East London does gritty gin palaces like no other.

While their north and west London counterparts are often (but not exclusively) in leafy backstreets or close to parks, in the working class heartlands of London they’re all on busy interchanges, clinging on amid a changing world, standing proud and sometimes looking menacing. Set against a backdrop of a gritty London that tourists in Zone 1 don’t see, haggard street urchins shuffle by while traffic thunders past outside on busy arterial roads. This for me is everyday London - not the picture book pastel colours of Notting Hill or the palaces of Westminster that you see on coffee tables or on Instagram from “isn’t it all rosy up in my ivory tower” social media influencers. This is the London of the have nots who live among so much hate and distrust, often witnessing social division. 

Pleasingly, sanctuary and solace from the madness can always be found in the traditional boozer. However, as there have been scores of closures on this manor there were grave concerns for this late Victorian Grade II listed treasures future. Once West Ham United moved from their home next door since 1904, that shared a name with the pub, to the Tax Payers Stadium at Stratford 2.5 miles away trade dropped off significantly. Since relocation in 2016 many other traditional Cockney businesses on famous Green Street, which connects Upton Park tube station to the Boleyn on the Barking South in the south, have closed. The pub was put up for sale and many local residents and Hammers feared a changed of use with the loss of this historic part of East London’s past.

Certain pubs have a magnetic pull and I’ve regularly been a victim of this regal building dripping in character that dominates the corner sucking me in off the street over the years, as if on autopilot.

There are so few grand pubs like this left in East London now, other than the Earl of Essex in nearby Manor Park – that has stood derelict since closure in 2012, and stalwarts of the manor would be right to be cautious about the pub being changed too much betraying its heritage and cultural impact on the area. In the five visits I’ve had capturing the painstakingly cautious refurb I can only predict that the pub is going to be better than ever before. From the late 1960s the interior was over time heavily altered with the seven separate portioned bars opened up, parts of the original bar hidden from customer lines of sight, garish red linoleum applied to the floors and damaged etched glass lazily replaced with cheaper clear panes.

I firmly believe publicans and pubcos are merely custodians of these spectacular palaces of the people. They don’t really own them - simply taking stewardship of them during their particular chapter of time in the building’s long history. They belong to London as long after each owner has departed the bricks and mortar with precious social history and memories will endure.

I’ll however make one exception for the people at Remarkable Pubs who have taken on the grand old lady of East London, The Boleyn.

Most pubcos wouldn’t have taken a chance on this treasure. The love, time, money and toil invested to restore this bewitching beauty to her full dazzling glory means these stalwarts, in the game since 1984, are so much more than custodians. They are her saviours!

Many operators ruin pubs when taking them over often adding a 21st century style hotel lobby interior that clashes with a grand almost gothic Victorian facade. Remarkable ensure that all modifications are traditional and enhance historical value with additions of clocks, bar foot rails and their trusty signature trusty jukebox. Great care at considerable cost is taken to sympathetically respect a pubs heritage.

In an area with scores of closures this pub reopening is a beacon of hope that there are people who care and love pubs as much as us punters. It’s not all about the balance sheet and shareholders here and after labouring tirelessly to get the old dame open during the challenges of Covid they’re giving her back to us in the best shape in over 50 years. It will be as grand as when Peters, Moore & Hurst helped win the World Cup in 1966.

It’s certainly seen its share of punters toasting 3 points or drowning their sorrows mourning another loss. If they could speak what stories her walls could no doubt tell. With Remarkable at the helm and a large volume of ABC1 socio-economic demographic punters residents moving to the flats in the old stadium there will be decades more stories to add to the glories of the past.

A pub colossus of this nature always consumes me and being here throughout the refurbishment works has taken my breath away drinking in the opulence and splendour on each visit. All original bars with glass partitions have been restored with beautifully stained mahogany wood, the delightful etched glass now runs throughout and the jewel in Anne’s crown – the two striking stained glass atrium windows have been restored and cleaned to dazzle in the light.

The Boleyn is going to be East London’s pub Magnus opus. Get here as soon as they open (date TBC).