There’s a new book celebrating the history of London pubs

Ah, the mighty pub. That temple of civic life and breeding ground of culture. The comforting waft of overflowing drip trays. The gentle satisfaction of unsticking your bar stool from the floor. The familiar greeting of ‘All right, mate?’, as the staff pour your usual pint, foam head sitting perfectly on top of the golden fizz. My mouth is salivating at the thought. 

You may think you know your local boozer better than anyone else, but there could be a lot more to it than meets the eye (aka, more than just dusty ashtrays and toilets lacking loo roll). 

A new book published by Open City – the folk behind the annual Open House London Festival – sets out to celebrate the public house in all its glory. And, after everything that pubs have put up with this last year (reopening hasn’t exactly been a smooth ride), it’s about time. 

Titled ‘Public House: A Cultural and Social History of the London Pub’, the book investigates the diversity, design and culture of everything from Victorian gin palaces and medieval taverns to the chin-stroking craft breweries and swanky new start-ups around today. It tells stories of migration, queer activism, black history and much more, painting a hop-smelling picture of London’s history through 120 pubs in all 33 boroughs.

The book was edited by Cristina Monteiro and David Knight and features a foreword by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, as well as text from heaps of contributing writers. So if you’re wanting an excuse to go for a drink or two, you’ll probably find a few facts here to turn your next pub trip into an enlightening history lesson. Pint, anyone? 

‘Public House: A Cultural and Social History of the London Pub’ is published on Sep 4 and costs £18.99. It can be purchased from Open House’s website. Open House London runs from Sep 4-12. 

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