I love the old painted signs outside the charismatic pubs of England, and I have taken pictures of many of them through the years. My family and I will be in London for a few days near the end of our vacation in August, and I would like recommendations for quirky, fun, old fashioned, traditional pubs to check out and photograph. All suggestions are appreciated.
Well this sounds fun. Send us a link to some of your fav photos, Linda.
Here's the pub we spent our late evenings in when we were in London:
http://www.perfectpint.co.uk/files/pubs/original/The_Old_George_Bethnal_green.png
If you have the sense not to make a street sign the central focal point of your shots, I'd like to see some pics.
A nice pub in a good area, massive floral display. I've never been inside though, but it's been on the news here (for good reasons)...
= http://churchillarmskensington.co.uk/
Another nice one on the South Bank, great surrounding area, close to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Small roof terrace, and another larger terrace next to the river. Gets lively (in a good way) in the evenings...
= http://www.taylor-walker.co.uk/pub/anchor-bankside-southwark/p0977/
Another a few minutes walk along the South Bank towards Tower Bridge, next to the Golden Hinde ship...
= The Old Thameside Inn
Few pics on Google Images, doesn't get great reviews, for the food I imagine, but the terrace location and view are really good, and it's more or less next to Borough Market. The last two will get super busy, especially on a nice summer day, arriving between 11 and 12 for a quick half before the lunchtime madness will work well.
You said you love the Pub signs... next to Hyde Park, on the Bayswater Road, on Sundays only, you can buy replica pub signs from a local artist. I don't know the pricing.
http://www.bayswater-road-artists.co.uk/artists-a---k/362069_warwick-jacobs.html
Many villages have ornate signs. From my wanderings, these seem to be most common in the East Anglian counties of Suffolk & Norfolk. Just Google 'Images village signs suffolk' (or norfolk) and you will see what I mean.
The Art Deco of the Blackfriar is wonderful, the quirky Nags Head, The Star Tavern, Cittie of Yorke and The Warrington in little Venice are all worth a gander.
"Ye Olde Cock Tavern" has a sign and frontage worthy of a photograph.
It's at 22 Fleet Street (in The City), and I think is near Dr. Johnson's favorite pub, Ye Old Cheshire Cheese Tavern.
Thank you to all for your suggestions! Keep 'em coming ~
not London, but The Quiet Woman sign at Earl Sterndale is notable
Here's The Seven Stars, behind the Royal Courts on Carey Street in the early evening packed with legal eagles (or whatever one might refer to them as in England!). We didn't go in, but it was a nice scene.
My favorite pub sign:
http://pages.suddenlink.net/mikestravel/Pub%20Sign.jpg
I took this photo in front of a pub in Burton-on-the-Water in 2000. The following year it was gone.
Do go in to see Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese that Kent mentioned. You have to go down the stairs, and then down some more. It's got little nooks along the way.