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Book reviews
CITY OF LONDON PUBS
BY JOHNNY HOMER
’ve not seen it yet but it sounds just the sort of book that
I readers might be interested in. It is a historical guide to
fifty pubs in the Square Mile and
is, the author says, the first
comprehensive guide to City
pubs in more almost fifty years.
CAMRA local guides have
covered the pubs but not in that
much detail.
The author, a CAMRA member,
is new to me although some
readers may know him from his
appearances on the Robert Elms
show on BBC Radio London
where he has a regular slot. It is
always good to see a new name among beer writers. He
was born within the Square Mile and lived for many years
just outside the boundary with an EC1 postcode in the old
London Borough of Finsbury hence his love for the area, its
history and many of its hostelries. He now lives in
Whitstable, Kent, sometimes working as a tour guide for
Shepherd Neame, and has previously written a book on the
pubs of Canterbury.
The book is due to be published by Amberley Publishing
on April 15. For more details see www.amazon.co.uk/City-
London-Pubs-Johnny-Homer/dp/1445656116
Tony Hedger
PUBS, INNS AND TAVERNS OF EPSOM,
EWELL & CHEAM
BY RICHARD F. HOLMES
ate last year Mr Holmes completed his fourth book in a
Lseries covering pubs, inns and taverns around the
Kingston area. This time he has featured pubs around the
towns of Epsom, Ewell and Cheam. The book
comprehensively covers all pubs past and present, with
many black and white photographs from years gone by and
up to current times. In some cases
paintings or drawings supplement
the photos. There are old maps of
each area showing the location of
all the pubs.
Mr Holmes gives the history of
and stories relating to the public
houses, including past ownerships
and crimes that were committed
on these premises, such as serving
beer after time or allowing betting
to take place and only allowing
enough time for professional ladies to take refreshment.
Also included are the breweries that owned or supplied
beer to the pubs in the area, many that have long since gone
such as Boniface’s of Cheam, or Bradley’s of Epsom. This is
another well researched book and is a must for anyone
interested in the history of pubs in this area. Copies can be
acquired from the Bourne Hall Museum shop, Sutton
Archives, Kingston Heritage Centre, Cheam Sports (9 The
Broadway) or direct from Mr Holmes via e-bay. The cover
price is £14.00.
Clive Taylor
YORKSHIRE PUB WALKS
his is the sixth book in CAMRA’s pub walks series, all
Twritten by Bob Steel, and for the first time it covers a
single county. The book features 25 walks in both urban and
rural locations, as well as Yorkshire’s renowned national
parks and is divided into North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and
City Walks sections. The walks include Settle and Upper
Ribblesdale; Whitby to Robin Hood’s Bay; Brontë country:
Haworth and Ponden;
Sheffield: Kelham Island and
the ‘valley of beer’ and Hull’s
old town: a fishy trail. The
book also covers the culture
and heritage of the county
as well as information on
local transport and
accommodation.
The book was published
on 14 March and is
available on-line from
www.camra.org.uk/books.
ISBN No. 9781852493295),
RRP £9.99.
FROM PICTURES TO PINTS:
CINEMAS THAT BECAME PUBS
BY GAVIN MCGRATH
ome CAMRA members are as interested in the
Sarchitecture and history of pubs as much as they are in
the beer served in them. The same is true with cinema
enthusiasts; there is an organisation, the Cinema Theatre
Association, with over 1,200 members who are dedicated to
the serious study of cinema architecture and design as much
as the films shown in them. One of their members has
produced this attractive and interesting 32-page
publication describing the many cinemas that have
been converted to pubs. There are some 100 examples
listed here, alphabetically from Abergavenny to
Wrexham, nearly all illustrated with potted histories of each
building and their cinematic highlights. The majority are
operated by JD Wetherspoon, but several are in other
hands.
In our area, probably the finest conversions are the
Coronet in Holloway Road and the Grade II-listed Capitol in
Forest Hill, both run by JDW. Outside London, this
reviewer’s favourites include the Playhouse, Colchester
and the Picture Palace in Braintree, both in Essex, and
further north, the Picture House in Stafford, also Grade IIlisted.
The author has now compiled a second volume about
cinemas that have become supermarkets and is working on
a third which lists cinemas that have become churches. It
isn’t just pubs that are being sold off!
The book is available, price £4.00 plus £3.00 postage,
from the Cinema Theatre Association, 34 Pelham Road,
London, N22 6LN (Cheque/PO payable to Cinema Theatre
Association or send credit/debit card details including expiry
date and security code). Alternatively you can order on-line
for £7.10 including postage using Paypal or debit/credit
cards at: www.cinema-theatre.org.uk/shop.
Jeremy Buck
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