|
The Duke of York, WC1 - A 1930s Treasure
Think of historic pubs in central London. What come to mind, no doubt, will be venerable places like the Old Cheshire Cheese in Fleet Street or the George at Southwark, or the glitz and glitter of great Victorian pubs such as the Princess Louise, Holborn or the magnificent Salisbury in Green Lanes.
While working with Jane Jephcote on putting together the London Regional Inventory we had some marvellous surprises with lesser known buildings which deserve to be better known. One of these emerged shortly before we went to press when John Cryne tipped us off about the Duke of York, 7 Roger Street, in Bloomsbury.
It turned out to be an integral part of a late 1930s block and with a virtually untouched interior. This must be how thousands of pubs looked just before the Second World War. The pub is really quite small with two rooms divided by a doorway: the larger (in the angle of the streets) is the public bar, and the smaller the lounge. The place is a total contrast to the lavish decoration the Victorians went in for. The bar counter front is completely unadorned, and the panelling round the lower parts of the walls very simple.
But the most remarkable survival here is the floor covering. It sounds silly when I write this down, but it's the lino! Genuine 1930s lino. It has a geometrical design of squares in red, black and white. Not quite the thing you might put in your kitchen today but a real period piece. The area just in front of the counters, by contrast, is a plain grey. All this survived because it was carpeted over for many years and was brought back to view a few years ago. The loos have their original tiling.
There's one real ale on offer, Greene King IPA. There is much stress laid on food but, thank goodness, this is not what one would call a gastro- pub.
Duke of York, 7 Roger Street, London WC1. 020 7242 7230.
Hours: 12-11, Sun 12-10.30. Food all day till 10 (Sun 9.30).
Geoff Brantwood
London Pubs Group
Reproduced from the Full Pint, Issue 28.
|
