Little Driver, Bow

A lively pub with much remaining to enjoy from an ambitious turn of the century refit.

This appealing two storey local was rebuilt in the mid 19th century of brick with a polished stone dado, and refitted c.1900. It is now a lofty single space with a spacious peninsular servery - but four sets of exterior doors indicate it was originally a series of rooms which probably encompassed  an off sales department. Some of the partitions survived up to about 1990. The sturdy Victorian bar counter with its architectural finish survives, but was unfortunately painted a sickly mushroom colour in 2010. There is a very basic stillion where the lower shelves and most of the upper part look old, and a monumental two bay bar back with delightful mirrored sections, incorporating back painted depictions of roses.

At the rear left is an ornate Victorian mahogany fireplace with a curved hood and a richly decorated tympanum, and below this two tiers of mirrors adorned with back-painted flowers and foliage. Supporting the first floor are three columns, one with an ornate capital. Originally a massive Hoare & Co’s brewery mirror advertising their celebrated stout dominated the right hand side, but it was very sadly lost during a recent change of management.  The extensive fielded panelled dado has thankfully been left unpainted.