Anchor & Hope, Clapton  

Traditional East End boozer that's an exponent of the 'pub as front room' ethic. It's all here: friendly if slightly mad locals, flock wallpaper that probably looked a bit dated during the Silver Jubilee and ancient vinyl flooring. There's also a dartboard where many a local has learnt the arts of darts but is placed to make a trip to the toilet somewhat challenging and considering the pub's diminutive size takes up a fair chunk of the available space. Being next to the canal it's popular in the summertime, but given its titchy size it can be a bit cheek by jowl when the colder months force punters inside. Hard to fault a place with decent Fullers ales and so many pub dogs, it's one of those old fashioned, time-warped London pubs that decrease in number every year: combine it with a trip to the Princess of Wales and a wander up the canal and you shouldn't go too far wrong.

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