Town Of Ramsgate

Popular with the people who live roundabout, this old pub has had its up and downs, but has settled down in the last few years to become a jolly decent boozer. Whilst it is, by and large a locals' pub, it's not at all unwelcoming. The pub is an old, narrow building next to one of the first warehouses to be converted into apartments (well before the 80's property boom) and backs onto the Thames where it has a small terrace with a limited view of the river. It's well looked after and a relatively recent redecoration has done nothing to spoil the old-world (as opposed to olde-worlde) atmosphere. There are all sorts of historical claims made about the place (eg Judge Jeffreys was captured here attempting to flee to the continent) so it often appears on the tourist map, but not many of them manage to seek the pub out. Despite the fact that this area was the heart of the old London docks - and at one time there were 36 pubs on Wapping High Street alone, this area is nowadays a pub desert and, of the few pubs that are left, this is certainly one of the better ones.