Category: Westminster (Borough of)

I’m having a rather lovely time meandering around Covent Garden this afternoon, an area that normally annoys me (and indeed a chugger has managed to annoy me by jumping in front of me and nearly causing a pedestrian traffic accident by trying to impede my progress – I have complained to the charity involved because I’m post-annoyed about it). Anyway, other than that, the atmosphere here is relaxed and, most importantly (for me), not too busy.

This is the Good Beer Guide listed White Swan pub on New Row, operated by Nicholson’s. CAMRA note that this was once one of the many early morning pubs at Covent Garden when it was a market and had a special licence for the porters who worked there so they could get a drink. The building dates from the seventeenth century and it was at one stage a coaching house for visitors to London, so yet another pub with some considerable heritage. For several years, until 2012, it was an Irish themed bar operated by O’Neils and, to be honest, I’m not sure that this was an ideal usage for such an old building.

I love a pub with a history sign outside, it suggest that some quite exciting things might lie within! OK, I accept that I might need to get out more…. Anyway, as this signage states, the pub was used in a novel written by Dorothy L Sayers.

The interior of the pub and as can be seen, this is another pub not exactly heaving at lunch-time. It was a little busier outside, but it’s fair to say, this was a heavily under-used pub for the time that I was in it.

The bar area which all feels quite traditional. I had a little bit of a wait to get in as the pub felt slightly understaffed, but the barman was friendly and helpful when I called out to check that I could just go in. It was a very comfortable environment, and also considerably cooler than the previous pub that I had just sat outside, so that was reassuring to me.

There was a choice of four real ales available, which are seemingly the the same ones that are offered in nearly every other Nicholson’s pub, it’s not really very creative. But perhaps times are hard to get the appropriate supplies of beers flowing throughout the pub chain. This is half a pint of Wainwrights, a beer that was perhaps a little past its best, but I think it’s quite a bland beer anyway, so it’s hard for me to judge when that best was. The service though remained attentive and helpful throughout, although there were only two customers (including me) sitting inside the pub, so that likely made managing things a little easier. I purchased using the app, which gave me 25p off my half pint again, so the pricing was entirely reasonable and I didn’t encounter any issues with it today.

Apparently the pub is showing the Euro football matches, but is leaving the volume low or not on at all, something which seems to me to be a perfect compromise. I understand that football fans might not entirely agree with that though, but there we go. The pub was serving food, and has a restaurant area upstairs, but I’m not sure they had many customers for that when I was there. A decent pub though, aided by helpful service, although I would ideally like a more decadent beer selection to keep me amused and to want to come back. For the heritage alone, I can see why it’s listed in the Good Beer Guide.

This is a bit lovely, one of the oldest pubs in the area, perhaps dating to as early 1688, but the timber frame is no later than the mid eighteenth century. Former customers include Charles Dickens, Karl Marx and John Dryden, so there’s some considerable history here. I partly treat the money I spend at these places (which is hardly a decadent spend as I’m only buying half a pint) as an entrance fee to see these remarkable buildings. For those who are craving my riveting comments on craft beer, I’ll be visiting other locations more suited to that later today, in a desperate attempt to cater to my huge audience of about three.

Some have claimed that the pub is perhaps the oldest in London, although I’m quite sceptical about that. But, it’s heritage is undeniable, although as often with these things, the pub and its licence can move about a bit as buildings were reconstructed and developed. It’s known that there was a pub around here, and very likely this building, from 1772 and at that stage it was known as the Cooper’s Arms. The pub changed to its current name in 1833 and it was another location where boxing matches were held frequently judging from the newspaper reports. More recently, in the late twentieth century, there were theatrical performances that took place upstairs.

There was another friendly welcome at the entrance to this Good Beer Guide listed pub which all complied with track and trace. I had a quick meander around the pub and took a photo of the beer options whilst I was walking by.

I had a bit of a dilemma here and I looked very British and awkward in trying to find where to sit. There was a large group in the rear of the pub which I didn’t want to disturb, and it was a restaurant area upstairs. So I temporarily moved to the front of the pub, but didn’t want to take that table of four as that seemed greedy. But I didn’t like the high table that I had acquired for myself, so I placed my order and then faffed about a bit pondering where to go.

I then decided to go outside, before realising all of the tables were reserved, so I shuffled back inside like some confused idiot. Actually, I’m sure the member of staff thought exactly that, but she didn’t show it. I mentioned that I hadn’t realised they were reserved, but she politely explained they actually weren’t, it was just to ensure that customers got the attention of a staff member before self-seating. So, I shuffled back outside and sat in the blazing heat. I didn’t feel that I could back inside without the staff member fearing for my sanity. My phone warned me it was over-heating, my trusty Chromebook switched off three times in some sort of part panic and part strop, whilst I just melted. I pretended to passing pedestrians and customers that I was enjoying the lovely hot weather, but I feel I made a bit of a mistake here (I’ll add that I’m currently inside another pub which is very cold, so myself and my devices are recovering fast).

The beer that I ordered was Oliver’s Island from Fuller’s Brewery, which was average and unexceptional. It was well-kept and yet again at the appropriate temperature (I see little reason to say more than this for generic real ales) so I was suitably refreshing in the tropical London heat. The beer cost £2.50, but as I mentioned earlier, that’s sort of partly an admission fee to feel part of the heritage of a pub where I can sit where Charles Dickens sat. And since I kept moving about inside, I probably covered quite a few bases in that regard.

Other than I nearly combusted in the heat, this was a clean and comfortable environment. Relaxed, informal and friendly, I liked this pub and find it remarkable just how quiet Covent Garden is at the moment. It’s a pub that is worth visiting though, a little bit of London history.