Wilmington Arms, Clerkenwell  

Formerly a rather inglorious locals' boozer, the Wilmington is now under the ownership of the people who elevated the The Hawley Arms into the free-sheet favourite it now is. Just like the Hawley, signed pictures of the great and the good (and the not so good) of the music world adorn the walls and crisps and sweets in jars are for sale behind the bar. Where the Wilmington differs is in its focus on live music (and comedy nights), with a separate bar and stage for up-and-coming bands (and comedians) to try their luck on, although we'd wager some major acts will be destined for some 'secret' gigs there. The only downside is it can be virtually impossible to get into on a weeknight, such is the Wilmington's popularity, although it does settle down somewhat on Sunday afternoons - even then a fair sized crowd was in attendance. It's a busy and popular pub, especially if a favoured up-and-coming band is playing and, if nothing else, it's not a bad pub at all in which to spend a wet Sunday afternoon playing scrabble.

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