Tuesday 2 February 2016

British Gastro Pubs in West End

London's famous West End is a haven for shoppers, tourists and gastronauts alike.

The West End has the shopper's paradise of Oxford Street at its heart with and is located with Fitzrovia and Marylebone to the north and contains upmarket Mayfair and bohemian Soho which are separated by swanky Regent Street.

The West End is easily reached by the Central Line with London Underground tube stations at Tottenham Country.

The 50 best bars in London

London has one of the most dynamic bar scenes in the world. Here's our list of the capital's 50 best cocktail joints, by area - it ought to keep you busy for a fair few weekends...

NORTH

HAPPINESS FORGETS

Happiness Forgets has won the acclaim of Londoners for its no-fuss approach – you won’t find glamour here, just a real bar where the knowledgeable bartenders make great cocktails for the discerning drinker. Owner Alastair Burgess cut his teeth at Milk & Honey and Quo Vadis so the high standard comes as no surprise. Currently voted the 12th best bar in the world.

Find it: 8-9 Hoxton Square, N1 6NU;

69 COLEBROOKE ROW

The 'bar with no name' is the flagship of mixologist maestro Tony Coniglario. Find the lantern and burgundy awnings on this Angel backstreet and you'll be rewarded with film noir design and superlative cocktails honed in the Drink Factory lab next door. Book ahead.

Find it: 69 Colebrooke Row, N1 8AA;

Through the revolving doors of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel you'll find stunning painted ceilings, mesmerising bell chandeliers and bartenders who really know how to make and shake a cocktail - especially a negroni. Take a date, it's very romantic.

Find it: St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd, NW1 2AR;

THE PERMIT ROOM AT DISHOOM KING'S CROSS

Not just somewhere to wait for your table to be ready upstairs in the restaurant, this big bar will make you dream of colonial India train cafes with its dark wood panelling, emerald green leather seating and moody lighting. It specialises in cocktails aged in bottles and served over hand-chipped ice by the 'chota peg' or 'burra peg' — traditional Indian liquor measures.

Find it: 5 Stable Street, N1C 4AB,

WHITE LYAN

This is Ryan Chetiyawardana aka Mr Lyan's original London bar. You won't find citrus or ice at this bar – all drinks are pre-mixed. This might not be to everyone's taste, but this is a bar for customers, not Tom-Cruise-in-Cocktail aspiring bartenders.

Find it: 153 Hoxton St, N1 6PJ; whitelyan.com

PURL

An underground bar with sexy lighting in Marylebone that does a good line in classic drinks and forgotten cocktails from the prohibition era. It gets a bit multi-sensory in here so expect your orders to come with a side of god, foam or even liquid nitrogen.

Find it: 50-54 Blandford Street, W1U 7HX;

THE DOLLS HOUSE ISLINGTON

The Dead Dolls Club's Hoxton pop-up has moved to a permanent warren of rooms on Upper Street. It's opulent without being stuffy with lots of turquoise velvet and mirrored tables - and has the perfect buzzy atmosphere for a date. Order an Aviation (gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette and lemon juice) or a French Martini.

Find it: 181 Upper St, N1 1RQ;

BLUES KITCHEN

Fans of the deep South will love this Mississippi Delta-style bar with cracked leather booths, plenty of American whiskey cocktails, boozy shakes and live music - think motown and blues.

Find it: 111-113 Camden High St, NW1 7JN;

ORIGINAL SIN

This is the new Stokey neighbourhood bar from the guys behind Hoxton's Happiness Forgets. Looks-wise it's all cool Brooklyn, but it feels more like your local - just with excellently made drinks involving unusual spirits like mezcal and Kamm & Sons. And it has a pool table.

Find it: 129 Stoke Newington High St, N16 0PH;

LADIES & GENTS

Once a disused underground Victorian lav opposite the Kentish Town Forum, new neighbourhood bar Ladies & Gents focuses on homemade liqueurs and syrups, botanicals and herbs on its cocktail menu. It gets extra marks for some seriously beautiful glassware and quirky extras like a Werther’s Original with your Gentleman’s Old Fashioned.

Find it: 2 Highgate Road, NW5 1NR;

RUBY'S

Find the cinema sign on Stoke Newington Road and you've found this underground drinking den, opened by Tom Gibson in the former kitchen of a Chinese takeaway. The ever-changing cocktail menu is divided into classic and seasonal, all presented in vintage vessels like 1940s milk bottles and old tin cups.

Find it: 76 Stoke Newington Rd, N16 7XB;

SOUTH

FRANK'S PECKHAM

Frank's Campari bar is probably south London's most famous watering hole. And rightly so: climb ten flights of stairs to find a vast car park rooftop with 360 degree views of the whole city. It's madly popular so expect to queue for your £5 aperol spritz.

Find it: Level 10 Peckham Multi-Storey Car Park, 95a Rye Lane, SE15 4ST;

THE SHRUB AND SHUTTER

A newish and grown-up addition to Brixton's growing bar scene, you might think the cocktails here are a bit gimmicky at first glance - side of crayfish with your vodka? - but they're expertly made with seasonal, homemade ingredients. Order the house signature the Shrub and Shutter.

Find it: 336 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8QH;

THREE EIGHT FOUR

It's by the same people as Seven in Brixton Market, but we prefer the louder, darker, cooler Three Eight Four. Make your way through the cocktail list and soak it all up with fast-foodish sharing plates.

Find it: 384 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8LF;

BERMONDSEY ARTS CLUB

At a rather nondescript junction on the Tower Bridge Road you'll see what looks like a still-functioning public loo. Bravely descend and you'll be rewarded with a miniature, very stylish Art Deco cocktail bar that makes a mean negoni. Visit on a Wednesday for live jazz.

Find it: 102 Tower Bridge Rd, SE1 4PT;

BAR AT AQUA SHARD

Sometimes you just want to impress and only a spectacular view will do. Take a date to the bar at Aqua on the 32nd floor of the Shard and you'll do just that.

Find it: Level 31, The Shard, 31 Saint Thomas St, SE1 9RY;

BAR STORY

Under the arches by Peckham Rye station, Bar Story offers a chilled out vibe that often offers sanctuary to those who can't get in to Frank's (above). Cocktails are only £5-6 at peak times, so during its daily happy hour, they're practically free. During the summer different chefs cook up a storm outside on the grill.

Find it: 213 Blenheim Grove, SE15 4QL;

PECKHAM SPRINGS

Part-gallery, part-bar, you'll find Peckham Springs — yes, the name is inspired by Del Boy's infamous back garden water business — opposite Bar Story. Possibly the best value cocktails in the whole of the big smoke — the well-made drinks here are £6 a pop. Great for long boozy summer nights.

Find it: 22A Blenheim Grove, SE15 4QN;

LITTLE BAR TOOTING

A small but perfectly formed neighbourhood bar that has, alongside a thoughtful wine list and plates of charcuterie, a whole list dedicated to negronis. Ask to swap Martini Rosso for Punt E Mes, a dark Italian vermouth, for a posher classic negroni.

Find it: 145 Mitcham Road, SW17,

THE DOODLE BAR

One of the coolest watering holes to land south of the river, the Doodle Bar is more Dalston than Battersea with its cavernous ex-dairy warehouse space, ping pong tables, life drawing classes and rotating menu of street food trucks. Order a Sidecar: cognac, lemon juice and triple sec.

Find it: 33 Parkgate Rd, SW11 4NP;

DandeLyan at Mondrian

It's the sexy second bar from Ryan Chetiyawardana that sits Thames-side in the slick new Mondrian hotel. Sumptuous velvet armchairs and leather banquettes in jewel tones run the length of the bar, which is where we'd suggest taking up position so you can watch the botany-inspired cocktails being made.

EAST

SATAN'S WHISKERS

On a lonely stretch of Bethnal Green, this bar is a most welcome find. Well-lit, cosy leather booths, delicious and very reasonably priced cocktails, hip hop tunes and some rather strange taxidermy make it a failsafe date venue. They do snacks too so you won't get too sozzled.

Find it: 343 Cambridge Heath Rd, E2 9RA;

MISSION

Technically it's a Californian wine bar, but husband and wife team Michael and Charlotte Sager Wilde's second project does a list of what they call '3 sip cocktails'. It's kept old school with martinis, negronis, manhattans and sazeracs. Explore the bar snacks menu too.

THE NIGHTJAR

This Old Street bar was voted 3rd best in the world in 2014. It’s all about old-fashioned appreciation of libations here: the list is divided into pre-Prohibition, Prohibition and post-war drinks – think rare and revived numbers such as Switchels and Boxcars. Live jazz performances might make getting a reservation that bit trickier.

Find it: 129 City Rd, EC1V 1JB;

HAWKSMOOR SPITALFIELDS BAR

Housed in an ex-strip joint, Hawksmoor's standalone bar is a very attractive beast with lots of candlelight, turquoise tiling and alcoves for cosying up in. The bar guys will whip up anything you want – although the Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew is a must-try. As are the enormous bar snacks, which aren't really snacks at all.

Find it: 157A Commercial St, E1 6BJ;

DISCOUNT SUIT COMPANY

A clandestine space which was once an old tailor's stockroom has got the vibe just right in an age of 'secret' bars. The bar looks like the former sewing area, low tables are scattered around with dripping candles and red leather armchairs for settling in to. Take a date on the weekend, it gets sexy with the tunes later on.

Find it: 29a Wentworth St, E1 7TB;

PINCH HACKNEY

This must be the smallest, cutest bar in the whole of London. On a very quiet residential street in De Beauvoir, you'll see a steamed up glass front and find a charming 15 cover wine bar that also does cocktails too, as well as neat vermouth and cheese and charcuterie boards.

Find it: 51a Greenwood Rd, E8 1NT;

ACE HOTEL LOBBY BAR

The Ace nails NYC-style low-key cool with its lobby bar and the cocktails aren't half bad either. Try and get a seat in the snug to the right of the bar, order a Bijou Basket – Sipsmith sloe gin, ginger wine, lemon and rhubarb bitters – and the seriously good burger from the restaurant menu.

Find it: 100 Shoreditch High St, E1 6JQ;

NOLA

This place is a little corner of New Orleans in Shoreditch. Stop by for late-night drinking, honky tonk on the piano, cigar-smoking and blues. They've got a whole list of Hurricanes by the way – it's the quintessential Creole party drink combining light and dark rum with lime and passion fruit and originally made in a hurricane lamp. Good times.

Find it: 68 Rivington St, EC2A 3AY;

CALLOOH CALLAY

It's all in the surrealist details at this Shoreditch bar. Walk through the Victorian wardrobe to find a bar within a bar that's as mad as hatter – it has its own throne and serves punches in old grammaphones. No hen parties allowed, by the way.

Find it: 65 Rivington St, EC2A 3AY;

PEG + PATRIOT

Experimental mixologist Matt Whiley is behind this bar, which shares space with Lee Westcott's restaurant Typing Rooms at the Old Bethnal Green Town Hall. Each cocktail is a taste experience: The Peg Martini, served in a small glass, comes with olive brine crisps (like mini umami poppadums). Order the Barley Legal, made with buttered rum, coconut and pineapple.

Find it: Town Hall Hotel, Patriot Square, E2 9NF;

WEST

PACHAMAMA

If you like pisco sours, you'll love Pachamama with its vibrant, colourful bar, super friendly staff and decor that looks like it belongs to your long lost Peruvian godparents. A good place to go for a few sharpeners after a hard day's shopping on Bond Street – ask for the Mama Killer, its take on the gimlet. )

Find it: 18 Thayer St, W1U 3JY;

EVANS & PEEL

West London isn't exactly bursting with cocktail bars so if you're into the whole speakeasy role-play thing, make an 'appointment' here. Once you've been given permission to sneak through the bookcase, you'll find a genuine prohibition-style bar with super good cocktails. Try the G-T, its twist on the G&T.

PORTOBELLO STAR

A tiny bar on the Portobello Road, head upstairs to the Ginstitute for gin-based cocktails – it runs gin-making classes too. Co-owner Jake Burger is one of the biggest and most loved personalities in the booze world and attracts some of the world’s best bartenders to work there.

Find it: 171 Portobello Rd, W11 2DY;

PARLOUR

It took over from the Regent pub a few years back and now Parlour is a staple for the Kensal Rise crew. Aigars is the man behind the cocktail menu, which changes regularly but expect twists on classics such as Pomegranate Punch and Cynar Gin Fizz. Beware, it's closed on Mondays.

Find it: 5 Regent St, NW10 5LG;

THE SHOP NW10

Vintage plays a big part at this creative west London bar. Cocktails are served in milk bottles and jam jars and you'll find lots of 'once loved' things for sale. Drinks-wise, go for house special The Shop Fix: tequila, agave, lime juice with freshly squeezed carrot and ginger juice.

Find it: 75 Chamberlayne Rd, NW10 3ND;

TONTERIA

A fiesta in the basement for the glam Made in Chelsea crowd, Tonteria is ruled by fun; a train on the ceiling delivers tequila shots, sharing cocktails are delivered by waiters in costumes brandishing flares and at 10pm the dancing starts. Drinks are good and not too pricey.

Find it: 7-12 Sloane Square, SW1W 8EG;

RUM KITCHEN

West London does the Caribbean at the Rum Kitchen. Drinks are good rather than excellent but you're here for reggae good times til 2am – order the Rumbustion.

Find it: 6-8 All Saints Rd, W11 1HH;

THE CONNAUGHT BAR

Coming here for a drink is a special occasion. Once you've been whisked back to the 1920s by the cubist bar with its rich leathers, mirrors and extremely charming staff (service is exemplary here), you'll find a very lengthy cocktail list . We must warn you they're not the cheapest drinks in town — think £17-£18. o London's best hotel bars)

Find it: Carlos Place, Mayfair, W1K 2AL;

THE FUMOIR AT CLARIDGE'S

This tiny bar, cloaked in dark purple and leather, is hidden away behind a secret door at the iconic London hotel. Dark lighting and excellent champagne cocktails make celebrity-spotting likely – it's one of Mad Men's Christina Hedricks' favourite places for a nightcapin London.

Find it: Claridge's, 49 Brook St, W1K 4HR;

CENTRAL

LONDON EDITION LOBBY BAR

What a beauty it is: marble walls, elegant seating and a giant silver egg-like sculpture suspended from the ornate ceiling makes for a super-slick hangout — the Lobby Bar is a place to see and be seen. Stop by for a Yakuzu champagne cocktail pre-dinner at Berners Tavern next door – or there's always the more intimate Punch Room for a nightcap.

Find it: 10 Berners St, W1T 3NP;

BAR TERMINI

Cocktail king Tony Coniglario and coffee maestro Marco Arrigo have created a tiny 1950s-esque Italian pit stop that's rather perfect. Make your way the negroni list – all pre-aged in bottles and served without ice – the rose-petal infused one is the best.

Find it: 7 Old Compton St, W1D 5JE;

OSKAR'S BAR AT DABBOUS

Can't get a reservation at Ollie Dabbous' eponymous restaurant? You can always take the stairs down to Oskar's Bar – it's dark, sexy and just a bit industrial. Head barman Oskar Kinsberg and his team make a lot of their own cordials and age their spirits, which works wonders on the drinks.

Find it: 39 Whitfield St, WIT 2SF;

DUKES BAR

It was in boutique Mayfair hotel, Dukes, where Ian Fleming ordered the martinis that supposedly inspired the “shaken not stirred” line. Legendary Alessandro Palazzi wheels his shiny trolley of various potions right to your table to rustle up its world-renowned martinis, which are pricey at £16 - but one’s enough.

Find it: Dukes Hotel, 35 Saint James's Place, SW1A 1NY;

AMERICAN BAR AT THE SAVOY

Its bartenders are almost as famous as the bar itself: Harry Craddock, who tended the Savoy bar in the 1930s, penned the Savoy Cocktail Book, which is still the bartender's bible, and current chef d'equipe of the bar's sleek curves is Erik Lorincz — nuff said. Dress up — after all, the bartenders and the nightly jazz pianist will all be in tuxes.

Find it: Strand, WC2R 0EU;

ARTESIAN BAR

A nostalgic Victorian beauty with nods to the Orient, its interior, designed by David Collins, is a beautiful mix of antique mirrors, purple scalloped leather banquettes and Art Deco fittings. If you're lucky, your drink will be made by the head mixologist and the bar's secret weapon: Alex Kratena — ask for the signature cocktail, the Langham Martini. Interestingly, it also has the largest collection of rums in London. It's won best bar in the world three years running now.

Find it: The Langham Hotel, Portland Place, W1B 1JA;

THE ZETTER TOWNHOUSE

Tony Conigliaro (of 69 Colebrooke Row and Bar Termini) did the cocktail menu so you're know you're in good hands. This boutique hotel's bar looks like your eccentric great aunt's sitting room to boot.

Find it: 49-50 St John's Square, EC1V 4JJ;

LUGGAGE ROOM

Tucked away on a corner of Grosvenor Square, this intimate cocktail bar draws on the spirit of the Roaring Twenties in the old luggage room of a five-star hotel. True old-fashioned opulence rules here among marble floors, Art Deco fittings and leather trunks. The excellent cocktails are old-school (cups, cobblers, punches and martinis) and worth their £13.50 price tags — even the straws are silver here

Find it: Grosvenor Square, W1;

It's all white Ibiza-style sofas, candles and views that sweep across London as far as the London Eye, Big Ben and a whole host of other London landmarks. It won't be to everyone's taste, but the whole set up undeniably romantic.

Pub Tour of London's West End: Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and Soho

Pub Tour of London's West End: Trafalgar Square, Covent GPub Tour of London's West End: Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and SoCheck out London’s best ale houses on a 4-hour historical pub tour of the West End! Led by a friendly local guide, your tour includes visits to five traditional pubs with beer samples in each. Visit locals’ favorites at Trafalgar Square, Soho and Seven Dials – the epicenter of London’s theater scene -- and discover atmospheric pubs down blink-and-you'll-miss-it alleyways near Covent Garden. Hear the history and culture of beer in England, get tips on London's pub scene and enjoy drinking like a local!

Numbers are limited to 15 on this small-group tour, ensuring you’ll enjoy personalized attention from your guide.

Highlights

4-hour afternoon pub tour of London, led by an expert local guide
Visit five historical pubs in London’s popular West End and sample different beers or ales in each one
Learn about brewing traditions in the UK and hear of the different beer-drinking cultures throughout Europe
Explore Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, Soho and Seven Dials
Hear tales, trivia and history of London’s thriving pub scene
Small-group tour with a maximum of 15 people ensures a more personalized experience

Recent Photos of This Tour

pub tour of London

John our tour guide had a lovely couple from Sweden.

Photo by: Michael B
USA, Nov 2015

Pub Tour of London's West End: Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and Soho

What You Can Expect

Meet your guide near Trafalgar Square in London, and then set off on your 4-hour pub tour of London’s West End. Popular for centuries as the cultural heart of London, the West End is thronged with theaters, restaurants and galleries; no surprise then, that a thriving pub scene generated within it, and its historic pubs from bygone days are still every bit as popular today.

Start with a visit to a traditional 'boozer' near Trafalgar Square and soak up the ambiance of an authentic London ale house, serving beers, ales and ciders on tap. As you relax inside, your guide will regale you with insider secrets about some of the monuments nearby, like Nelsons Column – the impressive structure in the center of Trafalgar Square.

After sampling some of the pubs hearty ales, continue your tour with a stroll to Covent Garden – one of London’s most beautiful squares, with a bustling marketplace in the center. Many visitors head straight for the tourist pubs here, but your guide will introduce you to two of the best local pubs, just hidden down side streets, away from the hustle and bustle. Enjoy a traditional snack inside one of them, and hear about the history and culture of beer drinking in the UK and Europe, as well as the ingredients used in different beers like hops and wheat.

Continue to the heart of London’s ‘theatreland’ in Soho, passing iconic London venues like the Adelphi and the Shaftsbury Theatre, and then head inside a pub that’s popular for pre-show drinks. Hear about the city's impressive performing arts and music scene in this world-famous theater district while sitting back and sipping on another ale.

Legendary East End Pubs

Alright, so the UK has a huge pub culture with one on every corner but there aren't many with a lively history as East London's the Blind Beggar and the Ten Bells.

Although the pubs are in and around the same area of Whitechapel, their histories are over a century apart with one visited by the wealthy and the other reeking of 19th century sleaze, but both witnessing gruesome murders.

Ten bells is known as the possible hangout of the notorious murderer, Jack the Ripper and his prostitute victims. It was rumoured that Annie Chapman, the third victim, was seen at 5am at the Ten Bells on the morning of her death.

Also the night before the last victim, Mary Kelly, was killed, she was seen drinking at the Ten Bells. Mary was very attractive and known throughout the area as a kind of patron of the Ten Bells, as she would regularly stand outside the pub to bring in customers.

As the only pub left with links to the Ripper, it has played to the popularity of stories. The Ten Bells has been standing since 1752 and walking into it feels like a trip back in time with its noisy wooden floorboards and many of its original mosaics still in tact.

Although rough on the outside, it is a cosy space that still attracts the great and the good due to it being close to the trendy area of Shoreditch. Alex Sousa, a bartender, says that the pub's great location has helped it to be as popular as ever. He said: "The pub still has most of the original features and that makes it different. I get asked about Jack the Ripper every day, people love it."

large image

Hop on the bus for a bit and on Whitechapel road the Blind Beggar has the strongest connection with notorious gangsters the Kray twins as it became a sort of headquarters.

In 1950s and 60s, Reggie and Ronnie Kray were West End nightclub owners and mixing with people like Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland as well as politicians made them celebrities in their own right.

While on the other side of town they were the foremost organised crime leaders, dominating London's East End in their so-called "reign of terror". Ronnie in particular was known for his violent outbreaks and suffered from paranoid schizophrenia.

The low-lit, discreet atmosphere of the Blind Beggar was the perfect backdrop for their dirty work. The Krays were involved in armed robberies, arson, protection rackets, violent assaults including torture.

On 9 March 1966, Ronnie Kray shot and killed George Cornell, an associate of rival gang the Richardsons, while he sat having a drink at the bar, was shot in the head three times as revenge for the killing of a friend the day before. They were eventually arrested in 1968 and imprisoned for life.

The stories of the Kray twins, will always be a major selling point for the pub. However the manager, Essayas Jeremiah, believes its success is down to the location. He describes the Blind Beggar as the "centre of the universe" and said, "It is cosmopolitan and is a drawing point for different cultures. We've also got the best beer garden. We get asked about the Kray twins all the time but it doesn't get annoying because it's part of the pub." Whether at the Blind Beggar or the Ten Bells, you can get an brilliant history lesson with your pint.

The UK's most notorious pub murders - when terror strikes the heart of our communiti

The UK's most notorious pub murders - when terror strikes the heart of our communities.

Fear: Many pubs have also been the setting of some of the country’s most appalling crimes

For centuries the British pub has been the life and soul of our communities.

But many have also been the setting of some of the country’s most appalling crimes and heinous murders.

From landlords bumping off wealthy guests for their gold to truly terrifying gangland killings, The Sunday People looks back at some of the most infamous and terrifying murders carried out at Britain’s pubs..

The Moor Cock Inn

Saddleworth, Lancs

Killing: Bill o' Jacks Murders took place at the Moor Cock Inn on Saddleworth

In 1882 the bloodied and battered bodies of a landlord and his son were discovered at the Moor Cock Inn.

The savagery of the case shocked locals around Saddleworth Moor.

William Bradbury, 84, was found beaten in his bed while his 46-year-old son Thomas, a gamekeeper, was found downstairs in his own blood.

Old Bill lived long enough to utter a word that sounded like “Platts” but the murders went unsolved. Many people speculated that Thomas’s gambling debts were at the bottom of it.

Another suggestion was that a poacher due to stand trial had bumped the men off because Thomas had been called as a witness against him.

Neither theory was ever proven.

The Ostrich Inn

Colnbrook, Berkshire

Deadly: The Ostrich Inn, Berkshire

A sure contender for Britain’s most bloody pub.

More than 60 murders are said to have been committed at this inn that dates back to 1106.

The most notorious case was that of 13th century landlord Mr Jarman.

The story goes that Jarman would ply his wealthy guests with strong ale then send them off to bed in one of the guest rooms, the Blue Room.

Jarman built a trapdoor in the room and as his guests slept, they would be tipped through the trapdoor and into a vat of boiling liquid below so he could steal their possessions.

The White Hart

Newcastle upon Tyne

Born and bred on the streets of Newcastle, Geordie pirate Edward Robinson was said to have claimed his first victim at the White Hart.

While he went on to become part of a gang of pirates that marauded across the Atlantic, Robinson was believed to have been a young boy when he slit a man’s throat and pushed him in the river Tyne in the late 1700s.

The pub has since been redeveloped and is now the site of a nightclub.

The Fir Tree

Croxteth, Liverpool

PARhys JonesTragedy: Rhys Jones was gunned down in a pub car park

In one of the most shocking crimes in recent memory, schoolboy Rhys Jones was walking home alone from football practice in August 2007 when tragedy struck.

The 11-year-old was crossing the car park of the Fir Tree when he was gunned down by a youth on a bicycle.

His mother Melanie raced to the scene and he died in her arms.

Scumbag Sean Mercer, 16, was found guilty of his murder and jailed for at least 22 years.

The landlord Keith Doyle was accused of allowing criminals to have the run of the pub and was banned from working there.

Eleanor Bull’s tavern

South East London

The death of celebrated poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe in 1593 has remained a mystery for centuries.

He went to the tavern to meet his friend Ingram Frizer, a businessman.

They had dinner with two other men who were working for Queen Elizabeth’s intelligence chief Walsingham, who had also had contacts with Marlowe, 29.

A fight broke out, said to be about the bill. Marlowe was stabbed by Frizer and died.

Frizer pleaded self defence and got off. Some believed Marlowe was murdered because of espionage.

Most fanciful of all is a theory he faked his death and continued to write under the name of... William Shakespeare.

The Blind Beggar

Whitechapel, London

MirrorpixHistory: The Blind Beggar Public gained notoriety when when George Cornell was shot

The East End pub was the scene of the gangland killing of George Cornell by Ronnie Kray in 1966.

Cornell, a member of the Krays’ rivals the

Richardson gang, was rumoured to have called Ronnie “a big fat poof” earlier.

Ronnie shot him in the head with his Luger. Cornell, 38, died in hospital that night.

Nobody was surprised when not one witness came forward.

But some associates of the Krays feared for their own future and fed information to the police.

It was enough to charge Ronnie and he was jailed for life in 1969 after an Old Bailey trial.

The Heights

Loughinisland, Co Down

Six men were shot dead as they watched Ireland play Italy in the 1994 football World Cup in this small village pub.

The bar, mainly frequented by Catholics, was packed when the Ulster Volunteer Force burst in firing assault rifles.

Despite a history of Northern Ireland conflict, the World Cup Massacre shocked the world.

The White Hart Inn

Edinburgh

Notorious duo Burke and Hare, who were believed to have had 16 victims between them, frequented the Grassmarket pub in the late 1820s.

There they would befriend their unsuspecting victims before luring them back to their nearby lodgings where they were murdered and their bodies promptly sold on a “no questions asked basis” to Dr Knox for dissection by his medical students.

The Magdala

Hampstead, London

Passion: Last woman to be hanged in Britain Ruth Ellis

It was a crime of passion that was to lead to the last execution of a female in Britain.

On Easter Sunday in 1955, Ruth Ellis shot her boyfriend, David Blakely, 25, five times outside the pub killing him.

Ruth, 28, gave herself up immediately but went down in UK history as the last woman to be hanged.

The Black Horse

Sidmouth, Devon

Pensioner Brian Kemp was on holiday in the seaside Devon town when he was attacked by local Nicholas Jamieson in September 2013.

Jamieson, 42, had pestered Mr Kemp to buy him a pint but the 71-year-old had politely refused.

Then out of nowhere, Jamieson pulled out a First World War bayonet and stabbed him. Schizophrenic Jamieson was found guilty of manslaughter based on a plea of diminished responsibility.

The Brass Handles

Salford, Greater Manchester

PAKilled: Carlton Alveranga.

They had been hired to perform a gangland hit but when Richard Austin, 19, and Carlton Alveranga, 20, walked into the Brass Handles in March 2006 the tables were quickly turned on the would-be killers.

After firing off six shots at their targets they were tackled by the pub’s regulars and ended up being shot themselves – with their own weapons.

After stumbling outside, the pair were left to die on a grass verge.

Later, witnesses said the young men looked nervous, even reluctant to go in to the pub in the first place.

In 2011, Bobby Speirs, 41, was jailed for life for masterminding the bungled hit but no one was ever convicted of the pair’s murders.

Hitmen: The scene inside the Brass Handles

The Prince Arthur

Euston, London

This 1998 pub killing became the first murder case solved thanks to the power of the internet.

Landlady Carol Fife was brutally stabbed to death during an after-hours burglary by one of her bar staff – Australian backpacker Gregory Mills.

The killer, 28, fled the country with his £2,500 spoils.

But he was brought to justice after he was stopped for speeding in Colorado, US.

The cop had kept an eye on Interpol’s website and recognised Mills’s name.

He was extradited back to the UK, convicted and jailed for life.

Greatlondonpubs

British Gastro Pubs in West End

British Gastro Pubs in West End

The 50 best bars in London

The 50 best bars in London

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Pub Tour of London's West End: Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and Soho

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Legendary East End Pubs

The UK's most notorious pub murders - when terror strikes the heart of our communiti

The UK's most notorious pub murders - when terror strikes the heart of our communities.