The Pub Raider

Mile End may not be the edgiest bit of the East End, but it’s certainly not lacking in character. Those of us who’ve come to call this little nugget of London our home wouldn’t swap it for any number of rainbow bagels or beard parlours. You really know you’re a Mile Ender when…. You have to slalom around endless dog shit when you’re on your way anywhere. Good luck on those late-night strolls…. Nipping to the shop means a stark choice between the world's unfriendliest Tesco on Roman Road or the world's narrowest Tesco on Mile End Road; aggression or high possibility of bum-to-bum contact in the biscuit aisle. Tough choice.   A photo posted by Kelly♔ (@xjustkellyx) on Jan 17, 2015 at 6:23am PST   You often wonder what you might see on your next trip underneath the ‘railway bridge of abandoned things’ just up from the road from the Morgan Arms on Morgan Street. Will it be a miniature pink keyboard? A tainted frying pan? Several throw cushions? Oh, the suspense! You like the idea of the ‘proper East End’ Roman Road Market and its myriad offerings of dodgy board games, weird furniture and Kelvin Clone underwear but in reality you’ve never bought anything there because it actually scares you a little bit. You constantly brag about how nice it is to be near the facilities of the Olympic Park without ever having actually used them.  A photo posted by anne joyce (@anne_joyce) on Nov 11, 2016 at 3:54pm PST You’re justifiably smug that your Amazon deliveries always arrive

With on-and-off strikes, rush hour traffic and train cancellations causing all manner of woes to our commutes, no one can blame you for turning to the bottle. If you could use a round to fortify yourself for the journey to and from home, check out these pubs near most of London's mainline stations.   A photo posted by Yulia Zlobina (@zlo_lo) on Nov 16, 2016 at 3:30pm PST The Bree Louise, Euston The next time you find yourself stuck at Euston, drown your sorrows at The Bree Louise. It's replete with a mind-boggling range of beers, colourful characters and several Camra pub of the year accolades.     A photo posted by The Globe Public House (@theglobemarylebone) on Nov 21, 2016 at 12:25am PST The Globe, Marylebone If being surrounded by ominously huge tellies showing various sporting events isn’t your idea of unwinding before a tough commute then you might want to slip into the self-proclaimed ‘no nonsense’ craft beer and ale pub ‘The Globe’. It’s a little off the beaten track so you’re far more likely to get a perch.   A photo posted by Sage Fitzpatrick (@sagefitzpatrick) on Jan 27, 2017 at 9:30am PST The George Inn, London Bridge The George Inn is a listed building, owned by the National Trust and Dickens drank there (along with everywhere else in the West End apparently). It’s supposedly also where the Canterbury Tales started, especially fitting given that your journey could potentially take as long as that fabled pilgrimage.   A photo posted by Andrew

It’s that time of the year again where we brace ourselves for an extended season of mince pies, merrymaking and mistletoe. With the exception of those who work in retail – who may try to end it all after the ten thousandth hearing of Noddy Holder squawking ‘It’s Chriiiiistmaaaaaas!’ – there ought to be a few LOLs in store, especially on the tube. Here’s a rundown of the seasonally exclusive travellers to look out for this festive season. The Human Thermostat It's pretty impossible to maintain an agreeable temperature while out and about at Christmas. Layering up to avoid frostbite leaves you vulnerable to shops that have got the heating firmly on the ‘Surface of Mercury’ setting. Dress any lighter and you’ll freeze to death. However, keep your eyes peeled to the highly evolved creatures on the most stifling tube journey who are able to maintain composure in full woolly hat, scarf, gloves and puffer jacket regalia.   A photo posted by Rhea (@rheabee04) on Nov 26, 2016 at 12:43am PST   The Afternoon Works Do Retreater Official or not, it’s highly likely that an impromptu party in the office will kick off at some point in the run-up to Christmas; probably around lunchtime when thoughts ought to lean more toward ‘Pret’ than ‘pint’. These accidental incidences of merriment result in an intrepid Works Do Retreater being one of the more common sights of the tube in the dark of the early evening. You'll spot them well turned-out in business attire and yet strangely poorly coo

If you tuned into the Beeb last night you'll know it's that time of year again when a cluster of shiny-suited, borderline sociopaths compete to become Sir Alan Sugar's next apprentice. While you might not be too keen to replicate the candidates' actions too closely, they do tend to venture into some of the more interesting parts of the city. Here are some of the locations and challenges we’d like to see the candidates take on. Night Tube Chaperone Service With more lines being added to the night tube and Christmas season around the corner, there’s a lot of wobbly wandering going on in them there tunnels. Could the candidates turn their hand to making a few quid by safely guiding merry makers to their destinations? Restaurant Queue Place Holder Booking free restaurants are the bane of any self-respecting foodies existence and standing out in the cold while your fingers slowly turn into icicles is not a lot of fun. But what if there were someone to do this for you and make a mint while they're at it? Mudlarking Although it sounds like something a dog might do in a puddle, mudlarking is the antiquated job of making a living from things found along the bank of the Thames. Who wouldn’t want to watch an hour of the well-heeled hopefuls knee deep in the mire trying to make a few quid from their soggy finds? Covent Garden Entertainment From living statues to ‘magicians’ there’s money to be made from the throngs of Covent Garden. Could the business brains come up with an original idea

  A photo posted by Liam J Davies (@liaaaaamd) on Dec 23, 2015 at 12:34pm PST   At some point during the relentless merry-go-round of flat-hopping in London, you and your best mate may be in sync enough to move in together. However, what might appear to be a golden opportunity for all manner of tomfoolery and shenanigans could quickly descend into a Machiavellian nightmare neither of you will recover from. In order to help you preserve your companionship and avoid criminal proceedings, here are five ways to make it work (sort of).    A photo posted by Ian Nader (@iannader) on May 2, 2016 at 11:04am PDT 1. Be realistic from the outset Unlike subjecting yourself to the judgement of several collections of strangers, living with your best mate means you get to make real choices. But be totally upfront and get your cards on the table; eg. if you don’t want to live in Morden, above a kebab shop on a street which is a massive hike from the tube then say so! Better to walk away now rather than sow a burning seed of resentment that will destroy you both.    A photo posted by Isaac Stott (@isaacjstott) on Dec 22, 2012 at 10:50am PST 2. Remember that the world outside still exists When you're not living with someone you thought might secretly be a serial killer, your flat will quickly feel a lot more like a home than anywhere before. However, it’s a big old city out there so make an effort to go out or you’ll end up as the Netflix generation's version of Morecambe and

The Time Out’s Love London Awards are back for a third year, so we're asking you to show some love to your favourite restaurants, bars, pubs, cafés, shops and cultural venues. Feeling overwhelmed by all this democratic responsibility? Don’t panic, because we’ve enlisted some of the city’s top bloggers to tell us where they put a tick on their ballot paper. Next up it's Alex Jones who reviews London pubs at raidersofthelostpubs.  ‘In a city where basically every pub has a dubious claim to fame – Samuel Pepys stopping by for a sup, a pirate hanging, the spot where David Bowie once propped up the bar – East End boozers take the prize for the tallest tales around. You probably know Ronnie Kray popped a cap in hapless George Cornell at The Blind Beggar, but did you know the bar at The Carpenters Arms (at one time run by old Ma Kray) was supposedly carved from coffin lids? Or that the Prospect of Whitby’s bar top is forged from centuries-old pewter? Many (if not all) such stories are utter fabrication, particularly those starring the usefully opaque Jack the Ripper. But pubs out west, friendly and cosy as they are, can’t touch this level of character. ‘One story I like concerns The Palm Tree. Today it looks odd, stuck out alone in the middle of Mile End Park. Apparently it once stood at the corner of two terraced streets, both of which were obliterated in the Blitz. Now it’s a time capsule. The pub’s management won’t accept card payment, the decor is pure shite and the old-school

For the humble northerner, a pub in the nation’s capital can be both a daunting and confusing experience, with the sheer range of differences sometimes sending some people into a catatonic state. In order to save as many as possible from such a fate, here are seven things you'll learn when you’re in a pub daahn saahf. 1. You'll need to order FAST You know that feeling you get when you walk into a new sandwich shop and there’s a chalkboard filled with a thousand options? Cue unmitigated panic and the feeling that there will simply never be enough time to digest the options and decide on the perfect lunch. Overwhelmed with possibilities, you’ll be asked for your order before you've had a chance to decide and reflexively order the only thing you could remember from the list. Order fast or brace yourself for a life of truly horrible drinks or learn to love shit like marmalade stout (actually a thing). 2. There's more to the bar staff than meets the eye Many bar staff in London moonlight as actors, writers or conceptual artists and loads just work for the shits and giggles. The upside of this is that they’re always happy to chat about basically anything. If you're not used to this, here's the best approach: order drink, exchange currency, take drink away, and minimise words used throughout the exchange.   A photo posted by Malik Ibheis (@abnor.malik) on Dec 17, 2014 at 7:03am PST   3. You may not get a plate So far you’ve ordered a pint and been invited to an opening of ‘Wa

If you’re not prepared to put yourself through the trauma of appearing on ‘Pointless’ then the only real option you have to demonstrate your status as Wikipedia in human form is the humble pub quiz. However, even they are not all fun and games and we will all have encountered at least one character from the pub quiz rogues gallery.     A photo posted by Uncle Tris (@trisrevill) on May 9, 2016 at 12:54pm PDT The Googler We see you there, pretending to be on Tinder after a tricky question about ‘Neighbours’ instantly caused everyone to look a bit dazed. We see you taking notes and then going for your nineteenth pee in an hour even though you’ve only drunk one pint. We see you looking sheepish when you’ve got full marks for the third round in a row. We see you and we all think you’re a dick. The Gloater  So this character is smarter than they have any right to be and probably put their phone away in a hammed up display worthy of a panto so it’s clear that they’re not a Googler. The worst trait of this creature is the propensity to attend quizzes in a tight-knit group referred to as a ‘gaggle’ of gloaters (a bit like geese); most likely to be heard collectively making triumphant ‘Aha!’ noises and nodding in smug agreement at almost every question.   The Heckler Probably a regular and probably full of booze. Hecklers are often lone wolves who sit at the bar and do the quiz on their own. Expect regular interjections into proceedings, occasionally bawdy comments and repeated re

Churchill is often quoted as saying that golf is the best way to ruin a good walk* but that’s not to say that the stoic war-winning curmudgeon thought that a good old stroll couldn't be improved upon. Any walk punctuated by frequent stopping off in pubs is the best kind; be it coming home from work, going for a summer stroll or popping out for a pint of milk. As we’re heading into that time of the year where we’d barbecue a Pret sandwich given half the chance, it seems appropriate to help improve the ever popular park visit. Victoria Park is not only one of the biggest in London it’s also surrounded by these five great pubs that are worth a crawl (and you might want to use this map to find them):     The Approach Tavern Assuming you hop off the tube at Bethnal Green, by the time you’ve got to the edge of the park you’re probably going to be thirsty from the Central Line (which is hotter than the surface of Venus). This is a good spot to enjoy a cold lager from our German cousins and to fortify you for the walk ahead. Winston might not have approved but you certainly will. Get there early-ish and it’s usually nice and quiet, allowing you to relax before you head into the park properly to dodge untethered toddlers and lycra clad jogging people. 47 Approach Rd, London E2 9LY. The Crown Plod past the boating lake with its easily riled geese and just off to the right is your next call. It's not the best outside spot but it has a luxuriously comfy interior with a cheeky little men