but like Paul I was also made to feel very much an outsider who doesn't belong. The bullet hole in the window didn't help much either (although I imagine that's been fixed now)

Report

By Paul - Jan 20 2012

3/5

Wonderful array of ales which are nicely kept, but certainly not the warmest welcome in London - and if you can get a please or thank you off the staff, then you're a better man than I. Heavily focused towards their locals, which I applaud, but a smile and a "Hello" to a newcomer cost nothing and would make for a friendlier pub.